How to Clean Anal Toys

Before You Clean Your Anal Toys

You need to know the materials used and the construction of the anal sex toys so you will know what is the safest, most effective way to clean them. The first thing you need to know is whether your anal toy is waterproof or not. You can confirm this feature on the manufacturers’ instructions, or you can read the detailed product descriptions we have listed in our sex toy store.

It is important to know if the anal sex toy is waterproof or not, as each needs a different approach for cleaning and using it. Basically, you get three types of toys regarding waterproofing:

• Waterproof – this ranking means your anal sex toy can be safely submerged in water without any risk of damaging the interior workings. You may also see the IPX7 rating, which refers to a fully waterproof, submersible toy.
• Splashproof – if your anal sex toy is rated as splashproof, it means you can quickly rinse it under running water, but you can’t use it in an aquatic environment like a bath or shower. Another term that is often used for splashproof is water-resistant or IPX5 rating.
• Non-waterproof – this is self-explanatory, meaning your sex toy is not waterproof and should not be brought into contact with water.

The next thing you need to know is the exact material your sex toy is made from. We are, of course, talking about silicone, TPE/TPR, glass, metal, jelly, or PVC, as these are common materials used for making adult toys. Each has different properties, and that also pertains to the way you can clean them.

If you have a toy that is made from non-porous materials and has no inner mechanism, like a non-vibrating glass butt plug or a metal anal toy, you can wash it with soap and water. You can also go a step further and boil the non-vibrating glass, metal, or silicone toys in water for deep cleaning and ensure you have a super-clean, sterile, scent-free toy to play with.

For toys that are waterproof and non-porous but have internal mechanisms, you need to be more careful, as too hot water may damage the interior components. You should wash these with soap and water and spray them with an antibacterial sex toy cleaner. Also, you can rinse them with a 5% bleach solution and then water them to properly disinfect the surfaces.

When washing anal toys made from porous materials like butt plugs and dildos made from TPE/TPR or jelly, you need to be extra diligent and wash everything with antibacterial spray and rinse with soap and water. However, because of the nature of the porous materials (the tiny surface pores), we recommend you use these anal toys with a condom on them to prevent lube and residue from penetrating the pores and damaging the surface.

How to Clean Anal Toys

Now that we explained waterproof rating and materials let’s discuss how to actually clean your anal sex toys:

Soap & Water

Soap and water are the best options for most sex toys, and that includes porous and non-porous waterproof and splashproof anal toys. Always use a mild, unscented soap and create a nice lather, rubbing your anal toy all over, either with your hands or using a washcloth to wipe the entire toy. Next, rinse it with warm water and leave it to air-dry, or pat it down with a lint-free towel. Don’t use a brush or a scrubber, as this may scrape and damage the toy’s surface, which can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Sex Toy Cleaners

If you don’t like soap, you can use a specialized sex toy cleaner that can be a spray, foam, gel, or wipe. Please note that this works for all materials, including waterproof and splashproof toys. You should spray the toy with a liberal amount of sex toy cleaner, leave it for the specified amount of time (as stated on the label), and then rinse it with warm water. Then, leave the toy to air-dry or pat it with a lint-free towel. If your sex toy is not waterproof, then you can spray the business end with a sex toy cleaner and carefully wipe it with an antibacterial wipe, or use only the antibacterial wipe to clean away any residue.

Boil & Sterilize Sex Toys

Boiling is an excellent way to deep-clean sex toys, but this only works on non-motorized glass, metal, and silicone sex toys. Before you boil an anal sex toy, you need to wipe it or wash it to remove all residue, and then you can lower it in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes. Have tongs handy, as the toy will be very hot, and you need to leave it to cool down and air dry. For more info, please check out our complete guide on how to boil sex toys.

Wash in Dishwasher

Washing your anal sex toys in the dishwasher is a viable option only for glass, metal, and silicone sex toys. Don’t place motorized sex toys in the dishwasher, as the heat and pressure will surely damage them. For this method, rinse your toys, put them on the upper dishwasher rack without any other dishes inside, and use a fast cycle without any detergent or rinse agents, as the toys need only a few minutes to be cleaned, and the warm water will do the trick.

Removing Smell from Anal Toys

Sometimes, you may notice some of your anal toys like anal beads have a distinct smell to them, which may be due to improper cleaning, or the material itself. If this is the case, you must do a deep cleaning of your toy. As we noted above, you can take soap and some water, create a lather that you apply to your waterproof sex toy, and leave it on for a few hours, letting it dissolve the smelly components. Afterward, rinse it with warm water and leave it to dry; the smell should be gone.

If your porous anal sex toys become smelly, we recommend you stop using them, as this means harmful bacteria and fungi have invaded the pores. Sometimes, you can use a mild bleach solution to remove the smell, but the best option is to put a condom on the sex toy before inserting it in your bum. We also advise you to practice anal douching as a way to cleanse your rectum from bacteria and residue so that you can have a more enjoyable anal play experience.

Make sure you clean your anal sex toys before and after every use. If you use specialized sex toy storage bags, you can give them a quick wipe down with an antibacterial wipe before you use these, but always wash them with soap and water after use, especially if you share these with multiple partners.

Also, have condoms handy for the times you want to experiment and wish to protect your health and your sex toys. We hope we have covered the basics of cleaning anal sex toys, and we invite you to browse our blog for more knowledge and check out our sex toy store, where we have all you may need for better sex.