How to Clean and Care for Your Fetish Toys (and Why the Dishwasher Is a Bad Idea)

Short answer: the universal rule is mild soap and lukewarm water after every use, complete drying and storing pieces separately. Medical silicone and surgical steel can be boiled; leather never touches water — only dedicated products. The dishwasher is acceptable only for silicone and steel without electronics, and never with aggressive detergent.

A well-cared-for toy lasts years and, more importantly, keeps you away from your GP's waiting room. A badly cared-for toy is a bacterial colony shaped like a plug. Let's go material by material, because each has its own chemistry and temperament.

Why this isn't optional

Rectal mucous membranes absorb faster than skin and have fewer defences. Any residue of matter, lube or bodily fluid left on a toy is a buffet for bacteria and a real risk of infections and irritations — plus those medical appointments nobody wants to explain. Cleaning properly after every session isn't obsession: it's the boring part of play that lets you keep playing.

Medical silicone: the queen of easy

Platinum-cure silicone is genuinely non-porous, which makes it the most hygienic option of all:

• Daily routine: mild soap, lukewarm water, complete drying with a clean cloth or air.
• Deep disinfection: boil for 3-5 minutes, or dishwasher on an intensive cycle without aggressive detergent (only if it has no motor, battery or parts made of another material).
• Bonus: it's safe to share between stable partners after proper disinfection — something we don't recommend for any other household material.

316L surgical steel: indestructible and demanding

Surgical steel takes everything: boiling, dishwasher, isopropyl alcohol. It's the favourite material for stretchers and sounds precisely for that. Two nuances:

• Pieces with threads or seams need gentle brushing in the grooves.
• Always dry it thoroughly: steel doesn't rust easily, but seams and crevices trap moisture.

Leather: the one that asks for the most delicacy

Leather is tanned skin, and skin isn't washed with water like a dinner plate. Submerging a harness, flogger or leather cuffs deforms them, cracks them and ruins their flexibility forever:

• Cleaning: a cloth dampened with water and very diluted mild soap, rubbing gently. Never soak.
• Drying: always in the shade, in the open air. Direct sun dries leather out.
• Maintenance: leather balm or dressing (motorcycle saddle grease works) every 3-6 months depending on use. Dry leather creaks and breaks; nourished leather lasts decades.
• Airing: after an intense session, let it breathe for 24h before storing.

Glass, TPR and other materials

• Borosilicate glass: like silicone: soap and water, boilable, hypoallergenic. Inspect it before every use: any scratch or chip and it's binned.
• TPR/TPE (the soft "jelly" ones): porous by nature. Wash them well with soap, dry them a lot, and accept they have an expiry date: 12-24 months depending on use. For anal toys, we recommend avoiding them.
• Hard ABS plastic: soap and water; don't boil it, it warps.

How to store them (where half the battle is won)

Storing toys badly ruins them without use:

• Each piece in its bag: silicone reacts chemically with other silicones and some plastics. Plugs rattling loose in a drawer end up fused together, literally.
• Dry, always: putting away a damp toy is gifting it mould.
• Away from sun and heat: radiators and windows dry out and deform.
• Leather hung or flat: folded in the cold it develops cracks.

The dishwasher, clarified

Okay, we admit the clickbait title: the dishwasher isn't an absolutely bad idea — it's a bad idea in moderation. Intensive cycle, no perfumed detergent or rinse aid, only medical silicone or steel without electronics. And even then, hand-washing with mild soap does the same job with less risk of chemical residue. Use it as the exception, not the system.

When is it time to retire a toy?

• When silicone stays sticky or "sweaty" even when clean (degraded material).
• When leather has deep cracks or mould that keeps coming back.
• When steel has burrs, sharp edges or rust on threads.
• When any toy smells odd after washing. Your nose knows.

In summary

Mild soap, water, drying and separate storage: 95% of toy care. Boil silicone and steel, use dedicated products on leather, and common sense for the rest. A few minutes after each session is the difference between a collection that lasts for years and a box of microbiological surprises.

At Atroxic you'll also find the intimate hygiene category and specific cleaning products to keep your whole arsenal spotless.

[Shop intimate hygiene and cleaners →]