About Katie D. Expertise I can answer general questions about toys and some medical related questions as well.
Experience I have 10 years experience in sex toys both personal and professional. I am currently a consultant for one of the largest adult toy companies in the US.
Education/Credentials Certified EMT. I also completed advanced classes in human sexuality
Question QUESTION: I have found that twice now I have gotten thrush after using a sex toy. Granted both times the sex has been fairly rough and I have been a quiet sore after.
Im not sure if its just the roughness or the toy that is causing the problem. Have you heard of many toys that cause thrush?
ANSWER: Thrush is a yeast infection. The thrush could be from multiple things...
1. If you used lubrication and you or your partner touched your vaginal area first then opened and applied the lubrication you could have been contaminating the lubrication which inhibits growth of yeast.
2. If your partner performed oral sex on you he/she could have had a thrush infection in the mouth...which is really common believe it or not.
3. Are you cleaning your toys with a cleaner made for toys after each use? Reason I am asking, you vagina has yeast naturally in it, when the yeast grows out of control that is when you get an infection. If you were not cleaning the toy appropriately or just wiping if down then you could be placing "old" yeast back into your body causing the yeast to over produce.
Also are you sure its thrush? Has a doctor confirmed this? If not you could just has an allergic reaction from the plastics used in the toy which is common as well. I personally have one toy that if I use gently I am fine but if I go in a fast speed or be rough then I am burning & itching the next day which resembles thrush or a yeast infection. Hope this helps! If you need anything else let me know...Katie D.
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QUESTION: So what would you recommend to use to clean toys. Is there something you can make up or do you need to buy a certain product?
Answer You can buy toy cleaner but below are some home made cleaners you can use depending on what the toy is made of, I think these ideas are easier & cheaper......
Sex Toy Cleaning Basics
Before washing any adult sex toy, be sure to remove the batteries first. Sex toys should ideally be stored without batteries in them, which helps extend the life of both, the batteries and your adult toys.
If the electric contacts inside your adult toy are a little corroded, the corrosion can be removed with a cotton swab and some baking soda. Then you can apply a very light film of petroleum jelly to prevent further corrosion.
If you are unable to clean your sex toys immediately after use, baby wipes can be used to give them a quick and preliminary clean up until you are able to do the job right.
Be sure to clean your sex toys thoroughly before you use them again, and always check your adult toys for cracks or splits before every use.
The following cleaning instructions for specific sex toy materials will result in optimal results. Remember, unless your vibrator says “waterproof”, do NOT immerse it in water.
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Cleaning Plastic Sex Toys
Plastic toys are generally smooth and fairly non-porous, thus are easy to keep clean. A simple soap and water wash, using an anti-bacterial hand soap, or an intended purpose sex toy cleaner, will keep your plastic adult toys clean and safe for sex play.
Plastic sex toys may also be cleaned with rubbing alcohol which helps sterilize the sex toy as an added health precaution (always rinse thoroughly afterward).
Plastic adult sex toys that are used anally or shared between partners can be used with a condom for ease of clean-up.
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Cleaning Jelly Sex Toys
Jelly sex toys need to be treated rather differently than do plastic sex toys. These sex toy products are extremely porous, and must be washed thoroughly with warm water and anti-bacterial hand soap, and then rinsed very well so that no trace of soap is left. Soap and detergent residue can degrade the jelly material and cause irritation to you.
Because jelly sex toys tend to be more porous, they can react negatively to some personal sex lubes and cleaners.
We recommend that jelly sex toys preferably be cleaned with a sex toy cleaner. Due to the porosity of jelly sex toys, any sex toys that are used anally or shared should be used with a condom to ensure effective clean up.
Again, while it's a good idea to use a condom with any insertable toys, it's an especially good idea with these materials.
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Cleaning Latex Sex Toys
Cleaning latex adult toys should be done with either soap and water or toy cleaner. Latex is quite porous so any toys used for anal play or sharing should be condom covered to reduce the risk of bacterial infection.
These sex toy products are extremely porous, and must be washed thoroughly with warm water and anti-bacterial hand soap, and then rinsed very well so that no trace of soap is left. Soap and detergent residue can degrade the jelly material and cause irritation to you.
Some people are allergic to latex and should opt for silicone or jelly toys instead.
Again, while it's a good idea to use a condom with any insertable toys, it's an especially good idea with these materials.
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Cleaning Silicone Sex Toys
Silicone sex toys can be cleaned with soap and water, toy cleaner, boiled, or even put in the dishwasher (so long as the adult toy doesn't have internal mechanisms which may be affected by the heat and water).
Silicone sex toys are fairly non-porous but for the sake of your health, using a condom when sharing toys is still recommended, especially when anal insertion is intended. Take care to not nick the surface of silicone toys as any little cut can turn into a bigger one quite easily.
Hypoallergenic and the easiest to maintain of most sex toy materials, silicone dildos and non-battery-operated toys can be boiled for two to three minutes, or simply washed with soap and water. Let the freshly washed adult toy air dry completely or hand dry with a lint-free cloth before storing.
Cleaning Cyberskin and other Realistic Sex Toys
Cyberskin sex toys are best cleaned with products designed specifically for Cyberskin adult toys. These products can help you get the most value out of your Cyberskin sex toys as they will actually help them last longer.
Realistic names of different sex toy and adult product materials include:
CyberskinTM
FuturoticTM
NeoSkin®
Soft TouchTM
UltraSkin
FauxskinTM
If you're unsure of the type of material, check the packaging or product page, or contact Customer Service at the place of purchase. These types of material are widely used for erection rings and masturbation sleeves, as well as vibrators and dildos.
Thoroughly wash with warm (never hot) water and a liquid antibacterial soap, then let air dry completely. Once dry, sprinkle with the included "renewing" powder or cornstarch. Never use talcum powder or baby powder, as these can cause irritation and sometimes larger problems for women (pure talc is fine but very difficult to find).
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Pocket Pussy and Masturbation Sleeves
Wash your masturbation sleeves and pocket pussies in warm soapy water. Be careful not to nick or cut the surface.
Use only water-based lubricant. Never use silicone lubes, oils or lotions because they'll degrade the toy's surface. Make sure the sleeve is fully dry before putting it away. Store it in a plastic baggie or lint-free cloth in a dark, cool area.
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Cleaning Acrylic, Metal and Glass Sex Toys
Acrylic, metal and glass sex toys can be washed with soap and water, toy cleaner, or in the dishwasher. Because they are non-porous, they will not trap bacteria and can be safely shared between partners so long as they are thoroughly cleaned after each use.
Glass, acrylic and metal sex toys and adult products may be boiled or submerged in hot water for sterilization, so long as they're not battery-operated.
Never insert metal, glass and acrylic sex toys or adult products anally, unless the toy is specifically designed for that purpose. Glass especially gets super slippery and if not intended as an anal toy, could be difficult to retrieve and actually require a visit to the emergency room. Something few of us would like to experience.
As with all sex toys and adult products, inspect acrylic, metal and glass adult toys before each use for nicks or cracks, and discard the toy if you find any.
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Cleaning Leather and Wood Sex Toys
The most common of all adult toys made from leather or wood are paddles and flogger type sex toys used for BDSM play. Usually a wipe down with a damp mildly soapy cloth is adequate.
Wipe wooden paddles down with a damp cloth. Don't immerse in water or the wood will warp. Plastic paddles are water-resistant. Leather can be cleaned with leather cleaner or wiped with a damp soapy cloth. Nylon and neoprene restraints are waterproof and can be immersed if necessary.
