The last thing you want to thinking about when you're using your sex toys is the inevitable clean-up that has to go down after. And while "cleaning up" when you were younger meant throwing your toys in a corner of the room or under your bed, your sex toys are going to need a lot better care and protection than that!
It's critical to clean your toys to avoid yeast or bacterial infections, or a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if you've been sharing toys with an infected partner. Bacteria and germs can easily cling to the material of your favourite vibrator, so you need to ensure its thoroughly cleaned before pulling it out again and putting it in! Just like peeing after sex, washing your toys after every use is a great healthy habit to make, and can save you a lot of future pain and regret. Perhaps the more intriguing reason to clean your sex toys is that it will, in fact, help them last a lot longer and live to their full potential! If you've just dropped hundreds on a new rabbit vibe, the last thing you want is for it to be out of use within a month - so get cleaning!
The simple answer to how often you should clean your toys is, well, every time you use them! This is not an "I'll do it next time" kinda thing. Leaving your toys unwashed even once has already provided a dozen opportunities for unwanted bacteria to gather, increasing your risk of aforementioned infections.
If you've been using your toys with others, it's vital to disinfect them first, to get rid of all the potentially nasty bodily fluids left over. Boiling them for a few minutes will do the trick, as long as they're non-motorised and made of silicone or stainless steel. Otherwise, for your motorised sex toys, a little bit of extra TLC in the cleaning process will help!
Toys that are made from silicone, glass or stainless steel, and are motorised, can be cleaned using a mild soap and damp cloth. It's vital to ensure that the soap you use is fragrance-free and as natural as possible, as perfumed soaps can leave a residue on the toy that your genitals definitely won't agree with!
Alternatively, purchasing a sex toy cleaner such as the best-selling Refresh Anti-Bacterial Toy Cleaner is a great option for even easier clean-up. This product is affordable and will ensure your toys are disinfected and ready to go!
If you're after an organic option that has even less chemicals, the JO Organic Toy Cleaner will refresh and extend the life of your toys in no time! This cleaner is gentle, odourless, and body-safe, with a non-greasy formula.
Anything you have laying around made of hard plastic, elastomer, or jelly rubber is known to store bacteria. Basically that means it can never be completely, 100% disinfected. Therefore, it's recommended that you use a condom with any of these toys just to be extra safe! A best-seller such as the Ansell Checkmate Non-Lubricated condoms is a great option. These condoms are non-lubricated, therefore they are compatible with all sex toys, even the silicone variety.
Once your toys are freshly cleaned and washed, you'll need a good place to store them to ensure all of your hard work hasn't completely gone to waste. Often you'll be tempted to chuck them in your bedside drawer for easy access - but take a minute to think about all the other things you've already thrown in there for lack of a better place to put them!
If you're a simple guy or gal with a relatively small sex toy collection, something basic such as a Toy Bag is perfect to wrap your toys in before hiding them back in your drawer. Plus, it'll help them look a little more inconspicuous to those prying eyes!
For sex toy enthusiasts with a slightly larger collection, you'll want to invest in something that's going to ensure the discretion, hygiene, and safety of your toys. Something sleek and lockable such as the Joyboxx Hygienic Storage System will keep your toys safely hidden and protected. With ventilation holes to help moisture evaporate, a discreet hole to allow USB charging, and PVC, BPA and phthalate-free material, this is guaranteed to keep your toys in perfect condition when you're done with them!
Lastly, some materials won't mix well together, so to be extra careful you should try divide your toys by their material when storing them away!
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