Cleaning your intimate toys isn't like cleaning anything else in your home. You can't just use dish soap or throw them in the dishwasher. Not only do some of them have electrical components, but the materials they're made from can be damaged or degraded by harsh cleaners. But keeping them clean is essential. So here's a bit of helpful info on how to keep dirty play clean!
This goes without saying (I really hope), but just like when you buy a bathing suit or new pair of skivvies, the very first thing you need to do with a new toy is clean and sterilize it thoroughly. No matter how much you're itching to take it out of the box and play. Depending on the type of toy in question, and the material it is made of, there are a few different ways to do this.
If your toy is electronic, make sure to remove batteries (or unplug it, obvs) before getting it anywhere near water. With electronic toys, unless they're meant to be used underwater, you'll want to clean it without immersing it fully in water, so no soaking or boiling. Just wash thoroughly and rinse avoiding gaps around battery enclosures.
If your toy is made of 100% silicone, you can boil it for a few minutes (as long as it's not electronic), wash it with a liquid antibacterial soap or even mix some bleach in with water to kill everything (1 part bleach to 9 parts water recommended dilution). If you use anything other than boiling water for any toys, make sure to rinse very well to remove any traces of soap or bleach from the toy.
Jelly and hard plastic toys are fine with a good washing with soap and water - I use a gentle antibacterial soap for this as well.
If your toy is made of a material called Cyberskin, they can be cleaned with hot tap water, using rubbing alcohol to disinfect periodically.
You can also use a custom toy cleaner - most stores that sell toys will also sell toy cleaners. These are good because you know they're safe to use on the material your toy is made of, they're designed to clean them thoroughly, and they're also designed to rinse away clean without leaving any traces of bleach or perfume that might irritate sensitive skin.
If you're not sure how to clean a toy, send an email to the store you purchased it from or the manufacturer and ask them what they recommend - better safe than crying over an expensive wrecked toy!
