How to Clean Your Vibrator: Complete Care Guide

Let’s Get Real: You Need to Clean It. Here’s How.

If you use a vibrator, you need to clean it. Not “when you get around to it.” Not “I’ll just rinse it off and it’ll be fine.” Thoroughly, correctly, every single time. (New to sex toys? Start with our Complete Beginner’s Guide first, then come back here.)

I learned this the hard way. In my early days of testing toys, I got lazy with a TPE vibrator. Left it in a drawer for two weeks without cleaning. When I finally pulled it out, it had developed a sticky, almost-grainy texture that wouldn’t wash off — and a faint, sour smell I will never forget. That toy went straight into the trash.

The lesson cost me about sixty bucks and a non-trivial amount of dignity. So let me save you the same experience.

Why Cleaning Actually Matters

This isn’t about being fussy. Here’s what’s at stake:

Bacterial growth is fast. Your body’s fluids are nutrient-rich and warm — the perfect petri dish for bacteria. In the time between use and cleaning, microbes start multiplying.

Different body zones have different bacteria. If you use a toy anally and then vaginally without cleaning between (or without changing the condom), you can transfer E. coli and other anal bacteria to your vaginal area. That’s not a cautious hypothetical — it’s a well-documented cause of bacterial vaginosis and UTIs.

Porous materials trap organisms. If your toy is made of TPE, TPR, PVC, or jelly, it has microscopic pores that bacteria, yeast, and mold spores can burrow into — and that no amount of surface cleaning will fully reach. Over time, a TPE toy can become a reservoir of organisms that re-infect you with every use.

Material degrades faster without cleaning. Silicone, despite being non-porous, still breaks down faster when exposed to body fluids and heat without regular cleaning.

How to Clean: By Material Type

Silicone Toys (Our Favorite)

Medical-grade silicone is non-porous, which means bacteria can’t penetrate below the surface. (If you’re not sure what material your toy is made from, read our Materials Guide: Silicone vs TPE vs ABS.) Cleaning is straightforward — you have three options, from basic to thorough:

Standard cleaning (every time)

• Rinse the toy under warm water
• Apply a few drops of fragrance-free, dye-free soap (Dove Sensitive, Dr. Bronner’s unscented, or any pH-neutral cleanser)
• Lather thoroughly, paying special attention to ridges, seams, and crevices
• Rinse completely — residue soap left on the toy can cause irritation
• Dry with a clean microfiber cloth or paper towel (don’t use the bath towel hanging on your shower rod, it’s been breeding bacteria all week)

Deep cleaning (weekly, or between partners)

• Boil a pot of water
• Submerge the silicone portion of the toy (NOT the motor/battery compartment — if your toy isn’t fully submersible, skip boiling)
• Let it boil for 3–5 minutes
• Remove with tongs and let air-dry on a clean towel

Sanitizing (between partners, or if a toy’s been sitting unused for months)

• Mix a solution of 10% bleach, 90% water
• Soak the silicone portion for 5–10 minutes
• Rinse thoroughly — zero bleach residue allowed
• Wash once more with soap and water
• Air-dry

What NOT to do with silicone toys:

• Don’t scrub with abrasive pads or scouring sponges — you’ll create micro-scratches that bacteria can hide in
• Don’t use alcohol-based cleaners — they can degrade the silicone’s surface over time
• Don’t put a vibrating/rechargeable toy in boiling water unless the ENTIRE toy is rated fully submersible (IPX7 or higher)

ABS Plastic Toys

ABS is the hard, shiny plastic you’ll find in the handle or casing of many vibrators. It’s non-porous like silicone but can’t be boiled — high heat can warp it.

Cleaning method:

• Warm water + soap, same as silicone
• Pay attention to seam lines where the plastic pieces join — gunk builds there
• Wipe dry with a microfiber cloth
• For sanitizing: use the 10% bleach solution method above (same as silicone)

TPE / TPR Toys

TPE is soft, stretchy, and cheaper than silicone. That softness comes at a cost: it’s semi-porous. Here’s the hard truth — you can never fully sanitize TPE. The best you can do is surface cleaning:

• Warm water + soap, same method
• Dry completely — moisture in pores accelerates degradation
• Never boil (the material will melt or warp)
• Never use bleach (it will damage the surface)
• Store in a cool, dry place — heat makes TPE release plasticizer faster
• Consider using a condom on TPE toys to protect the surface

Important: TPE toys should be replaced every 1–2 years, regardless of how well you clean them. The material degrades over time, and once it starts feeling sticky or developing an odor that won’t wash out, it’s done.

Glass Toys

Borosilicate glass (Pyrex-type) is completely non-porous and can handle aggressive cleaning:

• Boil for 5–10 minutes
• Run through the dishwasher (top rack)
• Bleach solution soak (same as silicone)
• Soap and water works too, obviously

Jelly / PVC / Rubber Toys

Honestly? Don’t own these. They’re porous, often contain phthalates, degrade quickly, and can’t be properly sanitized. If you have one, replace it with silicone. Your body is worth more than the $15 you saved.

Cleaning Between Uses (Same Session)

If you’re switching from anal to vaginal during the same session:

• Put a fresh condom on the toy
• Remove the condom after anal use, wash with warm water and soap
• Put on another clean condom for vaginal use

Never go back-to-back between anal and vaginal without a thorough clean (or condom change). This is non-negotiable.

Cleaning Lubricants Off Your Toy

Different lubricants require different cleaning approaches:

Water-based lube: Washes off easily with warm water. Soap optional but recommended.

Silicone lubricant: Stubborn. It repels water, so rinsing alone won’t cut it. Use soap + warm water + friction (your hands, not a scrubber) to break down the silicone film. You may need to wash twice.

Oil-based lubricant: Also stubborn. Use dish soap (not body wash) — its degreasing agents are stronger. Rinse thoroughly.

Hybrid lubricants (water+silicone): Treat like silicone lube. Wash with soap and friction.

Pro tip: If you use silicone lube regularly, keep a small squeeze bottle of unscented dish soap near your bathroom sink. It’s faster and more effective than specialty toy cleaner for breaking down silicone residue.

How to Dry Your Toy (The Step Most People Skip)

Moisture = mold. Never put your toy away damp.

• First: Pat dry with a clean, dry microfiber cloth or paper towel
• Then: Let it air-dry on a clean towel for at least 30 minutes
• For toys with seams or flaps: open them up and let the crevices dry
• For rechargeable toys: double-check the charging port is completely dry before connecting a cable. Water in the port can cause corrosion.

Storage After Cleaning

Once your toy is completely dry:

• Store in a separate pouch, bag, or container for each toy
• Never store multiple silicone toys touching each other — silicone-on-silicone contact can cause chemical reactions that degrade both surfaces over time (especially with different grades of silicone)
• Keep in a cool, dark drawer or cabinet — UV light and heat accelerate material ageing
• If your toy came with a storage pouch, use it. If not, a clean cotton sock or a small organza bag works fine.
• For rechargeable toys: store with at least 30% charge. Full discharge damages lithium batteries long-term.

What About “Toy Cleaner”?

Toy cleaners are convenient — spray, wait, wipe. But here’s the reality:

Most sex toy cleaners are just gentle soap + water + a preservative, packaged in a spray bottle and sold at a 10× markup. They’re not bad products, but they’re not doing anything your soap and water can’t do.

If you use a cleaner, choose one that is:

• Alcohol-free
• pH balanced
• Fragrance-free (scented cleaners can cause irritation)

Our preference: plain unscented soap and warm water. It’s cheaper, always available, and scientifically just as effective — if not more — on non-porous surfaces.

The Bottom Line

Here’s a decision tree for “I just used my toy and now what”:

1. Rinse under warm water
2. If it’s silicone/ABS/glass → soap + water, dry, store
3. If it’s TPE → soap + water, COMPLETELY dry, store in cool place
4. If you’re switching between partners → sanitize (boil or bleach)
5. If it’s been sitting unused for months → sanitize before use
6. If it smells weird or feels tacky → throw it away and buy silicone next time

That’s it. Clean every time, dry completely, store separately. Your body will thank you — and your toys will last years longer.