Key points
- Bring your own toys, cleaned before you arrive
- Use a fresh condom or glove for every person and every body area
- Porous toys are never shared
- Wipe furniture down before and after you use it
- Bag used toys separately until you can clean them at home
In detail
- Non-porous materials (silicone, glass, stainless steel, hard plastic): wash with mild soap and warm water, then use a toy cleaner or disinfectant suited to the material. Silicone without a motor, glass and steel can also be boiled
- Porous materials (TPE, jelly rubber, PVC, unsealed wood, leather, rope, fabric): they hold bacteria and viruses in tiny pores. Use them with one person only or always with a barrier, and never for blood play
- Barriers: condoms on insertable toys, gloves for hands, dental dams for oral contact. Change them between partners and between anal, vaginal and oral use
- Impact toys: a paddle or flogger that has touched broken skin or bodily fluids stays with that person until it has been properly cleaned, and for good if it is porous
- Furniture: use the venue's disinfectant for the contact time on the label, put a towel down and wipe again when you leave
- Hands: wash or sanitize between partners, even if you wore gloves
- Ask before you use anyone else's equipment, and follow the house rules on sharing
Warnings
- Wiping is not cleaning: visible residue shields germs from the disinfectant
- A condom over a porous toy reduces the risk but does not remove it if the condom tears
- Toy cleaners and disinfectants can damage some materials; check the manufacturer's advice
Resources and next steps
- Single-use gloves, condoms and dental dams
- A toy cleaner suited to your materials
- Separate bags for clean and used toys
- The toy cleaning and STI prevention guides on this site