5 Essential Care Tips Every Sex Toy Lover Should Know

If you’re the proud (and satisfied) owner of a luxury vibrator or other sex toy from FemmeFunn or elsewhere, then it only makes sense that you’d want to protect your investment. Proper care, cleaning, and maintenance are the keys to keeping your toys in tip-top condition for many years to come, so it really pays to do things properly. The following are just a few tips to keep in mind as you continue to build and enjoy your collection.

1.      Wash your sex toys after every use.

Since vibrators and other sex toys get seriously up close and personal with the most sensitive parts of your body, you’d think it would be second nature to wash them often. In actuality though, way too many people either forget or just plain don’t bother, which is bad for your body and for the toy.

All sex toys should be washed after every single use. (Ideally, they’d also be washed before each use.) In many cases, gentle soap and water is effective enough. However, it’s worth your while to invest in a special cleaner designed just for sex toys. It’s the best way to protect the toy’s integrity and prolong its life.

2.      Give some thought to how you store your toys.

As with cleaning, quite a few sex toy owners don’t really think much about how they store their toys. They simply toss them in the drawer of their nightstand or stash them underneath their mattress and call it a day. The problem with that is many sex toy materials (e.g. silicone, synthetic skin, or jelly rubber) attract lint, dust, and other debris that you don’t want sitting on your toy or coming into contact with your body.

Keep your sex toy in a bag or a box so that there’s always a barrier between its surface and any foreign material or grime it might come into contact with in your storage spot of choice. (Many toys come with one of their own.) If you have battery-operated toys that you only use once in a while, consider storing them with the batteries removed.

3.      Make sure you’re using the right lube.

There are two types of people in the world – those that have never used lube before and those that know what an absolute essential it is for any intimate experience. Lube doesn’t just make the going easier when it’s time to get down and dirty with your partner or a sex toy. It can really enhance sensation and help your toy do the job of satisfying you.

Just make sure you really know your lubes and pay attention to whether a particular one is compatible with your sex toys. For instance, silicone-based lubes can damage certain types of toys (e.g. real-skin options), and anything oil based is harmful to toys and condoms alike. When in doubt opt for a water-based product, as they’re compatible with the great majority of the sex toys out there on the market. Pay attention to labels when shopping for new lubes to try as well.

4.      Inspect your toys for damage.

Even the best sex toys don’t last forever, so it’s important to keep an eye on your toys so you’re aware of any damage right away. The cheaper the toy, the more likely it is to show damage sooner rather than later, so definitely consider investing in a luxury toy if possible.

• Plastic toys should be examined for hairline cracks or signs of splintering.
• If you use glass dildos, plugs, or probes, keep an eye out for chips.
• Rubber, jelly, or real-skin toys can develop rips or pockmarks that signal the material is losing its integrity.
• Waterproof toys should be inspected for all of the above, as well as issues with any of the waterproof seals.

Do an inspection of each toy in your collection at least once every couple of months. Be sure to replace any that just aren’t up to snuff anymore in a timely manner.

5.      Share with caution.

Of course, there’s no reason to keep your sex toy stash all to yourself unless you really want to. Just make sure you’re exercising caution when using a toy on someone else. Non-porous materials like glass, stainless steel, plastic, and most silicones can be thoroughly sanitized in between uses, but porous alternatives like jellies can’t. Use a condom when sharing porous toys just to be on the safe side.

Keeping a spray-on/wipe-off toy cleaner handy when playing with a partner (or multiple partners) can come in handy as well. Use it to sanitize toys when switching from one person’s body to another, as well as when switching from anal stimulation to vaginal.

Getting more out of your sex toys really is about taking the best possible care of them. Start being more mindful about it today, and your favorites will serve you well for many years to come.