FIELD GUIDE TO CLEANING YOUR TOYS

At Field Day, we purposely select toys that are easy to clean and always made of body-safe materials. Different toys require different care though!

vocab we’ll use here:


cleaning: a process to physically remove debris/gunk and some microorganisms from a surface. microorganisms thrive in gunk, and don’t do so well on clean surfaces. cleaning is good enough if you aren’t sharing the toy (or are only sharing with partners whose sti risk you’ve chatted about and are comfortable with) and don’t have an active infection like an sti or yeast infection.


disinfecting: a process used to kill pathogenic microorganisms. does not kill all bacterial spores, but is generally sufficient for safely sharing toys with partners or using the same toy for vaginal and anal play. note: it’s important to first clean your toys of any debris before disinfecting them.


sterilization: a process used to kill all pathogenic microorganisms and their spores. not really possible to do in a typical home setting!

for non-mechanized silicone, glass, and stainless steel toys:


to clean: wash with soap and water for at least 30 seconds. use a designated toothbrush for hard-to-reach crevices.


to disinfect: boil in water for at least 3 minutes. add a washcloth in with your glass toys to prevent them from bonking around too much.
or make a bleach solution using the ratio of five tablespoons (⅓ cup) household bleach per gallon of water and submerge toy for at least 10 minutes, then allow to air dry completely.



metal or silicone mechanized toys (like vibrators):


to clean: same as above! soap and water, and take care to clean crevices. double check packaging to see if your toy is fully submergible or just “waterproof” (use a washcloth or brush and rinse carefully if it’s not submergible!)
to disinfect: if submergible, you can soak the toy in a bleach solution as described above. if your toy is not submergible (or you’re not sure!), make a bleach solution and thoroughly spray the toy, then allow to fully air dry.



reusable thermoplastic elastomer (tpe) toys (like many strokers):


TPE is non-toxic and body-safe (unlike many “jelly” toys), but it is porous, so can be cleaned, but not disinfected. since it can’t be disinfected, TPE toys are best limited to a single user and infection risk should definitely be a conversation if you do choose to share. (consider: if someone with chlamydia, for example, comes in contact with the toy, it should really be thrown out since you can’t disinfect it adequately.)


to clean: turn the toy inside out if applicable. wash with a mild soap and cool or lukewarm water. allow to air dry.
do not use alcohol, bleach, or other chemical products on tpe as it can damage the material.



p.s. some people like to disinfect their toys in the top rack of the dishwasher. we’re not a huge fan of that for a couple of reasons (even tho it is very funny). one reason is because older dishwashers don’t necessarily have the power to reliably sanitize compared with boiling. another is that even if you’re running the cycle without dish detergent, leftover soap from previous cycles could get deposited onto your toys, which can cause skin or ph reactions.



and remember friends, condoms aren’t just for penises! you can definitely use them on toys for 1) reducing sti risk, 2) a quick switch from anal to vaginal sex in the same sesh, 3) easier clean up.