Why Soap doesn’t always clean sex toys

2025-05-01
Posted by PSEDEN

Knowing how to clean sex toys is an important part of having a happy product. While it may not be the sexiest part of having a vibrator, striker, or butt plug, due to the direct contact of these items with body fluids, proper sexual toy hygiene is required. Although you may be told that any soap and warm water can solve the problem, this is a common myth. Not all soaps are equal, and sometimes, introducing a deeper cleaning method can take additional precautions to prevent infection and toy damage.

What to do with soap (and not do it)

Soap effectively washes residues, liquids and surface-level dirt. But this doesn’t necessarily eliminate viruses, bacteria or fungi. What you think is thorough cleaning can still leave microscopic residues. For most non-Confucian toys made of metal, silicone or glass, soft, fragrant-free soaps can help keep the toy between use. However, if you don’t adopt proper hygiene habits, it can also degrade certain materials, damage your sex toys for a long time and cause problems such as cracking, peeling, or stickiness.

When soap alone is not enough

In some cases, soap and water alone are not enough. Here are some examples of when you might need to take some extra steps to make sure your sex toys are as clean as possible:

When playing with porous materials

TPE (Many strokers are made from jelly, latex and rubber sex toys. People like the softness of these toys, but they are technically porous materials, which means they are filled with small holes we don’t see. This means they are likely to stick to bacteria even after washing with soap and water, which can lead to irritation or infection. As a result, they may need extra attention, whether using a professional cleaner specially designed for sex toys or taking extra precautions (such as the material allows).

After anal play

The rectum is filled with gut bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella and other microorganisms. Not sure how to clean sex toys after anal play? Since this form of sexual activity introduces additional risks, anal toys need special attention and soap is not enough. There are several ways you can disinfect these toys, including hydrogen peroxide, boiling (only for non-electronic toys without motors), and using sex toy disinfectant sprays.

If you want to share a toy

Share toys in a partner or group settings Increases the risk of cross-contamination As well as the transfer of bacteria or liquids, adult toys are particularly important. In this environment, using condoms is best practice, but even so, not all potential pathogens will be eliminated. Use non-porous materials that can be easily disinfected. Between partners, if there is no motor, disinfect the toys by boiling, or use a sex toy cleaner before rinsing.

Use toys with gaps or textures

Sex toys that contain design details like design details such as grooves, ridges, or blocks are created to enhance the feel, but they also collect more residue, making the cleaning process more complicated. Soap can miss these hard to reach areas, leaving liquids and bacteria behind. Knowing how to use Add Details to clean sex toys can be used for a deeper scrub with the help of a toothbrush or a dedicated toy brush to get to all corners and gaps. After washing with soap and water, you may also want to finish the rinse with an antibacterial toy cleaner.

What else can be used in addition to proper cleaning other than soap

Let’s talk about toy cleaners with soap and water: Soap is great for basic cleaning, but toy cleaners ensure deeper hygiene, making it one of the best choices for safe killing sex toy bacteria. These cleaners are usually available in spray and foam versions for all materials and are safe to use every day. But what is the difference between disinfection and cleaning? The following options are called deep cleaners, but should not be used on porous materials.

Hydrogen peroxide (3%) is also a safe disinfectant for non-Confucian toys and is one of the top toy cleaning solutions after anal playback or sharing devices. Remember to rinse with warm water. It is best to wipe the toy with a damp cloth with solution instead of soaking it in it, unless the toy is advertised as 100% waterproof.

The next option is isopropanol (70%+), which can be used in hard materials. Alcohol wipes can be occasionally used on medical grade silicones, but over time they can cause the silicones to dry out and degrade, so the occasional deep cleaner is better. Finally, one of the best sterilization methods is to submerge non-electronic glass, metal and silicone toys for three minutes. This can only be done on toys without motors or batteries.

Best hygiene best cleaning routine

Step 1: Clean the toy thoroughly with warm water and gentle soap to remove lubricants, body fluids and any other surface level dirt.

Step 2: Add disinfection methods according to the material and its method for disinfection using toy cleaners, alcohol wipes or hydrogen peroxide.

Step 3: Rinse completely, then dry or dry with a cloth and store safely.

Common mistakes to avoid

The first mistake in learning how to clean sex toys is to assume that soap alone can eliminate all the buildup of bacteria. Although soap can remove residue from the surface, it does not always kill bacteria, viruses, or fungi that may be present. Although sex toy cleaning sprays are non-toxic disinfectants that can be added safely at any time, consider hydrogen peroxide and alcohol as deep cleaning measures. When you use soap and water for daily cleaning, avoid irritating soap at all costs. Powerful detergents, antibacterial hand soaps or products with dyes and spices can irritate your body and break down materials (such as silicone or rubber) over time.

After sharing toys or using them for anal play, don’t forget to disinfect (i.e., except for soap and water), both of which are considered high-risk activities that require additional cleaning measures. Finally, the common sliding is not a properly drying toy before storage. Store wet toys can capture moisture and encourage bacteria or mold growth.

Why Going Over Soap Is Important

Soap and water are a good start for sexual toy hygiene. However, this is usually just the starting point for your day-to-day work. By disinfecting sex toys based on the materials (the right dry toy after use), you can protect your body and toys for years to come.

What is your current cleaning procedure like? If it only involves a quick flush between use and you think it might use an upgrade, check out one of them The best sex toy cleaner on the market and Lelo.

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