sex-toys, cleaningWhat process should be used to reliably clean any utensils or toys that come in contact with bodily fluids?
It depends on what they are made of. Many sex toys come with cleaning instructions on the package, and obviously, it makes sense to follow such instructions if you still have the package. If you don't have instructions, here are some basic guidelines, adapted from an FAQ from Brown University's Health Center:
Glass: Warm soapy water. If the toy is Pyrex, you can just toss it in the dishwasher. Non-Pyrex glass should not be exposed to high temperatures.
Stainless Steel: If a stainless steel toy is electrical, either unplug it or remove the batteries, then wash with warm soapy water. If the stainless steel toy is not electrical, you can either soak in in a mixture of water and bleach (10% to 20% bleach, the rest water) for 10 to 20 minutes, boil it, or just toss it in the dishwasher.
Hard Plastic: Wash with warm soapy water. You can use antibacterial soap if you want.
Silicone: Either boil it for 10 minutes, wash it in warm soapy water (antibacterial soap works well), or toss it in the dishwasher. If the toy is a vibrator, don't boil it, or it will never vibrate again.
Rubber materials: There are all kinds of problems with rubber toys. For starters, rubber is ridiculously porous, which makes it very hard to clean thoroughly. For another thing, we are starting to learn about all sorts of harmful chemicals that can be leeched out of rubber. It is difficult, if not impossible, to determine whether a particular rubber toy contains such chemicals. As a result of all of these issues, the best course of action is to always use condoms on your rubber toys. This removes the need to wash the toy thoroughly.
Cyberskin/Vinyl: Again, these materials are difficult to clean properly because they are so porous. Use warm water, no soap. Leave them out to dry. If they become sticky, which is likely to happen, you can apply a dusting of corn starch or powdered sex toy lubricant (but corn starch is waaaaaay cheaper).
Nylon: Throw it in the washing machine, or hand wash with warm soapy water (antibacterial soap is a good idea).
Leather: Hard to clean without causing damage. You can use warm soapy water, or you can use leather cleaner. If you want/need to, you can apply leather conditioner afterwards. If there are metal parts, coat them with clear nail polish before cleaning the toy.
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