PI-24 / Guide
Cleaning and storage
More toys are damaged in storage than in use, and most cleaning advice is a single instruction repeated for materials that behave entirely differently. Both problems are straightforward to fix.
Two questions decide the method: what is the object made of, and does it contain a motor or a battery. Answer those and everything else follows. Everything below assumes the material identification in body safe materials.
The everyday wash
Warm water and a mild, unscented soap, worked over the whole surface with attention to seams, ridges and the base of any control button. Rinse thoroughly, because soap residue left on a surface that will touch mucous membrane is a common cause of irritation. Then dry completely.
That is sufficient for silicone, ABS, glass and steel. Antibacterial sprays and alcohol wipes are not necessary on non porous surfaces, and some alcohol based products dry or dull silicone over repeated use. Dedicated toy cleaners are convenient rather than superior, and the ones worth using are unscented and alcohol free. Ranges that state whether a cleaner is alcohol free and fragrance free, such as the cleaners at inWonderstate, save reading a label with a magnifying glass.
Wash before first use, after every use, and again before use if the item has been stored for a long time.
When boiling is appropriate
Solid silicone, borosilicate glass and stainless steel with no motor, no battery, no seam and no coating can be boiled for a few minutes. This is worth doing occasionally, and after anal use, and before sharing.
Nothing with a motor, a battery, a charging port, a light, a seam or a glued join goes anywhere near boiling water. Heat destroys seals, warps housings and drives water into electronics. The same applies to dishwashers, which combine heat with harsh detergent and are unsuitable for anything in this category.
A 10 percent bleach solution is sometimes recommended for solid non porous items. It works, and it demands very thorough rinsing afterwards. For domestic use, soap and hot water are sufficient and considerably safer.
Motorised items
Check the waterproof rating and take it literally. Fully waterproof or submersible means the item can be held under running water and washed properly. Splashproof or water resistant means it can be wiped and rinsed carefully with the charging contacts kept dry. Not waterproof, which includes most mains powered wands, means a damp cloth and nothing more.
Rechargeable devices with magnetic contacts are easier to clean than those with an open port, since the port is the point where water enters and where fluid collects.
Drying, which is where it usually goes wrong
Damp storage is the single most common failure. Silicone that goes into a drawer still wet, or into a sealed pouch before it has dried, provides exactly the conditions for growth in any seam or textured area.
Pat dry with a clean lint free cloth, then leave the item in open air for a while before putting it away. Air drying is more important for anything with ridges, a suction chamber or a removable head, where water collects in places a cloth cannot reach. Suction devices need particular attention, since the chamber is enclosed by design.
Storage
- Separate. Silicone items stored in contact with each other, or with soft plastics, can react at the contact point and end up bonded, discoloured or permanently tacky. Individual cotton bags or separate boxes solve this completely.
- Breathable, not sealed. A cotton bag lets residual moisture escape. A sealed plastic box traps it.
- Cool and dark. Heat softens silicone permanently and degrades TPE quickly. Direct sunlight damages both. A car in summer will ruin a soft toy in an afternoon.
- Batteries out. Anything taking replaceable cells should be stored empty, since cells left in place leak and corrode contacts.
- Charge occasionally. Lithium cells degrade if stored fully flat for long periods. A partial charge every few months is enough.
- Glass separately. Borosilicate is tough but not indestructible, and a chipped item must be discarded rather than smoothed.
When to replace something
Any change in the material itself means the object has reached the end of its life. Stickiness that returns after washing, discolouration, a persistent smell, a soft spot, a crack, a chip, a split seam or a loose head are all reasons to stop using an item rather than to clean it harder. Porous toys should be replaced periodically regardless of how they look, because their condition is not visible from outside.
For travel, the packing and hygiene version of all this is condensed into the travel checklist, and the wider context sits in the care region.