It’s easy to get very attached to your electric playmates, but do you take special care of your dildos and luxury vibrators? As the arrival of spring starts turning us all a little frisky, April is a good time to make sure all your toys are spick and span.
After all, if you’re thinking of putting something in your holiest of holies, you will want to make very sure it’s clean first! Your toys should be looked after well, cleaned often, and stored somewhere dry, dark and preferably private. Here’s a quick guide to Spring Cleaning for The Dirty Minded.
Cheat!
First of all, the easiest way to keep things clean is to cheat! Use a condom – or rather, several condoms – a different one for each different place you want to put it. You want to be careful not to transfer bacteria from anus to vagina or mouth – if you’re planning to cover every orifice at once use one for each different toy. For a lovely slippery sensation you’ll probably want to use some lubes & lotions – be sure that the lubricant is OK to use with your sex toy:
- Water based lube is OK for any sex toys – try moist lubricant spray.
- You should never use silicone lubes for silicone toys – they can damage the material. This includes a lot of ‘real feel’ skin-like fabrics.
- Oil-based lubes must never be used on anything that’s going anywhere near a vagina. Oil based and petroleum jelly lubes can damage rubber or latex – including latex condoms.
Taking care of your toys
Here’s a simple rule – take out the batteries. Whether you’re cleaning it or storing it, batteries don’t mix well with water. Plus, your new sex toys are less likely to go off by mistake at an embarrassing moment!
Next – check what your toy is made from.
- Silicone is easy, can be cleaned with hot soapy water.
- Rubber and jelly toys are trickier – the material is porous and could be damaged if you don’t treat it gently. Use warm water, or a special anti-bacterial cleaner and a soft cloth.
- Metal can be washed or even boiled.
- Plastic is best wiped down with a cloth soaked in alcohol – (not the drinking kind, obviously.)
Always be sure to dry your toys carefully after washing – you don’t want them turning rusty or moldy. Wrap them in a soft, dry cloth and store them away from sunlight – somewhere at room temperature that’s not too hot or too cold.
Finally, check for any cracks or damage before you use your toys – nasty germs could hide in the crevices. Sex toys won’t last forever, and maybe spring could be a good time to try out something new. Dildos are always fabulous, but how about experimenting with lover’s anal beads?
Also read here: The Advantages of Silicone Adult Toys