By Ksenia Sobchak

Now that you’ve learned all about the joy of using sex toys both by yourself and with a partner, it’s time to learn a little about how to take care of your special adult toys. When you were a kid, you (or more likely, your mom) just picked up all your toys and threw them in a box. You’d take some out, play with them, and throw them back in. If you were feeling exceptionally diligent, and your toy had an extra big layer of mud on it, you might decide to wipe it off on your pants before putting it away.

Well, you can’t treat your sex toys the same way. While it’s a great idea to have a special “sex toy box” in the bedroom, each toy does require special attention and care.

Using it for the first time

We know you’re anxious and don’t want to wait, and you’re tempted to just rip open the box and use it as soon as you get it home. But take a couple of precautions. You may want to give it a good rinsing (if waterproof) or wipe down with a toy cleaner/water before first use. Also, give the entire toy a good visual once-over. Some moulded toys may still have a seam or two, or a plastic nub left over from the manufacturing process, which isn’t supposed to still be there and it won’t feel good when you use it. You may need to pinch off or file down any such seams.

Cleaning

After all, this isn’t just something you push around in the mud on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It’s an intimate item that you may be putting inside of your body’s various holes, or your partner’s various holes, or even both your holes at once. It’s important to make sure each one is clean and fresh, free of whatever residues may be left over from your last session.

Keeping each toy in its own box, bag or container is a good start. Most sex toys come with a case or a special bag, so make use of it – that keeps your toys from getting scratched, or accidentally infused with whatever other lotions, scents, or liquids you may also have in your toy box.

Each sex toy will have its own cleaning instructions, so pay careful attention. If it’s not waterproof, don’t submerge it in water to clean it. In most cases, ordinary soap and water and a good thorough rinsing will do the job, but just to be extra safe – especially if you’re sharing toys – use an antibacterial cleanser. After cleaning, towel-dry it with a soft cloth.

Yes, even your dildo may need to use a condom

Does your dildo practice safe sex? Any time you share sex toys, you’ll want to clean it after each use – but to make sure you’re not introducing bacteria and risking infection, use a condom over your toy, and then change the condom before a different partner uses it. The condom is also recommended for sex toys made for insertion that are made from porous materials, such as rubber or jelly.