Toy Cleaners

A toy cleaner is a spray or foam made to clean sex toys without harming the material: it lifts lubricant and body fluids that plain water leaves behind, it is gentle enough for silicone, TPE and latex, and it rinses away without a residue that would end up inside someone. Warm water and mild soap do most of the job; a cleaner does it better, faster and with less doubt. This guide explains what is in them, when they matter, and how to clean each material.

What is in a cleaner

Mild surfactants to lift oil and lubricant, an antimicrobial such as chlorhexidine or benzalkonium, and no alcohol, which dries and cracks soft materials. Foams cling to curved and textured surfaces where a spray runs off. Wipes are for travel and for a quick clean between uses when a sink is not to hand. Most are fragrance free or lightly scented and dermatologically tested.

When a cleaner matters

On textured toys, where lubricant sits in the grooves. On porous materials, TPE, PVC, jelly, where soap alone leaves a film and the material cannot be boiled. On toys shared between partners or between parts of the body. On anything with a motor, which cannot go in boiling water. On latex and delicate fabrics, which soap and alcohol harm.

Cleaning by material

Silicone, glass, metal and ABS: warm water and mild soap or cleaner, and silicone, glass and metal can be boiled for three minutes to sterilise. TPE and PVC: cleaner or mild soap, rinsed well, dried completely, dusted with cornstarch; never boiled. Latex and fabric: a latex cleaner or hand wash, dried away from heat. Motorised toys: cleaner or soap, keeping the charging port and battery compartment dry.

Drying and storage

Drying matters as much as washing; a toy put away damp grows what washing removed. Air dry on a clean towel, or a stand for sleeves, before it goes in a pouch. Store silicone apart from other soft materials, which react with each other.

Frequently asked questions