How To Clean Silicone Toys

How To Clean Silicone Toys
For general cleaning, soap and hot water is just fine. Soap up your toy with plenty of soap and work it in generously. Rinse and set it aside to air dry.
This is great if you are not sharing your toys and just need to keep it generally clean.
Another super easy way of giving your toys a good cleaning is the dishwasher! Drop your toys on the top shelf of the dishwasher and run them through a cleaning cycle. If your dishwasher has a “sterilize” setting you can use that too!
Just remember: don’t mix your toys and your dishes!
If you need a bit more cleaning power or you plan on sharing your toys, a bleach solution might just be the ticket!
Mix up some hot water (not boiling!) and bleach in a 10% solution – or a 10:1 ratio of water to bleach. Wash them as above with soap and water then soak your toys for an hour or two in the bleach solution. Then wash with soap and hot water to remove any bleach solution. Rinse thoroughly and set it aside to air dry.
Silicone can be boiled! Drop your toy in a pot of water and bring it to a full boil. Let it boil for 10-15 minutes and then let it cool. Wash with soap and water, rinse thoroughly and set it aside to air dry. This will also help make your toys safe for sharing.
If you use a silicone toy for butt stuff, you can occasionally find that your toy is stained or retains an odor after cleaning. Here are a few tips to help clean your silicone toys:
Avoid the problem in the first place by using a condom!
Wash your toy using one or more of the methods above to start with.
Do not just toss your toy in a plastic bag and hope it gets better. All you have done is trap the smells.
For more info about lubricants, check this out: https://amavidi.com/lubes-for-silicone-toys/
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Real Simple Style Skincare How to Clean Silicone Beauty Tools and Personal Devices
Just because it's antimicrobial doesn't mean it doesn't have to be cleaned.
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How to Clean Silicone Beauty Tools and Personal Devices
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Whether it's a gentle facial cleansing tool ( like the PMD Pro ), a nifty face mask brush, or a feel-good vibrator, all silicone-based beauty tools and personal devices need to be cleaned, too. Wondering how to clean silicone sex toys or how to clean a face brush? Below, we've tapped the experts on the benefits of using silicone, how best to clean silicone tools, and what not to do when sudsing them up.
First, let's go over why you'd want to choose a silicone beauty tool and personal device over other types of materials. According to Ben Segarra, co-founder of meejee, silicone is more hygienic for skin (and down under) than other materials. "It is almost impossible for bacteria to grow on silicone due to its non-porous surface and natural antimicrobial properties," he says. "This prevents you from putting unwanted bacteria onto your skin, unlike nylon bristles or other materials that grow bacteria after the first use."
Another added benefit of using a silicone-based beauty tool, like the meejee ($80, meejee.com ) and PMD Pro Smart Facial Cleansing Device ($69; amazon.com ), is that silicone is gentle on the skin. "Unlike other materials like plastic or metal that can be abrasive and cause micro-lacerations (tiny little cuts in the skin), silicone is non-abrasive and won't damage the skin," explains Segarra. Not only that, but silicone is a more environmentally friendly material compared to others. "Silicone won't grow bacteria or degrade over time like plastic does, which means you can use it for much longer without having to replace it. And unlike plastics, silicone is non-toxic to aquatic or soil organisms, and it does not leech any harmful chemicals back into the environment," says Segarra. Silicone can be recycled after a lifetime of use, and if incinerated in a landfill, it will convert back into harmless ingredients, like amorphous silica, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.
Silicone beauty tools, like I Dew Care Silicone Brush ($8; ulta.com ), can help with product application in a few ways. The silicone brush "helps keep your hands out of your skincare jars, and using a tool like a silicone brush will actually help you use less product because it'll assist in applying a uniform layer of product," explains Sunju Kim, Vice President of Product Development at MBX.
Because of its hydrophobic and antimicrobial properties, silicone devices are very low maintenance when it comes to having to clean them, according to Segarra. With that being said, it still needs to be done. The best way to clean a meejee, Foreo, PMD, or any other facial brush is with soap and warm water once every one to two weeks if you are using it consistently. "Any standard soap will do, just make sure you thoroughly rinse off all soap residue before drying," explains Segarra. "It's also helpful to dry your device after use by patting it with a lint-free towel."
As for how to clean a silicone vibrator, you essentially want to clean it in the same way as a silicone beauty tool, but much more frequently. "You need to clean your silicone toys before and after each use," says Tyler Aldridge, Director of Product at maude . "Hand wash your silicone sex toy in warm water with antibacterial soap or any device cleaner. Rinse, dry, and store away from other silicone devices."
If you live in an area that has hard water, you might notice a powdery white substance on your brush. That's minerals, and although it's not dangerous, it definitely doesn't look the most hygienic. To remove the problem, soak the silicone pieces in distilled white vinegar for about 30 minutes to cut through the mineral deposits.
When figuring out how to clean a sonic face brush, "you want to avoid using oil-based cleansers, clay-based cleansers, or cleansers with granular exfoliants as they may damage the silicone," explains Segarra. Also, if you've been wondering how to clean a face brush with alcohol, Segarra advises against it. "Avoid using any cleaning products that contain alcohol or acetone, as they may damage the silicone and irritate the skin," he says.
As for how to clean silicone toys, you need to first figure out your device's resistance to water—some silicone sex toys are fully waterproof, while others can come into contact with water but not be fully submerged. "It is important to store your device solo (away from other silicone devices) and dry your device fully," explains Aldridge. "Additionally, scented soaps or household cleaners can break down the silicone and should be avoided."
No matter what, don't neglect washing a silicone beauty tool. Just because something is antimicrobial doesn't mean it's completely immune to bacterial colonization. To prevent breakouts and keep your tools working at their full potential, wash them regularly just as you would a makeup brush or hair brush .

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Proper cleaning of sex toys is essential to avoid bacterial infection or transmission of STIs. While some STIs die once the fluid they live in dries, others (such as hepatitis and scabies) can live for weeks or months outside of the body. If you want to prevent pregnancy, it is also important to be remove sperm that may be on the sex toy before using near or in the vagina. It's important to keep the instructions for cleaning the sex toy and to follow them carefully. If you feel that cleaning the toy properly would be too time consuming or unrealistic for you, think about buying a different toy. The information provided below gives a general overview for cleaning different types of toys and isn't meant to replace the manufacturer's instructions.

For basic toy care, remove any batteries. Never submerge electrical components in water. Use a damp, soapy washcloth to clean your electric toys, preferably with anti-bacterial soap. Keep toys stored in a container or pouch (to keep them clean) and in a cool, dry place.

Cleaning non-porous materials: glass, stainless steel, hard plastic, and silicone

Glass: Wash glass toys with soap and water. Pyrex toys are dishwasher safe. Do not expose glass to extreme temperatures.

Stainless Steel: If attached to an electrical device, use warm soapy water, being careful not to submerge any electrical components. If there are no electrical components you have 3 options: Boil or soak in a 10% bleach-water solution for 10 minutes, or place it in the dishwasher.

Hard Plastic: Clean with anti-bacterial soap and water. Do not boil.

Silicone: You can choose from 3 options to clean a silicone toy. Either boil for 5-10 minutes, put it in your dishwasher (on top rack), or wash with anti-bacterial soap and warm water. Do not boil silicone vibrators because you will destroy the vibrator mechanism.

Cleaning porous materials: rubber, vinyl, cyberskin, nylon, and leather

Rubber materials: Rubber materials are porous and difficult to clean. In addition, their composition is not always known or may contain phthalates, chemicals which have been shown to be harmful to your health. For these reasons, it is recommended to use condoms with these types of toys.

Cyberskin and Vinyl: Cyberskin is soft and porous, often used for dildos. Wash cyberskin and vinyl toys delicately with warm water only. Air dry and powder a small amount with cornstarch to keep them from getting sticky.

Nylon: Nylon harnesses and toys can be machine or hand washed with a mild anti-bacterial soap.

Leather: Wipe leather products with a damp, soapy cloth or with leather cleaner. Do not soak leather. After cleaning, you may recondition your toy using a leather conditioner. Protect metal parts from tarnish by applying a coating of clear nail polish.

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One of the things I really like about silicone is its so easy to clean. I stick silicone toys in the dishwasher. Seriously.
One of the best things about silicone sex toys is that they are easy to clean properly, because silicone is not porous so bacteria stay on the surface. You cannot damage a silicone toy by submerging it in water (unless the toy has an electronic component that isn't waterproof).
Normally good old fashioned soap and hot water is adequate.
If you use the toy anally and/or share it with anyone it's a good idea to disinfect it. Silicone is extremely heat resistant so you can submerge it in boiling water for a few minutes. You can also disinfect it with a 10% bleach solution.
One of the best things about silicone sex toys is that they are easy to clean properly, because silicone is not porous so bacteria stay on the surface. You cannot damage a silicone toy by submerging it in water (unless the toy has an electronic component that isn't waterproof).
Normally good old fashioned soap and hot water is adequate.
If you use the toy anally and/or share it with anyone it's a good idea to disinfect it. Silicone is extremely heat resistant so you can submerge it in boiling water for a few minutes. You can also disinfect it with a 10% bleach solution.
If your toy has any nooks and crannies you might want to use a dedicated tooth brush to make sure you reach them properly.
Most silicone toys can also be cleaned in the top rack of the dishwasher (but it's a good idea to rinse them with water afterwards to make sure no soap is left on there when you remove them).
You can also get anti-bacterial cleaning solutions made especially for sex toys (though boiling water is far cheaper).

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How To Clean Silicone Toys

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