The best way to clean & store silicone toys

An often overlooked part of owning silicone sex toys is how to clean and look after them effectively. This is important as silicone sex toys are an investment, and if looked after well, they will last a lifetime.

Omen

There is a lot of misinformation regarding silicone toys, which has stemmed from some shady companies misrepresenting the materials in their sex toys. Platinum-cured silicone is inert once cured and is the perfect material for insertable toys due to its specific qualities, not found in many other material types.

Its best quality is that it is non-porous, unlike other materials like TPE and TPR. This non-porous feature means bacteria cannot penetrate and grow within the material's surface. That makes cleaning easy and precisely what you need for an insertable sex toy.

Italian Stallion

Talking about cleaning, you have several options. The simplest is to wash your toys after use with warm, soapy water, and it's best to use an anti-bacterial soap. Pay particular attention to tight features, as these can trap juices and other materials. I use a dedicated toothbrush to get into these close areas to clean them perfectly. You could use a nail brush as long as it has soft bristles.

An easier way to clean your silicone toys is to put them into the dishwasher on a sterilisation cycle; this hot cycle efficiently cleans your toys. Just remember to empty the dishwasher yourself afterwards to avoid any embarrassing questions. If you want to share toys with others, you can, of course, use a condom over the top of them, or you can boil them to sterilise them properly.

To do this: 1. Use a large pot with water in it. 2. Place a tea towel into the pot before placing your toys inside; this prevents the silicone from touching the metal surfaces. 3. Bring to a boil and simmer for twenty minutes, remembering to let it cool before handling your toys, as they will be dangerously hot afterwards. 4. Remember to dry your toys thoroughly before storing them until your next play session.

Anyone who owns silicone sex toys will understand the only downside to the material is that it is a dust and lint magnet. This isn't a big problem, as a quick rinse before use removes anything clinging to the surface, but there are things you can do to prevent this from happening. The best way to stop dust and lint from sticking to the surface of your toys is to use a storage bag. You can use anything from zip-lock-style sandwich bags to bags explicitly designed to store your sex toys safely and discreetly. Another option is to wrap your dry silicone sex toy in cling film to protect its surface.

John Thomas Toys send out a lovely branded faux velvet storage bag with every silicone toy purchased, and I love the design. The inside of the bags are lint-free, strong and perfectly sized for your toys. You will be sent one sized for your purchase. Just pop your toy inside and pull the drawstring to close your bag. The branding and quality are excellent, and these bags are the ones I use for my John Thomas Toys collection.

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ANAL STRETCHING & how toys can help this

Anal play can be incredibly exciting and pleasurable. We've all seen pictures online of people taking huge toys anally, and maybe that has piqued your interest in trying something like that yourself. Can you do it? The short answer is yes, but it takes time and patience to work up to the behemoths available from places like John Thomas Toys.

Rodney's Plonker

Anyone can work their way up to larger toys, but it must be done slowly and carefully. Your anus is capable of some amazing feats of sexual athletics if you train it. So, what are the ground rules for anal stretching? Firstly, lube is definitely your friend, and you should be using lots and lots of it. The inside of your anus doesn't secrete its own lubricant, so it is essential that you lube up well before and during anal training sessions. A quick word about numbing or desensitising lubes, stay away from them. Using them increases the risk of injury when anal stretching; you need to be able to listen to your body, so you can stop before hurting yourself.

Take things slow and set yourself achievable goals, anal training takes time, but the good news is that it feels fantastic, and it is a lot of fun. You need to be in the right mindset, don't do anal stretching exercises if you are stressed out or uptight about anything. It also goes without saying not to do anal stretching if you have any problems back there. If you have caused a micro-fissure during a previous training session, give yourself time to heal before continuing. If you are new to anal play, start with a finger and move on to two fingers as you relax and open up. There is only so much training you can do with your fingers, which will inevitably bring you to sex toys to continue your anal stretching.

Always use body-safe platinum-cure silicone toys for anal play for several reasons. Firstly, it is a nonporous body-safe material that is easy to clean. Secondly, the soft nature of it is forgiving on your anus as you start to train yourself. Choose a silicone stretcher with a tapered shaft, and steer clear of toys with too much texture, as this can make it harder to train yourself for large toys.

Edgware Trainer - tapered shaft

John Thomas Toys make fantastic anal training toys, particularly the Harrow Bulb and POD.

Harrow Bulb

Pod

Both of these toys have a gradually widening shaft coupled with a broad base. This makes it easy to use when you can use a vac-u-lock suction cup adaptor to place it vertically or horizontally to give you options for how to use it. Once you have decided what position to use, I can recommend doggy for its control or squatting over a toy if you want to use your weight to help you dilate, lube up. Utilising a lube shooter to get some lube deep inside you is an excellent option, and remember to lube the toy up, too.

When you start inserting the toy, you will feel pressure build up until it overcomes your sphincter muscles and penetrates you. This is where you need to pay attention and take things slowly. Once inside, you need to set up a rhythm of pushing back to take a bit more, then stay still to relax and let your back passage get used to the stretch before backing off and moving a little deeper.

Anal Lube

The key here is slow and steady; if it starts to hurt, back off and listen to your body. Each time you do a session like this, you will find yourself taking more and more and loving the feel of the stretching. When choosing a toy, consider your capabilities; don't go for the biggest toy possible. You want to choose something where the first couple of inches are within your ability, and then you can train yourself to take more and more. Anal stretching is a lot of fun, and as long as you remember to lube up and listen to your body, you will be surprised at what you can take.

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Creating silicone adult toys

Creating silicone adult toys usually involves these steps:

Design: Begin with the aid of conceptualizing and designing the silicone toy. Determine its form, size, texture, and any additional functions you need to incorporate. This may be carried out through hand-drawn sketches or using laptop-aided layout (CAD) software.

Mold Making: Create a mold so that it will be used to form the silicone toy. There are distinctive techniques to make molds, which include the usage of clay, silicone, or 3-D printing. The chosen approach will depend upon the complexity of the design and the specifications.

Mold Preparation: Once the mold is made, prepare it for casting. This might also involve applying a launch agent or a mold conditioner to prevent the silicone from sticking.

Silicone Mixing: Select a suitable silicone material for the toy, taking into consideration its firmness, flexibility, and protection for intimate use. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for blending the silicone additives, which typically contain combining a base and a catalyst in particular proportions.

Pouring: Pour the combined silicone into the organized mold. Use caution to avoid introducing air bubbles during the pouring process. Depending on the layout, you may want to pour the silicone in more than one angle to ensure the correct filling and achieve a satisfactory finish.

Curing: Allow the silicone to set in keeping with the manufacturer's instructions. This generally includes leaving the mold undisturbed for a particular length to allow the silicone to solidify and attain its final form.

Demolding: Once the silicone has completely cured, cautiously remove the platinum silicone dildo from the mold. Take your time and make certain that the toy is not damaged at some stage in the demolding system.

Finishing Touches: Trim any extra silicone, clean the toy, and add any favored information or textures. This may want to contain sanding, buffing, or applying a silicone sealant for a smoother end.

Quality Control and Testing: Inspect the completed toy for any defects, imperfections, or sharp edges. Ensure that it meets your first-class standards and integrity thorough testing for capability, durability, and safety.

Packaging: Once the toy has passed quality control, package it as it should be for retail or distribution. Include instructions, care recommendations, and any important warnings - e.g. wash before use.

Please be aware that the production of adult toys entails specific concerns, including making sure body-safe substances are used, complying with applicable guidelines, and maintaining hygiene requirements. It's crucial to conduct thorough studies, consult professionals in the enterprise, and adhere to relevant health and safety regulations when generating adult toys.

John Thomas Toys used 100% medical grade platinum silicone which is FDA approved.