clean your toys????
Got talking to a friend and she just uses a baby wipe to clean hers. I said I wasn't sure it would get properly clean like that.
I use an antibacterial handwash and put them under a VERY hot tap.
So how do you clean yours and am I being a bit prissy in thinking baby wipes aren't enough?
The information I have is that antibacterial products are in a large part responsible for those superbugs which are resistant to so many antibiotics. Please avoid antibacterial products! I've written a bit about it here:
http://ladylubyanka.wordpress.com/dim-sum/resources1/hygiene/#Anti-Bacterial
I use a baby wipe to clean my toys, or just water, or plain soap and water. Honestly, there are no more germs on your genitals than there are in your mouth or on your face, so similar cleansing to those areas will be quite sufficient, I assure you.
I don't know how hot "VERY hot" is, but I promise you that bacteria will survive all temperatures short of actual boiling, and boiling could harm some of your toys. If you really want to disinfect, the best and easiest thing to use is alcohol. Cheap vodka will work fine.
If you're unsure, ask your doctor or pharmacist, I'm sure any medical professional will support what I've said. Plus professional advice is often reassuring, so please do ask your GP and/or your pharmacist.
I only use water based lube so makes it a little easy to clear, i wash down with hot water on most if my toys and then dry, but the spray some anti bact cleaner, then wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Soap and water and vodka for me!
Soap and water for dildos, wipes for vibes.
Baby wipes or Milton wipes! I tend to use Milton wipes for the toys with crevices, such as my Rabbit... don't want nasties collecting in the little nooks and crannies! But for smooth, simple toys, just a baby wipe!
I'm the same, use a baby wipe ^_^
Cheap and cheerful, but gets the job done xx
I use good old soap and water
i use the LH spray :)
Surely it depends on the material of the toy in question?
I'm wary about using soap with my jelly toys, even though I do (although I think Lubyanka clearly knows her stuff and I'd agree on the hygiene aspects), but would never use hot water on them. Nicely warm, and a bit of LH's toy cleaner. Glass ones are fine with some hot water (soap and spray gets used on the anal ones though). Silicone is lovely and hardy though, they're fine with hot water and soap (other plastics only get the warm water treatment).
I disagree with the superbugs thing, whilst antibacterial products do indeed help more resistant strains emerge I'd be more worried about viruses than bacteria. Plus it's always fun to see how your body fares against new critters rather than relying on medicine all the time or hiding in a plastic bubble somewhere. *steps off soap box*
I usually give them a rinse under the tap to get rid of any left over lube, then stick them under the hot tap with some soap type stuff then dry them. I'm tempted to get some of the SQWERTY stuff though just to make sure they are thouroughly clean and minty fresh.
hot water x
Student20 wrote:
I disagree with the superbugs thing, whilst antibacterial products do indeed help more resistant strains emerge I'd be more worried about viruses than bacteria. Plus it's always fun to see how your body fares against new critters rather than relying on medicine all the time or hiding in a plastic bubble somewhere. *steps off soap box*
I usually give them a rinse under the tap to get rid of any left over lube, then stick them under the hot tap with some soap type stuff then dry them. I'm tempted to get some of the SQWERTY stuff though just to make sure they are thouroughly clean and minty fresh.
Yes and no to this for me.
If something was going to infect me wouldn't be less scared of bacteria over a virus. I'd be concerned about the potential effects of them. I wouldn't describe potential illness as fun, you make it sound like a sport!
I don't really think its an issue how people disinfect their toys as long as its done properly, be it water, soap, antibacterial etc. Most toys are relatively inhospitable for dangerous bacteria.
I think its highly unlikely a new super strain of MRSA or what not, will evolve on your dildo if you use antibacterial soap. As was mentioned the bacteria found on toys will be similar to what is already in your mouth etc.
Our bodies are already used to these bacterium, you might create a strain of bacteria that is resistant to a certain chemical but that is not how our bodies respond to the intruder so its pretty safe, as your body will be used to it anyway, unless of course you are ill. Thats why its such a big thing in hospitals and compounded by the fact that people go there with relatively uncommon and already dangerous bacteria, which only become stronger through poor hygiene or management.
As for personally, as was mentioned it depends on the toy. Something external sometimes just gets a baby wipe. A fleshlight is flushed with the tap etc.
I usually wipe mine down with baby wipes. When I bought my first vibe in Ann Summers, I was told to make sure any wipes I used were pH balanced, so I always do that. It was also written on the instructions not to use alcohol based wipes. Not sure what difference that makes, but I always endeavour to get that as well. I find the Simple brand of baby wipes are ideal, and so much cheaper than the proper sex toy wipes (80 in a packet for less than £2, compared to 8 in a packet for £5 at Ann Summers? How do they justify that? I'd go through 8 wipes in less than a week on a good week).
Every now and then I got rinse my toys off with water, but not as often as I'd like. Living with my parents doesn't mean I have alot of opportunities to be carting all my toys over to the bathroom to clean them off! Gonna buy some of the sex toy cleaner after the summer though if finances are alright, now I have a bigger toybox to hide my stuff in!
And this is why i love having a sink in our bedroom lol!
Student20 wrote:
I disagree with the superbugs thing, whilst antibacterial products do indeed help more resistant strains emerge I'd be more worried about viruses than bacteria.
Well, since antibacterial cleansers don't affect viruses in any way, I don't see the point in using them for that.
WandA wrote:
I think its highly unlikely a new super strain of MRSA or what not, will evolve on your dildo if you use antibacterial soap. As was mentioned the bacteria found on toys will be similar to what is already in your mouth etc.
Indeed, a new strain of MRSA is unlikely to develop on your dildo if you use antibacterial cleansers. What will happen however is that because of exposing your body to the antibacterial agents whilst you clean the toys, the bacteria in your body will develop resistance to antibiotics which you have never taken, because of the chemical resemblance of the antibacterial agent to certain antibiotics. And if you're already carrying bacteria which could make you ill (which most people do already with no ill effects), that is definitely a problem.
This is part of why antibacterial agents are so dangerous.
to be fair i either use baby wipes or just plain water and a bit of ph balnced soap and if needed the OH toothbrush .. my experience if you use stuff like the antibacterial washes or anthing like that it can cause things like thrush and stuff if your sensitive down there.
PS not really the OH toothbrush lol
Lubyanka wrote:
Student20 wrote:
I disagree with the superbugs thing, whilst antibacterial products do indeed help more resistant strains emerge I'd be more worried about viruses than bacteria.
Well, since antibacterial cleansers don't affect viruses in any way, I don't see the point in using them for that.
I never said they did =/
just baby wipes for me, i find they do the job nicely to be honest, i dont really see the point in using all fancy stuff for it myself
Isn't another sort of standard thing in the sex blogger community to use 10% bleach solution? Silicone toys can go in the top of the dishwasher too, which I find a little odd, but when you think about logically it is pretty fine.