How To Take Care Of Your Vibrator

Gettyimages.com/Vibrator, chocolates, underwear and rose petals on bed indicating night of passion.

When you pull your buzzing little toy out of your nightstand drawer, you probably do so because you don’t want to think about anything. You want to drift away into an orgasmic bliss. You want to escape your responsibilities. But, you still need to take care of your vibrator responsibly if you’re going to be safe, enjoy yourself, and avoid having to re-purchase a new one of these pricey devices every couple of months. You take tremendous care of your electric toothbrush and standing food processor—don’t you think you should take just as good care of the thing that goes all over your…you know. It’s time we start showing this item a bit more care. Here is how to handle your vibrator correctly.

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Clean your vibrator after every use

Clean your vibrator with warm water and soap after every use. Yes, even if you’re just using it on yourself. You don’t want your vibrator to sit in a hot drawer where bacteria can fester. And cleaning it helps prolong its life.

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When choosing a soap

Go with unscented, mild soap. You should do a good job washing the soap off, but if there is any residual soap, you don’t want a harsh formula going inside of you. There are also special sex toy cleansers available.

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Beware of water and electric items

If your toy plugs into a wall outlet or requires batteries, be very careful about how you wash it. Do not put this toy under running water. Instead, dampen a washcloth and apply that to the toy.

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Clean it before use, too

Don’t forget that dust particles, pet hair, human hair, and who knows what else can land on your sex toy while it’s just sitting in the closet, waiting for you to use it. So clean it immediately before use, as well as after.

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Dry after cleaning

Thoroughly dry your vibrator after using it. Any amount of moisture can develop mold and mildew, and those are two things you don’t want anywhere near your vagina.

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Understand which toys are safe to share

You can’t just share any sex toy with other people. Check what materials you’re vibrator is made from. Porous materials, such as nylon, cyberskin, neoprene, elastomer and jelly shouldn’t be shared with others because fluids and bacteria can get trapped inside of these. Nonporous materials like Pyrex, glass, steel and silicone are safe to share with others.

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If you hate doing dishes…

Almost every vibrator material must be cleaned with simple warm water and soap. However, if you absolutely hate washing things by hand, you can buy a Nylon toy—these are safe to put in the dishwasher.

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Use condoms when…

You can share porous toys with partners, so long as you cover them with condoms. You should also add a condom to your toy when using it on yourself if you use a jelly toy—some health experts believe that jelly has chemicals that aren’t safe for your body.

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Check for holes

Even nonporous vibrators can become porous and harbor bacteria if they get old. Check your toy for holes and rips in the seams before every use. If you notice these, then it’s time to replace your vibrator.

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Check for chips

If you have a glass toy, it’s crucial that you check it for chips before and after using it. If you insert a cracked glass vibrator inside yourself, you could be in for a world of pain and a visit to the emergency room.

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Listen for an old motor

If your vibrator starts to get incredibly loud or fibrate more aggressively than usual, that means the motor is slowing down and it’s probably time to replace it.

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Never cover them with kitchen items

Don’t cover your toy with ziplock bags, Tupperware, or other kitchen storage items. These aren’t designed for your sex toys. In fact, ziplock bags and Tupperware contain chemicals that can leek into your sex toy.

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Stick to water-based lube

Water-based lube is approved for use with most sex toys, regardless of their materials. Silicon and oil-based lubricants can cause vibrators to deteriorate quickly.

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Replace them this often

If you’re an enthusiastic vibrator user—like several times a week—you should probably replace your toy every year. Even if it appears to be in working order, most toys will develop small holes and tears after a year of heavy use.