Play It Safe: 7 Ways on How To Know If Your Sex Toy Is Safe

Up until this day, some people still aren’t sure on how to know if your sex toy is safe. And if that’s the case for you, it’s a set-up for disaster for your health. Well, let’s change that today!

In this article, we’ll share our top 7 tips on basic sex toy safety. Alongside this, we shared valuable insights behind the importance of such safety.

Ways to Know If Your Sex Toy Is Safe

Ensure that you’re following each of these helpful tips to keep your sex life with toys in check!

1 Check the material.

It’s important that your sex toy is made with the right materials. After all, you are inserting and/or letting the toy interact with your body! Specifically, look into sex toys made of non-porous materials or materials that don’t hold on to bacteria. Or in other words, they prevent contamination and infection within your body. Minnalife cites borosilicate glass, stainless steel, and medical-grade silicone as examples of non-porous materials.

Moreover, on this point, it’s also important to avoid materials that hold phthalates. Everyday Health shares how these chemicals “may disrupt human hormones”, hence being banned in certain plastic products by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Materials under this category resemble jelly because phthalates soften their products, giving that squishy texture. Dust and other particles can cling to it no matter how often you clean it.

Additionally, the sex toy you use must also be waterproof! That way, it makes your sexcapades much more versatile.

2 Inspect its structure.

Certain sex toys have particular appearances that prioritize your safety while bringing you to the brink of pleasure. For example, anal toys can either have a sleek or plump tip with a flared base. The latter is extra important as it ensures effortless insertion and removal in your backdoor area. Without it, there’s more risk of remaining stuck during playtime. And no one wants that!

So when it states that a certain sex toy is for certain erogenous zones, stick with that to keep you away from danger.

3 It’s from a well-esteemed shop.

Are you aware of where you’re potentially buying your sex toys? If not, this is the time to do your research. Read up on how long they’ve been in the business, inspect their product list, and read their reviews. An ideal adult toys manufacturer or company would have full transparency on their products from their specific descriptions and hygiene. That’s also because they genuinely want you to have a satisfied experience with their toys (and possibly come back). From here, it develops trust, reliance, and a more sex-positive mindset.

But also be mindful of how easy it can be to blindly follow marketing tricks such as “[bad chemical]-free”, “safe to use”, and more. And although it can be true for some, there’s that other uncertain side that debunks that. So, be sure to do fruitful research when you’re on the hunt for safe sex toys! Buying from a public shopping domain with zero safety guarantee may put you at risk even more.

4 They have good reviews.

We mentioned this in the previous point, but let’s expound on this a little bit more! Reviews are a way to connect with the community out there, to better understand how the toy works in action. The product description is almost like the theory, and the review is the application.

Thus, don’t get lazy on reading all sorts of reviews for your desired toys. See their pros and cons, browse through photos, and even pick up extra helpful toy advice that the product description didn’t state.

5 You have strict rules on them when sharing with your partner.

They say sharing is caring. But so does following proper hygiene, most especially with sex toys. It’s important that before they can use your toys, you must know their status in regards to STDs. Another way to keep sharing safe is using condoms to protect the tip.

Yes, even sex toys need barrier protection if you want for STD prevention. Then, when that condom is done, discard it properly and use another one if you’re using it.

But in another take, it’s also okay not to share sex toys at all. Safety first before anything else! It’s all about preference.

6 You clean them regularly.

Just a few minutes to spare for sex toy cleaning before and after using shouldn’t be too much to ask, right? It’s either that or you become more prone to getting infected in your private parts and even your hormones! Most sex toys require soap and water to scrub them and wash them clean. Check the toy’s instructions to be sure, but you can also use a sex toy cleaner. Afterwards, make sure to pat them dry to avoid it getting any mold or bacteria.

7 You store them safely and properly.

Right after cleaning and drying them, storing them in the right place will secure their safety and hygiene. First, you can keep it in a satin pouch. Second, store the pouch in a dry, discreet place that no one else can see. Your privacy, your responsibility.

Importance of Sex Toy Safety

Read here on why practicing sex toy safety is crucial for your sexual health and satisfaction.

1 Sex is an intimate act that should be taken seriously.

No matter what part of the world you’re from, there’s still stigma and taboo with talking about sex. Whether it be due to religion or traditions, we don’t really get to discuss the health side of it. That it shouldn’t be shunned down right away when it can really impact your life in the long run. Sexual health is still part of your health, people!

With that, sexual health should be prioritized and recognized more. With proper education on how our bodies work and how sex toys should be used, we can prevent more sexual-related infections and illnesses from occurring. And on top of this, we can have more open discussions and bring more awareness about this natural part of life. From there, we can remove the generations-long guilt and shame surrounding it.

2 It teaches us to make smarter decisions.

By knowing how sex toys work and educating ourselves more on our sexual health, we’re more likely to make better decisions in terms of our sex lives. Knowledge is power, and we’d have a better grasp of what’s best for our health and satisfaction.

Let 2024 be the year for more sexual intelligence, especially how to know if our sex toy is safe!

3 It prevents health risks and infection.

As mentioned earlier, improper use of sex toys can make your body more prone to sexual health problems. From STDs and the like, it’s important to follow the toy’s instructions from usage to cleanliness and store them (preferably in a pouch first) in a clean, dry, and private place.

Takeaway

Acquiring knowledge on how to know if your sex toy is safe extends your life longevity and your sex toys as well. At the same time, it gives you a heads-up on certain sex toys that aren’t good for you material-wise, filtering them out to lead you to better ones. As we further push for more sexual awareness, learning the basics of sex toy safety is a milestone in itself for better and safer sex practices.