Sex toys: materials, safety and cleaning

Materials: the part that matters most

Sex toys are largely unregulated as consumer products in most jurisdictions — they are not classified as medical devices, so material claims are not independently verified. Material choice is therefore the buyer's responsibility and is the main safety variable.

Non-porous, body-safe, sterilisable:

• 100 percent medical or platinum-cure silicone
• Borosilicate or soda-lime glass
• Stainless steel
• Hard ABS plastic (non-porous, though not boilable)
• Ceramic, sealed

Porous — cannot be fully disinfected:

• Jelly rubber, TPE/TPR, PVC, "cyberskin", "realistic" blends, latex

Porous materials have microscopic channels that retain bacteria, yeast and viruses through any cleaning. They should be treated as single-user, replaced regularly, and always used with a condom. Some soft PVC toys contain phthalate plasticisers (DEHP, DINP), which are restricted in children's products in the EU and US but not in sex toys; several are classified as reproductive toxicants. A strong chemical smell is a reliable warning sign.

A common trap: "silicone blend" or "silicone-feel" usually means it is not silicone.

Cleaning

• Silicone, glass, steel (no motor): wash with unscented soap and warm water; may be boiled for 3–5 minutes or run through a dishwasher without detergent.
• Motorised or rechargeable: never submerge unless rated waterproof. Wipe with warm soapy water or a purpose-made toy cleaner, avoiding the charging port.
• Porous materials: wash thoroughly and accept that this reduces rather than eliminates contamination. Use condoms.
• Dry fully before storage. Store separately — silicone toys in contact with each other or with some plastics can react, degrade and become sticky. Cloth bags, not a shared drawer.

Anal toys should be washed before being used vaginally, or ideally kept as dedicated items. Change the condom between partners and between orifices.

Safety rules

1. Flared base for anything anal. Non-negotiable. Objects without one migrate past the sphincter and require surgical or endoscopic retrieval.
2. Body-safe material or a condom over it.
3. Compatible lubricant. Silicone lubricant degrades silicone toys — use water-based. Oil is fine with glass, steel and ABS, and destroys latex condoms.
4. Inspect before use. Cracks, nicks and tears in silicone harbour bacteria and can cut tissue; retire the toy.
5. No shared toys without a barrier. Anderson et al. (2014) demonstrated HPV DNA persisting on vibrator surfaces after cleaning — with detectable virus still present on some soft toys 24 hours later. Trichomoniasis, herpes, hepatitis and bacteria transmit the same way.
6. Electrostimulation devices must not be used above the waist or across the chest, and are contraindicated with pacemakers, implanted defibrillators, epilepsy and pregnancy. Use only devices designed for the purpose.
7. Cock rings: remove after 20–30 minutes. Metal rings that cannot be cut off in an emergency are a genuine hazard; stretchy or adjustable rings are safer. Numbness, colour change or pain means remove immediately. Persistent painful erection over 4 hours is priapism and needs emergency care within hours to avoid permanent damage.
8. Vacuum pumps: follow pressure limits; excess pressure causes petechiae, blistering and tissue damage.

Batteries, charging and app-connected devices

Rechargeable devices should not be charged unattended overnight in poorly ventilated places; lithium cell failures are rare but documented. App-controlled and internet-connected toys have had significant security failures, including the 2017 We-Vibe settlement over undisclosed usage data collection and multiple disclosed Bluetooth vulnerabilities allowing unauthorised control. If using a connected device, review the privacy policy, disable data sharing where possible, and keep firmware updated.

Toys and function

Vibrator use is associated with better, not worse, sexual function scores in large survey data (Herbenick et al., 2009). Temporary numbness after intense vibration resolves within hours. Toys do not replace partners, cause desensitisation, or indicate a problem with a relationship.

Sources

• Anderson TA et al. "A study of human papillomavirus on vaginally inserted sex toys, before and after cleaning, among women who have sex with women and men." Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2014.
• Herbenick D et al. "Prevalence and characteristics of vibrator use by women in the United States." Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2009.
• European Chemicals Agency. Restrictions on phthalates under REACH, Annex XVII.
• US Federal Trade Commission and N.P. v. Standard Innovation Corp. settlement, 2017 (connected device data).
• Cottrell BH, Bautista M. Reviews on genital hygiene and material safety in sexual devices.
• Emergency medicine literature on retained rectal foreign bodies and constriction device injuries.

Last reviewed: August 2026.