Cleaning a sex toy the wrong way can degrade the material, shorten its lifespan, and in some cases leave bacteria behind even after what felt like a thorough wash. This guide covers everything: which cleaning method works for which material, what products to use and avoid, step-by-step instructions for different toy types, and how to store everything properly once it's clean.
The First Thing You Need to Know: Porous vs Non-Porous
Before anything else, you need to know whether your toy is porous or non-porous. This single distinction determines what's actually possible when you clean it.
Non-porous materials — silicone, borosilicate glass, stainless steel, ABS hard plastic — have a sealed surface that can be fully sterilized. Bacteria cannot survive in them after proper cleaning.
Porous materials — TPE, TPR, jelly rubber, realistic-feel elastomers — have microscopic gaps in their surface that trap bacteria, lubricant residue, and body fluids. Thorough cleaning significantly reduces bacteria, but cannot fully eliminate it. This doesn't make porous toys unusable — it means understanding their limits and using them accordingly.
Two practical rules that follow from this: don't share porous toys between partners without a condom, and don't use porous toys anally if they'll also be used vaginally. Non-porous toys don't have these restrictions.
If you're not sure what your toy is made from, check the product listing or packaging. Reputable manufacturers always list materials.
Most people clean their toys after use. Fewer clean them before. Both matter.
A toy that's been sitting in storage — even in a clean pouch — can pick up dust, lint, and airborne particles over time. A quick clean before use takes thirty seconds and removes anything that accumulated since you last cleaned it. It's a small habit that's genuinely worth building.
After use, clean as soon as reasonably possible rather than leaving it until the next day. Lubricant and body fluids are easier to remove when they haven't had hours to dry into textured surfaces or narrow gaps around buttons and seams.
How to Clean Silicone Sex Toys
Silicone is non-porous and one of the easiest materials to clean properly — but there's an important split between motorized and non-motorized silicone toys that determines how far you can go.
Non-motorized silicone toys (dildos, plugs, non-electric toys) can be fully sterilized by boiling in water for three to five minutes, or running through a dishwasher on the top rack without detergent. This destroys all bacteria and is the most thorough cleaning method available for any toy material.
Motorized silicone toys (vibrators, wearables, app-controlled devices) cannot be boiled — the motor and electronics won't survive it. For these, the right method depends on whether your toy is waterproof or not. Check your product before cleaning if you're not sure.
For waterproof motorized silicone toys: Rinse under warm running water, apply a small amount of fragrance-free toy-safe cleanser or gentle soap, work it into all surfaces including any textured areas or ridges, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely with a clean lint-free cloth before storing or charging. Don't open charging covers during cleaning — most sealed charging ports are fine under water, but the covers themselves create entry points for moisture if opened wet.
For non-waterproof motorized silicone toys: Dampen a clean cloth with warm water, add a small amount of toy cleanser or soap, and wipe down all surfaces thoroughly. Use a second damp cloth to remove any soap residue. Dry completely. Keep all charging ports and battery compartments dry throughout — if your toy takes batteries, remove them before cleaning and keep the compartment closed.
One important note that applies to all silicone toys regardless of type: never use silicone-based lubricant with silicone toys. It degrades the material surface over time. Water-based lubricant only.
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How to Clean App-Controlled and Rechargeable Toys
App-controlled and rechargeable toys follow the same waterproof/non-waterproof split as other motorized toys, but there are a few additional things worth knowing specific to this category.
The IPX rating on your toy tells you exactly how water-resistant it is. IPX7 means fully submersible to one metre — safe to rinse freely under running water. Lower ratings mean splash-resistant only, which is enough for careful cleaning but not submersion. If your toy doesn't list an IPX rating, treat it as non-waterproof to be safe.
Magnetic charging ports are worth mentioning separately. Most modern rechargeable toys use a sealed magnetic charging system rather than a port with a physical cover. These are generally fully waterproof around the charging point — one of the practical advantages over older USB port designs. That said, dry the charging area completely before connecting the charger regardless of waterproofing rating, since moisture on the contacts affects charging performance.
For cleaning the app or remote functionality itself — there isn't anything specific to do. The electronics are internal. Clean the toy's surface as you would any motorized silicone toy and the connectivity takes care of itself.
How to Clean Rose Toys and Air Pulse Stimulators
Rose toys and air pulse stimulators have one design feature that needs specific attention during cleaning: the opening. That small nozzle or cup is where air pulse technology does its work, and it's also where lubricant residue and body fluids collect most easily. If it's not cleaned properly after each use, residue builds up inside the opening and affects both hygiene and performance over time.
Most rose toys and air pulse stimulators are fully waterproof — check your specific product, but IPX7 is standard for this category. If yours is waterproof, hold the opening directly under warm running water and let water flush through the nozzle for a minute or so. Apply a small amount of toy-safe cleanser around and inside the opening with a fingertip, rinse thoroughly. Don't force anything into the opening — a fingertip and running water is all you need.
For the exterior body, clean as you would any waterproof silicone toy. Dry completely — including inside the opening as much as possible — before storing. Leaving moisture inside the nozzle is the most common reason these toys develop odours or degrade faster than expected.
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How to Clean G-Spot Vibrators and Curved Toys
The curve on a G-spot vibrator is what makes it work well, and it's also what makes cleaning slightly more involved than a straight toy. The concave inner curve tends to collect more residue than a flat surface would, and it's easy to miss if you're cleaning quickly.
The cleaning method itself is the same as any motorized silicone toy — waterproof models under warm running water with toy cleanser, non-waterproof models with a damp cloth. The additional step is making sure you run your fingers along the full curve during washing, including the inner bend where the toy makes its most contact with the body. Any ridges, textured surfaces, or seams around buttons deserve the same attention — a soft toothbrush kept specifically for this purpose is useful for narrow seams if residue builds up there.
Rinse thoroughly. Soap residue left in the curve is easy to miss and worth checking before you dry and store.
How to Store Sex Toys After Cleaning
Cleaning properly is only half the equation. How you store toys after cleaning determines whether they stay clean until the next use or pick up bacteria, dust, and surface damage in the meantime.
The most important rule is simple: make sure toys are completely dry before storing. Moisture trapped in storage creates exactly the conditions bacteria need to grow, which undoes your cleaning effort. If you're in a hurry, pat dry with a clean lint-free cloth and leave the toy out to air for a few minutes before putting it away.
Where you store them matters too. A cool, dry location away from direct sunlight is the practical standard — UV exposure and heat both degrade silicone and realistic-feel materials over time. A drawer or bedside cabinet works fine. The top of a sunny windowsill does not.
Individual storage pouches or cases make a genuine difference, particularly for porous toys. Soft porous materials can bond together when stored in contact with each other or with other toy materials — they can literally fuse or transfer colour if left touching for extended periods. Non-porous toys are less vulnerable to this, but storing them separately still keeps surfaces cleaner and prevents scratches on glass or metal toys.
A few things that trip people up with storage: charging a toy before it's fully dry can cause charging issues over time, storing toys in the original cardboard box exposes them to dust, and keeping multiple toys loose in the same bag or drawer without separation is a fast way to scratch or degrade surfaces you just cleaned.
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Common Cleaning Mistakes Worth Knowing About
How Often Should You Clean Sex Toys
The straightforward answer: before every use and after every use. Every time, without exception.
Beyond that baseline, a few specific situations are worth knowing about:
Before long-term storage, clean the toy even if it was cleaned after its last use. Residue you didn't notice, or particles that settled during storage, are worth removing before the toy goes away for an extended period.
After travel, clean before use regardless of how carefully the toy was packed. Bags and cases pick up more than you'd expect in transit.
If you haven't used a toy in a while, clean it before use even if it's been sitting in a clean storage pouch. Dust and environmental particles accumulate on any surface over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I use regular soap to clean sex toys? | Yes, with one condition: it needs to be a gentle, fragrance-free liquid soap. Avoid antibacterial soaps, heavily fragranced products, and anything with harsh chemicals — these degrade silicone and porous materials over time. Dish soap and hand sanitizer are common mistakes. A mild unscented soap or a dedicated toy cleanser are both fine for routine cleaning. |
| Can I put sex toys in the dishwasher? | Only non-motorized toys made from silicone, borosilicate glass, or stainless steel — and only on the top rack without detergent. The heat and water pressure sterilize effectively. Never put motorized toys in the dishwasher regardless of material; the electronics won't survive it. |
| How long should I let a toy dry before storing it? | Until it's genuinely dry — not just surface-dry. Waterproof toys that have been fully rinsed need more drying time than you might expect, particularly around charging ports, textured surfaces, and any indentations. Pat dry with a lint-free cloth first, then leave it to air for at least 10 to 15 minutes before putting it away. If you're storing it in a sealed pouch, err on the side of longer. |
| Can I wash rechargeable toys under water? | Only if the toy has a confirmed waterproof rating — IPX7 is the standard for full submersion. "Water-resistant" or "splashproof" ratings mean the toy can handle careful cleaning with a damp cloth, not rinsing under a tap. If your toy doesn't list a waterproof rating, treat it as non-waterproof. Check your product listing or packaging if you're not sure. |
| Do silicone toys need special cleaning products? | No — mild soap and warm water work well for routine cleaning of motorized silicone toys. Dedicated toy cleansers are a convenient alternative, particularly for non-waterproof toys where you want to minimize water contact. What silicone toys do require is the right lubricant: water-based only. Silicone-based lubricant degrades silicone material regardless of which toy cleaner you use. |
| Can I share sex toys between partners? | Non-porous toys — silicone, glass, stainless steel — can be fully sterilized between uses, making sharing safer. Porous toys cannot be fully sterilized, so using a condom over them when sharing is the practical solution. For anal-to-vaginal use of the same toy, the same rules apply: sterilize non-porous toys between uses, or use a condom with porous ones. |
| How do I clean the inside of a suction toy or rose toy? | Hold the opening directly under warm running water and let water flow through the nozzle for a minute. Apply a small amount of toy cleanser around and inside the opening with a fingertip, rinse thoroughly, then shake out excess water and leave to air dry opening-side down. Don't insert anything hard into the nozzle — the mechanism inside is delicate. |
Where to Go From Here
The core of it is straightforward: clean before and after every use, use gentle products appropriate for your toy's material, dry completely before storing, and keep toys in individual pouches away from heat and direct sunlight. Everything else in this guide is context that makes those four steps easier to follow correctly.
If you want to go deeper, our guide to sex toy materials covers porosity, material compatibility, and lubricant choices in detail — useful reading before your next purchase as much as for caring for what you already own.
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FAQ
Yes, bondage can be explored safely by beginners when it is based on clear communication, mutual consent, and appropriate safety precautions. Many couples start with soft restraints, beginner-friendly bondage accessories, and simple positions that prioritize comfort and easy movement. Regular check-ins and agreed safety signals help create a positive and enjoyable experience.
Before exploring bondage, partners should discuss boundaries, comfort levels, interests, physical limitations, and communication preferences. Establishing safe words or a traffic-light system can help both partners feel confident and respected throughout the experience. Open communication is one of the most important parts of safe BDSM exploration.
Many beginners start with soft wrist cuffs, adjustable restraints, blindfolds, or beginner bondage kits designed for comfort and safety. Look for body-safe materials, quick-release features, and products specifically designed for first-time users. Choosing beginner-friendly equipment can make learning more comfortable and enjoyable.
Bondage and BDSM can be adapted for many different relationship styles, identities, and experience levels. The most important factors are consent, communication, trust, and mutual interest. Many couples explore light restraint, sensory play, or roleplay as part of their intimacy journey while adjusting activities to fit their individual preferences and boundaries.
Comfort starts with proper positioning, body-safe equipment, and ongoing communication. Soft restraints, comfortable support surfaces, and regular circulation checks can help improve the experience. Many couples also incorporate sensory play, relaxation techniques, and gradual progression to discover what works best for their relationship.
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