Cleaning and Caring for Your Toys

Cleaning your toys is an annoying thing to have to do, but one of these things which is vital in life. You have to be really careful about how you clean your toys, or you can do them some serious damage and as well all know, they are very expensive. Depending on what your toy is made out of, what lube you use on it and where the battery is located, will be some of the issues that determine how you go about cleaning it.

Toy cleaning is also REALLY important to stop the transmission of STI's. Some toys shouldn't be re-used such as electric butt plugs used for electricity play, because you can't put a condom on them. However, I'll tell you how to do it, in case you're using one in your personal life and not sharing it around with clients.

Things to ask yourself to determine how to clean your toy

1. what's it made out of
2. does it have batteries and if so where are they located
3. is it waterproof
4. do you have the proper liquids to clean it - soap and antibacterial solution
5. is your work space for cleaning clean
6. can you put it back together if you pull it apart or should you wait for a boy with strong fingers to be on hand
7. is it a toy that should be cleaned or should you dispose of it
8. do you have time to clean it properly or should you leave it for a later time when you can do a good job of it

   

      

Normal mass produced vibrators:

These are the vibrators, plugs etc, that you see everywhere for very cheap prices. They are the sort of toy that serve a purpose, but you wouldn't want to make it your life parter. They are made out of generic hard plastic and usually the seals on them are fairly crap so they don't last to long before they rust. Cheap and nasty generally means they need to be replaced more often and more care needs to be taken when cleaning them to make sure they survive.

1.  check to see if it's waterproof - personally I never buy anything that isn't waterproof because if your like me and make a complete mess when having sex, you get lube everywhere. This means I always get it around the top bit where the batteries go, so I always need to clean the seals. If it isn't waterproof do not submerge it in water or you'll break it. If it isn't waterproof, it isn't lasting in my world.

2.  what to wash it in - you can wash these with just soap and water in the kitchen sink.

3.  how to dry it - make sure you dry it off properly especially around the seals of it. Then let it drip dry and air in the sun to make sure it is completely dry. Even my waterproof ones end up getting destroyed by the batteries rusting in the inside of it.

4.  aftercare - you can get this very cool anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal spray or wipes http://www.pjurmedclean.com/ I always spray all of my equipment with it after use to kill nasty stuff. It can be used on latex, rubber and silicone which is ideal! It's that one extra level of protection. You can buy it in sex shops or online - it's cheaper online.

5.  what lube to use - whatever you like. Cheap and nasty or high end silicone, it's all going to work with these beauties

  inexpensive mass produced toys

Silicone

Silicone is considered superior to rubber or vinyl toys because they warm up to the touch of the skin quickly, retain body heat, are non-porous, easy-to-clean, vibrate and carries vibration really well (if it's a vibrator) and is very durable. Silicone is also preferebale for sex workers to use because it can be heated / boiled and for an extended period of time without falling apart. If you're going to use a toy on multiple partners (with or without a condom on - see cleaning), this is the toy for you.

1.  what to wash them in - Silicone dildo's, vibrators and butt plugs can be boiled for up to 3 minutes, put thru your dishwasher and even cleaned with a diluted bleach solution. That is a little overkill however, so always remember the harsher you are with the cleaning, the less time it's going to last and sometimes it really is just that - OVERKILL. Once again warm, soapy water will do the trick just fine. If you wish to use them without condoms (not recommended if being used for professional use) if you boil them clean, they will be sterilised and so safe to use without condoms ( safe cleaning )

2.  drying them - be really careful these are dry. Some silicone toys I have are made with folds in them and if you don't dry them properly and you don't use an aftercare product, they will grow mould and other nasty stuff.

3.  aftercare - once again I use the Pjur Med Clean product. It comes in different brands if you don't like Pjur, but they are all around the same price. Be really careful when looking after you silicon products because they are virtually impossible to keep perfectly clean and do disintegrate, so you'll have to keep your eye on them and replace them as the need arises. As part of aftercare, you should have a really close inspection of them, to make sure they are ready and able to be used again.

4.  what lube to use - be really careful using a silicone lube with a silicone toy because the silicone lube can melt the silicone of your toy depending on what type of silicone your toy is made out of. Waterbased is best and if you do need to use a silicone lube, then I'd recommend spot testing it first.

silicone cock enhancer sleever                silicone cock rings                      silicone penis    

  silicone penis gag

Jellies:

These toys are made out of translucent (you can see thru the material it's made out of), soft, flexible rubber. The rubber often looks like it has air bubbles in it and they are becoming quite a common toy. Personally they are not my favourite because I find they always seem to attract fluff and hair which sticks to them and I'm a bit of a cleanliness freak, so it annoys me. The substance it is made out of has also been associates with bad health effects, so be sure to use a condom with this toy to keep it away from your skin.

Cleaning: it is a porous type of rubber meaning the rubber has holes in so it can't be cleaned easily with soap and water and it can't be disinfected effectively. Make sure you keep it away from fluff afterwards and spray it with the Pjur spray if you have some.

1. what to wash them in - jellies are made out of a non-porous form of rubber that can be cleaned with mild soap and hot water. If you wash them in HOT WATER you will destroy them, for this reason you must use a condom with them.

2. drying them - because I find they pick up fluff and flint, I always let these ones dip dry so I dont get fluff from my towel all over it, Make sure you dry and air them well though. Because they are non-porous, they dry really quickly and easily.

3. aftercare - Make sure you keep it away from fluff afterwards and spray it with the Pjur spray if you have some. If you're going on an escort job, you'll have to put your jellie in a plastic bag to make sure it doesn't pick up any flint in the bottom of your bag

4. what lube to use - only used water based lube with these or they will disintegrate. Because they tend to be sticky to the touch, so lube use is important - they stop being sticky if you apply lube.

Jelly Rabbit Vibrator                  Jelly Spikey Vibrator                    Jelly 6 inch veined vibrator

Vinyl:

Vinyl toys are light in weight, easy to clean, and come in many different forms and colors. Vinyl toys sit in between jellie toys and silicone toys in basically everything from how porpous they are, how hard/soft they are and their performance levels.

Cleaning: Vinyl products are porous but not as bad as jellie rubbers so they must be washed well but only with mild soap and water.

1.  what to wash them in - just normal soap and water but whatever you do, don't boil them

2.  drying them - be sure to dry and air them well because they are made out of porous material so water will try and hide in them

3.  aftercare - Pjur anti is your best friend once again :)

4.  what lube to use - you can use any lube you like with these. Be sure to use condoms with the toys however because they are porous so have tiny itty bitty holes in them and you don't want anything nasty living in there being inserted in you.

Vinyl inflatable sex ball                           Vinyl Toy

Rubber:

Rubber toys are firm, inflexible, and often heavier than other toys. They don't wiggle around as much as silicon or jelly toys which can mean they are not very lifelike to the touch. They tend to wear out more quickly than silicon or jelly rubbers, but the major downside is if someone has a latex allergy, chances are they will be allergic to these toys.

Cleaning: rubber dildos are porous and often need more care to clean than the average toy. They should only be cleaned with mild soap and water.

1. What to wash them in - mild soap and water only - no boiling

2. Drying them - you can dry these off with a towel or soft cloth and then leave to dry in a well aired space. They are porous so water will try and hide in little holes, so you must be sure they are completely dry.

3. after care - pjur anit is once again your friend

4. what lube to use - only use water based lubes with rubber toys and take special care to not use any oil based lubes because it will destroy them for sure. Rubber dildos should always be used with condoms because they can't be completely sterilised thru boiling them. Latex/rubber is destroyed by oil. This means oil, oil based lubricants, olive oil, butter, oil based massage oil...... anything with oil in it. Use only water based lubes... dooooon't forget!

rubber cockring              rubber inflatable dildo                     rubber premium enema set

rubber wabbit             rubber whip

Cyberskin:

This material is soft and supple, and looks and feels remarkably like skin. These are considered to be the top of the line.. the BEST material to have toys made out of. They feel almost exactly like real skin in touch, warmth and the way it wiggles around and is yet firm to the touch just like real skin. They are extremely difficult to clean and store safely, so please read the following carefully because they are also extremely expensive to replace.

Cleaning: Cyberskin is extremely porous so make sure you wash and dry them properly and only ever use condoms or if they are fleshlights etc where condoms cannot be used, then they must not be shared and are single use only.

1. what to wash them in - rise with hot water, or disinfect by putting alcohol one a cloth and lightly rubbing. No soap or harsh detergents should be used at all because cyberskin deteriorates easily. Take extra care in washing any internal cavities in the toy where lube or cum may accumulate.

2. drying them - because they are extremely porous, they will need careful drying and airing. If you are using a fleshlight or toy that a dick is inserted inside of so it has an internal cavity, pay careful attention to the cavity when drying. Covering them in talc after you have dried them as best as possible, can help to dry them that little bit better as the talk or cornstarch will absorb any left over water you may not be able to get at.

3. after care - to keep them feeling silky, sprinkle with cornstarch or talc - this will help them feeling as lifelike as possible.

4. what lube to use - water based lube only. Because they are so porous, difficult to wash & dry and often have internal cavities where penises are inserted, using silicone or oil based lubes can be impossible to clean out properly. Anything but water based lubes can also destroy the cyberskin

cyberskin bagina             cyberskin bagina and bottom             syberskin doll cyberskin jerk off sleeves

Acrylic or Lucite

These toys are rock hard which may not sound desirable, but it does make them perfect for Kegel exercises or for prostate stimulating toys. They are non-porous so they are excellent for cleaning and sterilising.

Cleaning: They are non-porous so they are easy to clean and sterilise. You can boil them and so can use them without a condom if boiled (we do not recommend this for anyone working in the sex industry).

1. what to wash them in - you can boil them to sterilise them or wash them in hot soapy water.

2. drying them - because they are non porous they are very easy to dry and do not hide water in any little holes. Just use a towel and air them out

3. after care - spray with our friend pjur anti to add that little bit of assurance they will be as sterile as possible

4. what lube to use - you can use any lube you like with these toys depending on what you're going to use the toy for (electrical products should be used with appropriate lube etc) 

  lucite/acrylic torpedo plugs             lucite/acrylic chastity device      lucite smooth grooves vibrator

Leather

Leather is extremely porous and difficult to clean. It is not recommended sex workers use leather based toys or aids (eg. leather harnesses for strap ons) unless they are well trained in the art of cleaning toys and are motivated to put time and effort into doing so.

The steps involved in cleaning leather toys follow:

1. wash the toy with a strong foaming cleaner and a scrubbing brush

2. wipe all leather down with hydrogen peroxide

3. allow to dry VERY well or the leather will rot and go mouldy

4. continue cleaning by using saddle soap and do a saddly soap clean

5. use a leather conditioner to ensure the leather does not crack or deteriorate and keeps the leather as close to perfect as possible. The harsh cleaning required means that you must use leather conditioner to keep the toy in condition.

Be VERY careful when using and cleaning leather toys. They are the easiest toy to transmist an STI with because they are so difficult to keep clean. They are also the toy that can deteriorate the fastest.

leather cock&ball harness             leather locking restraints             leather Professional Strap On Dildo

leather ring gag

Electric Toys

Electric toys are tricky to clean. They have many components some of which can be submerged in water, but the electrical unit itself cannot be. Condoms cannot be used on attachments (if you put a condom on them, then the electric current doesn't flow) so unless they are made out of acrylic or silicone, you cannot boil them thereby sterilising them clean. Therefore when it comes to sex work, attachments tend to be single use and the electricity box/unit must be kept away from contaminated objects (penises, fingers etc).

  this is NOT water proof. If you get water in it when cleaning, tip the water out and stand it on its end so it can drain out. Take out all the batteries and stick it in an airy spot to try and dry it out. Try and not get your fingers on it if they are covered in lube or have been touching a boys genitals to try and not get sticky contaminated stuff on it. The best thing you can do is wipe it down with Pjur anti-bacterial cleansing wipes.

electrosex inflatable plugs - these are made out of rubber so cannot be boiled so cannot be sterilised with hot water. The other problem you have is all the wires coming out of it and the attachments. The best thing you can do to clean these is to wash them in warm soapy water, dry them and then spray and wipe them with Pjur antibacterial.

electrosex penis bands - these are made out of fabric and have wire cables that attach it to the electro box. The bands can be boiled to sterilise them, but they lose their elasticity so it's not advised (although they are elasticised tourniquets so could still be used once the elasticity is gone). As above the best you can do is wash them in warm soapy water, dry them completely and then spray with Pjur. Because they are material and very porous, I don't like the chances of being able to sterilise them even with pjur - Id suggest they are a one person attachment.

electrosex tens pads - these cannot be boiled to sterilise. The back of the pads are covered in a jelly substance which helps trasmit the buz. If you boil this sticky stuff off, the pad will not work anymore. Wash these in warm soap and water but do not let them soak or the sticky stuff will come off. Let them dry and then spray with Pjur. As with all the other toys, be sure to clean the attachment wires thoroughly. Hate to say it but another one use toy.

These are just a few toys and attachments we use with electro play and because you cannot use condoms and the toys cannot be sterilised they really are one use wonders. For this reason it is an exceptionally expensive service to provide eg. for the Tens pads above, you're looking at paying $160 - $220 for the set and they can only be used once. Guys are not prepared to pick up the extra cost of buying these let alone pay extra for you to zap them, so think very carefully before investing in this equipment.

Antibacterial Sprays and Cleansing Wipes

These are either wipes or sprays we apply to toys after they have been washed thoroughly. The one i would recommend is Pjur and it anti-viral and anti-bacterial. It works to gaurd against infections and has a antimicrobial effect against bacteria, fungul infections, and viruses like HepatitisB and HIV. You can use it if you have sensitive skin and the best bit is it's safe to use on materials like latex, rubber and silicone which are sensitive to soaps and other products. It is neutral to taste and smell and has been dermalogically tested. 

You can buy it at http://www.condomcountry.com.au  or  sex shops 

  Pjur Antibacterial products Pjur antibacterial spray     Pjur antibacterial wipes

Thankyou to http://www.extremerestraints.com , http://www.condomcountry.com.au , http://www.pjur.com  for the use of their pictures and http://www.wikipedia.com ,  http://www.crankyeditor.com for assistance with facts and information

written by Sydney Escort Lucy Blake; site design and maintenance by Lucy Blake; Copyright Lucy Blake  www.lucy-blake.com 2009