Cleaning your sex toys keeps them feeling great, lasting longer, and—most importantly—keeps you healthy. The good news? Most toys only take a couple of minutes to clean, and you don’t need anything fancy.
Here’s the easiest, most reliable way to do it.
Cleaning Sex Toys: What Do You Need?
- Warm water
- Mild liquid soap (unscented or castile works best)
- A clean towel
- Optional: Toy cleaning sprays or wipes
Basic Cleaning (Good for Everyday Use)
This method works for most waterproof or splashproof toys, including silicone vibrators, dildos, butt plugs, and wands.
- Rinse the sex toy with warm water.
- Lather with mild soap and gently scrub all surfaces.
- Rinse again until all soap is gone.
- Let it air-dry on a clean towel.
If your toy has grooves, textures, or seams, you can use a soft toothbrush to remove anything trapped.
Tip: If your toy is not water-safe, just wipe it down with a damp, soapy cloth instead of rinsing.
Deep Cleaning (Sharing, Switching Areas, or After Illness)
If you’re sharing sex toys, moving between anal/vaginal use, or want extra peace of mind—use one of these methods (only for non-motorized, 100% silicone, stainless steel, or glass toys):
1. Boiling (Most Effective)
- Place the sex toy in boiling water for 3 minutes.
- Remove with tongs and let it air-dry.
Never boil toys with motors or batteries.
2. Bleach Solution (For Full Disinfection)
Mix 1/3 cup household bleach per 1 gallon of water.
- Submerge the toy for 10 minutes, or spray and let sit.
- Wash again with soap and water afterward.
3. Dishwasher (Only on ‘Sanitize’ Cycle)
- Top rack, no soap.
- Only for solid silicone, stainless steel, or glass.
- Not as strong as boiling, but easy for multiple toys.
Sex Toy Storage Tips
- Store sex toys in a clean pouch or case.
- Keep them in a cool, dry drawer away from sunlight.
- Let motorized toys dry with the battery compartment open.
- Replace any toy with cracks, tears, or damaged surfaces.
When to Replace a Sex Toy
If you notice:
- Cracks in plastic, glass, or silicone
- Torn silicone
- Peeling coatings
- Strange or lingering smells that don’t clean away
…it’s time for a new one.
At SOURCE / Adult Toys, we make it easy to upgrade to fresh, body-safe fun. You’ll find a huge range of realistic-feel toys with clear cleaning instructions to help you reduce the risk of infections and keep play hygienic.
Shop the #1 Collection of Sex Toys in Canada
A Note on Sex Toy Materials
Nonporous materials (100% silicone, stainless steel, glass) clean thoroughly and last longest. Porous materials (jelly, PVC, rubber, “silicone blends”) hold bacteria and can’t be fully sanitized—clean well and replace more often.
That’s It — Simple, Safe, Reliable
Cleaning doesn’t need to be complicated. A quick wash after each use keeps everything fresh and ready for next time.
If you ever need help choosing a new toy or checking if a material is safe to boil, our team at SOURCE Adult Toys is here to help.
Sex Toy Cleaner: Is it Worth it?
If you care about hygiene, have water-resistant or realistic-feel toys, share insertable toys, or just want something gentler and more convenient than household cleaners, a dedicated sex toy cleaner is absolutely worth it.
Keep your favourite toys feeling fresh with our curated range of sex toy cleaners and body-safe cleaning products. Designed for vibrators, insertable toys, anal beads, Fleshlight® sleeves, CyberSkin and other porous sex toys, as well as non-porous materials like silicone, ABS plastic, metal, and borosilicate glass, these pH-neutral antibacterial formulas help reduce bacterial growth, fungal growth, odour and irritation—supporting better hygiene and lowering the risk of UTIs, yeast infections, and other infections.
How to Clean a Vibrator
Start with the material and whether the vibrator is waterproof. For a waterproof toy (often labelled with an IPX7 rating), you can:
- Turn it off and remove sex toy batteries or unplug the charger.
- Rinse the toy under lukewarm water.
- Wash with mild soap or antibacterial soap that’s gentle on mucous membranes—avoid harsh householdcleaners.
- Rinse again to remove all products, lubricant, and germs.
- Pat dry and let it air-dry fully before sex toy storage.
For battery-operated toys with electrical components that are only splashproof, follow the same surface cleaning basics but use a damp cloth or disinfecting wipes instead of submerging.
How to Clean a Pocket Pussy
Most pocket pussies have a removable sleeve made from materials like softskin, ultraskin, thermoplastic, or similar porous materials. After use:
- Remove the sleeve from the case and flush it with lukewarm water from both ends to rinse away ejaculate, lubricant, and surface bacteria.
- Use a small amount of mild soap or a dedicated sex toy cleaner to gently wash the interior textures—avoid strong householdcleaners that can damage the material.
- Rinse thoroughly to reduce bacterial growth, fungi, and odour.
- Let the sleeve air-dry completely (inside and out) before putting it away.
- If recommended in the manufacturer's instructions, dust with refreshing powder or replacer powder to keep the surface soft.
Because these realistic-feel sex toys are often more porous, take extra care if you use them as insertable toys with a partner. Using condoms on shared toys can help lower the risk of bacterial infections, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and STI transmissions.
How to Clean a Dildo
How you clean a dildo depends on the toy's material compatibility:
- Non-porous materials like medical-grade silicone, borosilicate glass, Pyrex glass, crystal toys, metal, and some acrylic dildos are easy to sanitize.
- More porous options, such as thermoplastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or softer “real-feel” blends, require gentler care.
For everyday cleaning of any dildo:
- Wash with lukewarm water and mild soap (or a pH-neutral toy cleaner).
- Rinse well to remove all residue and reduce bacterial growth and fungal growth.
- Dry thoroughly and store in a sex toy storage bag or storage case, away from other sex toys that might react with the material.
For non-porous, non–battery-operated dildos (no electrical components, no motors), some people also use:
- A short boil or a carefully diluted bleach solution for deeper disinfecting or sterilization.
- The sanitize cycle in a dishwasher (no detergent) if the manufacturer's cleaning recommendations say it’s safe.
Because dildos are often penetrative/internal sex toys, washing them well between partners and between anal/vaginal use can help lower the risk of STIs, bacterial vaginosis, and chlamydia trachomatis transmission.
How to Clean a Sex Doll
Sex dolls combine realistic-feel sex toy surfaces with multiple insertable areas, so good hygiene really matters.
- Use lukewarm water and a gentle, mild soap or body-safe cleaner to wash the external body-safe materials—avoid abrasive sponges or strong householdcleaners.
- For vaginal, anal, or oral canals, gently flush with water and cleaner using a small irrigator, then rinse until the water runs clear. This helps wash away ejaculate, bacteria, and germs that could contribute to bacterial infections, UTIs, or bacterial imbalance.
- Allow all canals and surfaces to dry completely to limit bacterial growth and fungal infections.
- Follow the care guide and manufacturer's instructions—especially for special finishes, removable sleeves, or toy material compatibility with powders and water-based products.
When storing, keep the doll in a clean storage container, on a stand, or in a soft fabric bag to protect joints and material.
How to Clean Silicone Sex Toys
For day-to-day cleaning:
- Rinse with lukewarm water.
- Wash with mild soap, antibacterial soap that’s gentle on skin, or body-safe products like a pH-neutral sex toy cleaner.
- Rinse very well to remove soap and lubricants from the surface.
- Dry and store in a sex toy storage bag so the material doesn’t rub against incompatible toys.
For deeper disinfecting on solid, non-motorized silicone toys (no battery-operated parts, no electrical components), some people use short boiling, a diluted bleach solution, or UV light/UV-C Sterilisers/UV sanitizers, but only if this matches the manufacturer's cleaning recommendations.
