Sex toy safety: materials, cleaning and condoms

Sex toy safety comes down to a few habits: choosing the right material, cleaning a toy after every use, and using condoms and lubricant with care. Planned Parenthood writes that, used safely, there is nothing harmful about sex toys. This guide sets out what Planned Parenthood, SH:24 and the NHS say about materials, cleaning, condoms and lubricant, and about when to get help. Every source is listed at the end. It is general information, not medical advice, and it cannot speak to your own situation. For that, a doctor, a nurse or a sexual health service is the right place to ask.

Are sex toys safe to use?

Planned Parenthood says that using sex toys is normal, and that choosing not to use them is just as normal. It is a personal decision, and everyone is different. As long as toys are used safely, it adds, there is nothing harmful about them. Exploring your sexuality at your own pace is a gentle place to start if you are still deciding.

The risks the sources name are practical ones. SH:24, whose page is written by a senior sexual health and contraception nurse, points out that not many people know you can get sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other genital problems through sex toys. Planned Parenthood explains how: if someone who has an STI uses a toy, the body fluids left on it can pass the infection to the next person who uses it. The sources add that germs can travel between body areas, that some materials hold on to germs, and that a toy used in the anus can get stuck. Each of these has a simple habit that goes with it, and the sections below take them one at a time.

Which materials to look for in a sex toy

Planned Parenthood says that a toy going inside the body (the mouth, the vagina or the anus) is best made from a nonporous material that is safe for the body. Nonporous materials do not absorb germs and are easier to keep clean. Materials that may be porous can absorb germs that lead to infections, even if you always wash the toy.

Material	What the source says	Source
Silicone that is not a blend, hard plastic, stainless steel, aluminium, glass made to resist breaking	Nonporous. They do not absorb germs and are easier to keep clean	Planned Parenthood
Silicone blends, jelly rubber, PVC, vinyl, TPR, TPE, elastomer and other rubbery plastics	May be porous. They can absorb germs that lead to infections, even if you always wash the toy	Planned Parenthood
Homemade toys	May not be safe, especially if they can break, have rough, sharp or loose parts, or are made of materials that are unsanitary or can cause a reaction	Planned Parenthood

A condom over the toy is the fallback the source offers. Planned Parenthood says it helps a toy stay clean and keeps any germs on it out of your body.

Two more habits come from the same source. Choose toys that are made to be sex toys, especially if they go inside the body. And buy from trusted stores or websites that give detailed information about their products, so that the brand and the material are what you think they are. For the best way to clean and care for a particular toy, it points to the directions that came with it, or to the staff at a sex toy shop.

How to clean and store a sex toy

SH:24 says to clean a toy after every use. If you do not, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria, which raises the chance of irritation or an infection. Planned Parenthood adds a second moment: before the toy touches another person’s genitals. Cleaning does not need to take long. These are the steps SH:24 gives:

1. 1

   Read the instructions

   Check the directions that came with the toy. SH:24 says they explain how to clean and store it correctly, depending on what it is made of and whether it has batteries.

2. 2

   Look at the toy

   Check it for breaks or scratches. They could hurt you when you use the toy, and they give germs a place to grow.

3. 3

   Wash with warm soapy water

   If the toy looks fine and the instructions agree, wash it with warm, soapy water. SH:24 advises an unscented, mild or plain soap, because perfumed or scented soaps can upset the body’s pH balance and cause vaginal irritation or problems such as bacterial vaginosis and thrush. It adds that specialist toy cleaners are sold in most sex shops.

4. 4

   Keep batteries dry

   Do not submerge a toy that runs on batteries. For these toys, wiping with a clean soapy cloth is the best way to keep them clean.

5. 5

   Dry without fibres

   Use a paper towel, or something else that leaves no fibres behind. A bath towel can leave tiny threads on the toy, which can irritate the vagina or anus when the toy is next used.

6. 6

   Store it covered

   If a dust bag came with the toy, use it to keep the toy covered when you put it away. This protects the toy from dust.

Condoms and lubricant with sex toys

The NHS notes that some people put condoms on sex toys. Planned Parenthood says a condom can help keep a toy clean and prevent the spread of STIs, as long as the condom is changed before the toy touches another person’s genitals. SH:24 suggests covering penetrative toys with a condom each time they are used, and changing the condom before the toy moves to a different body part, for example from the anus to the vagina. That stops bacteria from moving from one area to another.

The sources say this about lubricant:

• Water based lubricant. Planned Parenthood calls it a safe bet with any sex toy and any condom.
• Silicone based lubricant. Planned Parenthood says not to use it with silicone toys unless they are covered with a condom, because it can react with the solid silicone and damage the toy. The NHS names it as an alternative for latex condoms.
• Oil based lubricant. The NHS says not to use it with latex condoms.

The NHS also advises against latex condoms if you have a latex allergy, or if you are using an antifungal medicine on or around the genitals or anus. Some condoms are latex free, and the packet says what a condom is made of. Thrush, dryness and gentle washing are covered in vaginal health basics.

Sharing sex toys

SH:24 says it is important not to share sex toys with other people, and that with more than one partner a different set of toys goes with each person. Planned Parenthood describes the precautions for a toy used with a partner: wash it with mild soap and water after use and before it touches another person’s genitals, and change the condom if one is used. SH:24 also says not to use any penetrative toy if you or your partner have cuts or sores around the genitals or anus.

Using a toy with a partner is something to agree on first. What sexual consent is sets out how consent works.

Sex toys and the anus

Planned Parenthood gives three points for toys used in the anus:

• Use lots of lubricant. The anus does not lubricate itself the way a vagina does, so without lubricant a toy can be painful, uncomfortable and even unsafe.
• Check the shape. The toy should have a flared base, meaning it is wider at the bottom, or some other way to pull it out, so that it cannot slip all the way in. A toy that goes all the way in could get stuck.
• Keep areas apart. Never put a toy that has been in the anus into the vagina without washing it or changing the condom first, because germs from the anus can lead to vaginitis.

When to get help

If a toy has gone so far into the anus that you cannot reach it, Planned Parenthood says you may need to see a nurse or a doctor to get it out.

On infections, the NHS says that many STIs have no symptoms, so a person can have one without knowing it, and that the only way to know for sure is to get tested. Symptoms it lists include an unusual discharge, pain when passing urine, itchy genitals or anus, a rash, and blisters, sores or warts around the genitals or anus. It advises going to a sexual health clinic if:

• You think you may have an STI.
• A sexual partner has symptoms of an STI.

It adds that doctors and healthcare professionals are there to help, so try not to feel uncomfortable about sharing information about your sexual activities. The guide to STI testing explains what a visit involves, safer sex basics covers condoms and dental dams, and cervical screening and HPV covers the smear test.

Questions about sex toy safety

Which material is best for a toy that goes inside the body?

Planned Parenthood names nonporous materials that are safe for the body: silicone that is not a blend, hard plastic, stainless steel, aluminium and glass made to resist breaking. They do not absorb germs and are easier to keep clean.

How often should I clean a sex toy?

SH:24 says to clean a toy after every use. Planned Parenthood adds that a toy should also be washed before it touches another person’s genitals.

Can I put a condom on a sex toy?

The NHS notes that some people do. Planned Parenthood and SH:24 say it helps keep the toy clean, as long as the condom is changed before the toy goes to another person or another body area. With latex condoms, the NHS advises against oil based lubricant.

Which lubricant goes with sex toys?

Planned Parenthood calls water based lubricant a safe bet with any sex toy and any condom. Silicone based lubricant can damage a silicone toy unless the toy is covered with a condom.

Is it safe to share a sex toy?

SH:24 says it is important not to share toys and to use a different set with each partner. Planned Parenthood says sharing can spread STIs, and describes the precautions: washing with mild soap and water, and changing the condom.

Can a sex toy get lost inside me?

Planned Parenthood says you cannot lose a toy in the vagina, because the cervix blocks the end of it. A toy used in the anus is different: it needs a flared base or another way to pull it out, and if you cannot reach it you may need to see a nurse or a doctor.