Here’s a quick tutorial on the cleaning, care and storage process of sex toys. Everyone should have an effective routine when it comes to protecting their battery operated friends…

Would you ever use a dirty fork to eat with? Would you ever wear dirty underwear? Unless the situation was dire, probably not, right? Well, how about this one: Would you ever use a dirty sex toy?

Not properly cleaning and caring for you sex toys is similar to not using a clean fork to eat with or not wearing clean underwear. There are sanitation issues. There’s an increased likelihood for infection or illness. And simply put, it’s just gross.

Eating with clean utensils and wearing clean underwear are lessons we were taught as children. The proper care of sex toys … not so much.  But it’s never too late to learn, right? So let’s dive right into the dos and don’ts of how to care for your adult toys:

• Always wash them. It’s important to clean your sex toys both before and after you use them. Bacteria can live on your devices, and when used with lubrication, the material of the toy can get sticky, picking up unknown debris that you would never want to put on or inside your body.“Always wash your sex toys with a cleanser that’s made specifically for them,” instructs our exclusive book “The Passion Parties Guide to Great Sex.” Soap can be harsh on the different materials of your sex toys. Plus, specific toy cleaner, like Clean & Simple™  Adult Toy Cleanser, is safe on all toys, regardless of the material it’s made of. Additionally, “using anything other than a specially made cleanser can give you an infection or a rash,” our book confirms. Just make sure that before you clean your toys you unplug or remove all batteries, and after you clean them, your toys are completely dry prior to putting them away.

• Don’t use silicone-based lube with silicone toys. Silicone-based lubricants will damage silicone toys and products made of cyber-skin or FutureFlesh™, so if you are using silicone toys, try a water-based lube like the RomantaTherapy Revelation™ Lubricant. Water and silicone-based lubes are safe for all other sex toys.

• Never share your toys. These toys are probably the only ones you don’t ever have to share, and nor should you. Your toys are just for you. Even after cleaning them, they should not be shared, swapped, etc. In “The Passion Parties Guide to Great Sex,” we take this notion one step further in the next tip:

• “Never use the same toy for anal and vaginal sex,” our book strongly advises. “In fact, don’t put anything in the anus and then expect to put it anywhere else. … No matter how carefully you wash that area, it contains bacteria that you don’t want to introduce into any other part of your body. … (And) putting a condom on a toy won’t do it. You should cleanse the toy before using it elsewhere, or, even better, reserve certain toys for anal use only and never use them in any other parts of your body.”

• Store your toys with care. Taking the time to properly store your toys will help ensure the longest possible shelf life and that you are using clean, safe toys each time you pull one out. Best practices include waiting until your toys are completely dry before storing, removing batteries, storing each individually in a plastic baggie, and putting them away in a private place, away from prying eyes. We suggest locking your toys in our Pink Butterfly Toy Box or Deluxe Toy Box (which you can earn for hosting a Passion Party).

Featured products: The Passion Parties Guide to Great Sex (Item 6524 • $19.95 US/Item 6524C • $24.95 CDN), Clean & Simple Adult Toy Cleanser (Item 7019 • $15.50 US/Item 7019C • $18.50 CDN), RomantaTherapy® Revelation™ (Item 2207 • $12.50/Item 2207C • $16.50 CDN, and Pink Butterfly Toy Box (Item 7021 • $42.50 US/ Item 7021C • $49.50 CDN). To purchase any of these products, please contact your Passion Consultant.

Resources:

http://blog.passionparties.com/tips-ideas/proper-care-of-sex-toys/

http://shop.vforvadge.com/body-care/2207-romantatherapy-revelation-lubricant

http://shop.vforvadge.com/body-care/clean-and-simple-adult-toy-cleanser