Sex toys don’t clean themselves. I know, shocking. But some of my favorite sex toy cleaners do.
But seriously, whether you’re using a toy completely externally, internally, or in some other way — it needs to be cleaned before and after you use it. I want to share with you my favorite toy cleaners that I’ve used, but before that, I want to really get across why cleaning your toys is so essential to maintaining good sexual health.
Whenever a toy is used, it usually gets fluids on it — vaginal fluids, spit, sweat, anal bacteria, semen… sexy, huh? Plus, lubes leave toys sticky and open for the collection of bacteria. All bodily fluids contain bacteria that, when outside the body, can multiply and grow and then, when reintroduced to the body, wreaks havoc on the microbiomes of your genitals (vagina/vulva & anus, specifically). For some, this means leading to a yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis, a UTI, or other bacterial infections. Additionally, if the person using it has an STI, you could also contract that by sharing a toy that isn’t cleaned between uses.
So, what do you do to prevent bacteria from building up, spreading, or causing ick in your bits? Enter the point of this blog — sex toy cleaners! Not all sex toy cleaners are created equally — they vary in ingredients, texture, and packaging — but most of them get the job done. Some cleaners contain alcohol(s) that could have a dehydrating effect on internal tissues, some have fragrances (no!), and some just don’t do the job. So, without further ado… here are my favorite sex toy cleaners and how to get them in your hands.
Oh! One other thing. Get microfiber, bamboo, or cotton washcloths that you use to dry your toys after using these toy cleaners. (When you use toilet paper or even paper towels, you can leave behind paper residue. And using your general hand towel can put bacteria on the toy, or put bacteria on the towel if not cleaned properly!)
Okay, now, actually, my favorite sex toy cleaners.
1. LeWand Intimate Toy Cleaner
This 95% organic, naturally unscented toy cleaner is one of my favorites to use because it’s equally effective on all types of toys (regardless of the material or where on or in your body you’re using it). It’s anti-bacterial and anti-fungal and very concentrated, which helps to remove unwanted odors. It’s non-foaming (spray) and vegan, made from IASC Aloe Vera, organic tea tree oil, organic castor oil, and organic jojoba oil. It’s fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and doesn’t have glycerin, parabens, alcohol, triclosan, or other harsh chemicals.
Cost: $24.99 // Size: 8.5 oz
> > Get Yours Here!
2. Sliquid Shine Organic Toy Cleaner
This spray was one of the first toy cleaners I ever used and was converted immediately from gentle soap and water. This cleaner cleans but doesn’t sanitize, and it’s made up of organic aloe barbadensis leaf juice, reconstituted organic tea tree oil, organic castor oil, and organic jojoba oil. It’s water-soluble with no added fragrances, vegan, and free of glycerin, parabens, alcohol, and triclosan.
Cost: $16 // Size: 8.5 oz
> > Get Yours Here!
PS The LeWand and Sliquid cleaners are almost identical… you’re not reading it wrong 🙂
3. Hello Cake Sex Toy Cleaner
This foaming sex toy cleaner is bubbly and really great if you prefer foaming cleaners. It lathers vs. sprays. It has no fragrances, parabens, or triclosan — and it’s vegan. You can use it on all types of toys (like most of these). It is fast-acting and kills 99.9% of bacteria. It’s made from water, cocamidopropyl betaine, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, benzalkonium chloride, and zinc gluconate. Notice that some of these ingredients are more chemically based than naturally based. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but make sure your body doesn’t have a reaction to them and if it does, stop using them. (FWIW, I’ve never had a bad reaction to this cleaner, and I have sensitive bits.)
Cost: $12 // Size: 1.7 oz
> > Get Yours Here!
4. System JO Foaming Toy Cleaner
Like Cake’s toy cleaner, JO’s also foams and is unscented. It isn’t the best at getting rid of smells, but it cleans fast and doesn’t leave a residue. It can be used on toys of all different types of materials and is gentle on your hands while you wash your toys! There is no triclosan, alcohol, or paraben ingredients – however, this toy cleaner does have some ingredients that some bodies don’t like – so just like a bunch of the other ones, try it out and see if it bugs your bits! System JO’s foaming toy cleaner is made up of triclosan (INCI), disodium cocoamphodiacetate, sodium trideceth sulfate, propylene glycol, citric acid, phenoxyethanol, & purified water.
Cost: $11.89 // Size: 7oz
> > Get Yours Here!
5. Dame Hand and Toy Cleaner
This spray cleaner from Dame can double as a hand cleaner after sex, too! It’s gentle and effective and kills 99.9% of germs. This cleaner does contain alcohol. Now, this isn’t ALWAYS BAD. And you may find it doesn’t gel with your body, and that’s okay. Test it, try it, and see what works for you. You can use it on all types of toys, and is made of water, isopropyl alcohol, witch hazel, grape seed extract, sweet orange, polysorbate, essential oil blend, gluconolactone, and sodium benzoate.
Cost: $10 // Size: 2 oz
> > Get Yours Here!
6. SweetVibes Foami
I’ve been talking about SweetVibes Foami since the day I started reviewing sex toys. Truly, it was one of the first foaming cleaners I got that really did the trick and didn’t irritate my bits! At the time, I hadn’t tried most of the above cleaners, so it was kind of like my gateway drug into toy cleaners. As they say on their website, “what touches your toys touches you,” so they made sure that this was made from powerful hypoallergenic agreements. It’s non-irritating and thoroughly sanitizes surfaces. It’s condom-safe and all toy friendly. Free of parabens, oil, and silicone, it treats your toys with love and care! Also, the dispenser it comes out of (I know this sounds silly, but it’s not, I promise) is so easy to use, especially when you’re cleaning more than one toy at a time. It’s made of water, disodium laureate sulfosuccinate, glycerin, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, panthenol (vitamin B5), tea tree leaf oil, hexamidine dilsethionate aroma, and ethylhexyl glycerin. (There are a lot of arguments about whether glycerin in a toy cleaner can affect your vaginal pH, so I recommend you try it for yourself and see.)
Cost: $11.99 // Size: 3.72 oz
