You Really Need to Add Sex Toys to Your Spring Cleaning List
It’s time for spring cleaning, including your sex toys. Of course, you should clean them more than once a year, but this is the best time to get into the habit if you haven’t already. Cleaning them helps them last longer and is obviously more beneficial for you, but there are a few things to know before you get started.
Why do you need to clean sex toys?
Here’s the thing: you never want anything dirty near your intimate areas, and devices meant to be used there get dirty with use. It is logical to assume that you will not put them back until you clean them.
“There are so many nasty things that can stay and grow on used sex toys (bacteria, viruses, dirt, dust, etc.),” said Rachel Worthington of Bedbible.com .
“I can’t stress enough how important it is to clean sex toys after every use,” added Dr. Jenny Skyler, resident sexologist at Adam & Eve . “In addition to making your toys last longer, it will also prevent the spread of infection.”
When and how to clean toys?
You must clean toys after each use. Period.
Worthington said that in most cases, thoroughly cleaning the surface of the toy is sufficient. Non-porous ones, such as those made of silicone, glass, or metal, and porous ones, such as PVC and jelly products, can benefit from simple soap and water. That’s all. Use mild unscented hand or dish soap and warm water. Get into the nooks and crannies of toys with your fingers or a cloth, and spend more time with porous toys. Preventing infection can be as simple as that.
Skyler also noted, “Most toys come with cleaning instructions, and there are many toy cleaners available.” Try taking a photo of the cleaning instructions on the box the toy is in before throwing it away.
As for specialized cleaners, Worthington says, you can get sprays, foamy detergents, and even wipes designed to clean your toys. Apply them, wait for as long as indicated on the package, and then wash it all off. Of course, do not apply liquid to any electrical parts and be careful when doing so.
“The only problem is that they don’t always capture everything and instead may just move some germs around, so you should also use soap and water if you can,” she said.
You can also boil silicone, glass, and metal toys for a short period of time to get a deeper clean. Worthington said that even non-porous toys can go in the dishwasher if they are placed on the top shelf.
However, the most important cleaning tip is this: never use anything to clean your toys that you wouldn’t put inside yourself. Do not use bleach, alcohol, glass cleaner, hydrogen peroxide, or other abrasive cleaners.
Why is it important?
It may seem like common sense to wash toys after use, but we live busy lives. Adam and Eve conducted a survey of 1,000 American adults in 2020 and found that 58% said they clean their toys after every use, and 33% said they never clean theirs. About 10% said they clean from time to time. What’s more, when Adam and Eve asked the same questions four years earlier in 2016, 63% of respondents said they cleaned them after every use, almost 28% said they never did, and 9% said they did. occasionally. The percentage of people who clean their toys every time has dropped from 2016 to 2020, as has the number of people who said they do it occasionally. The percentage of people who said they never cleaned theirs has increased over these four years.
Become one of the few, proud, consistent sex toy cleaners. Your wallet will thank you, as will your body.