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.
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.
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.