How important is it to was silicone toys with soap after every use?

Contributor: hillys hillys
Hey so this is totally unhygenic, but I see a lot of people saying they wash their silicone toys with soap before and after every use and this sounds like a lot of effort to me. Some people even boil them. I'm just wondering what will happen to them, if I am not sharing my toys and just rinsing them with water (soap occasionally)?
04/03/2012
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Contributor: Curiouscat Curiouscat
Quote:
Originally posted by hillys
Hey so this is totally unhygenic, but I see a lot of people saying they wash their silicone toys with soap before and after every use and this sounds like a lot of effort to me. Some people even boil them. I'm just wondering what will happen to ... more
It will be fine. You don't have to wash them a lot. It just keeps them nice and clean, and lessens your chance to get a yeast or bacterial infection- not because of the toy material but because germs will build up like from your hands or left over fluids, or if you set it somewhere.

Mostly when people boil them is if they are sharing or when they have had the toy for a long time. You can boil silicone; it doesn’t mean you have to. Silicone is one of the most safe materials out their besides glass. It's non-porous.
04/03/2012
Contributor: Loriandhubby Loriandhubby
I like to wash mine each time I use one. If one is used for anal I always boil them. I do this to gaurd against bacteria and germs. It makes me feel better knowing they are 100% clean and safe.
04/03/2012
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
I rinse mine before use just to get any lint off, and do a more thorough wash when I'm done. It only takes a few minutes, so it's really not very much work at all. As for boiling, I only do that maybe once a month at most, but it's not really necessary since I don't share my toys.
04/03/2012
Contributor: wildorchid wildorchid
I find antibacterial toy cleaners to be the most convenient, just spray on and let it sit there for 3 minutes and wipe/rinse off. You're not going to harm your toy by not washing it every time, it's more to keep yourself safe from germs and bacteria that can get on your toys from your hands, storage or surfaces that the toy may be resting on.
04/03/2012
Contributor: Lickable Lollie Lickable Lollie
I use my wipes most of the time, then occasionally clean them thoroughly with soap and water.
04/03/2012
Contributor: js250 js250
I use a wipe after we are done playing with our toys. Usually I wait to wash them until the next day-- (savoring the afterglow, lol), and too dang relaxed to get up and clean toys. However I am seriously picky about our toys and cleanliness. Neither one of us wants to get an infection or use unclean toys on our personal areas. I then go back over them with a sanitizer (toy cleaner). Again, I am picky, but we also have a lot of money invested in our collection, want to remain healthy and want to preserve the longevity of the toys/materials. If the toy is a lint grabber, I might wipe it with a toy wipe prior to using it, or if stored for a couple of weeks to a month depending on the material. Otherwise, we just use it out of the storage container.
04/04/2012
Contributor: SMichelle SMichelle
Quote:
Originally posted by Lickable Lollie
I use my wipes most of the time, then occasionally clean them thoroughly with soap and water.
That's what I usually do, too.
04/04/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Genitals have bacteria on and in them, and the anus and mouth has even more. (We have a lot of silicone anal toys, and my husband likes me to play with phallic vaginal toys orally.) But, even if I only used toys vaginally, I still feel that that bacteria has to be washed off with hot running water and soap after every use. Sometimes we wait until morning (in fact, I didn't sleep well last night, and was very sleepy early this morning, but couldn't sleep until I cleaned the 3 toys we used during our play time last night.)

Silicone may not grow bacteria the way jelly or rubber does, but any bacteria on the toy can cause potential problems if reused before washing.

It takes a few minutes, and I wouldn't take the chance by not washing them. I use wipes, but I always wash them in soap and water later. Wipes and toy wash leave chemicals on your toys that I prefer not to have in my body.

Think of it this way: would you eat dinner on a plate and use a fork and knife and then just put them back in the cabinet without washing for an other use "because they didn't look dirty?" I know I wouldn't.
04/04/2012
Contributor: ghalik ghalik
If only you are using them (and only vaginally), it's safe to just use wipes or toy cleaner on nonporous materials. But do give them a thorough cleaning occasionally. For porous materials, you really need to wash them every time or use a condom.
04/04/2012
Contributor: Gracie Gracie
I use HOT water, soap and weak bleach spray EVERY time. I think P'Gell's example about eating on unwashed dishes is a great analogy.
04/04/2012
Contributor: spineyogurt spineyogurt
Hot water is more important
04/04/2012
Contributor: ScottA ScottA
I wash mine after every use, but I use them for buttplay most of the time. No antibacterial stuff (absolutely NOT NECESSARY- if you're in a situation where you should sanitize then use something that's known to work - bleach or boiling water. Antibacterial stuff breeds resistance in bacteria and sensitivities in people!), just ordinary soap (most often dishwashing detergent).

Your toys won't be harmed by not washing, and for vaginal use chances are there won't be a major issue if you only wash every other time, but cleanliness doesn't take much more work.

If you're going between orifices or people then sanitize.
04/06/2012
Contributor: married with children married with children
We wash ours after every use.
04/07/2012
Contributor: Gone (LD29) Gone (LD29)
I'm weird and I need to shower immediately after sex/masturbating or I can't relax. So, I just take my (waterproof) toys into the shower with me and wash them there.
04/07/2012