gear care
Good gear lasts years if you look after it, and clean gear keeps infections out of your play. The right care depends almost entirely on what something is made of, so start by finding out what your toys and gear are.
General information; always follow the maker's care instructions first. See our legal policies.
toys by material
The big difference is porous versus non-porous. Non-porous materials can be fully cleaned, and some can be sterilised. Porous materials have tiny holes that hold on to bacteria however well you wash them, so they should stay with one person, and they work best with a condom over them.
| Material | Porous? | How to clean |
|---|---|---|
| Silicone (100%, body-safe) | No | Warm water and mild unscented soap. Toys without a motor can be boiled for a few minutes. Use water-based lube, as silicone lube can damage some silicone toys. |
| Glass | No | Soap and water. Boiling is fine for most, but warm it gradually and check for chips before every use. |
| Stainless steel | No | Soap and water, then boil to disinfect, or autoclave for true sterility. It's the best choice for anything that should be sterile, like sounds. |
| Hard plastic (ABS) | No | Soap and water, or a toy cleaner. Don't boil it. |
| Sealed wood or stone | No, while the seal holds | Soap and water, then dry straight away. Don't soak it, and retire it if the finish cracks. |
| TPE, TPR, "jelly", PVC, realistic skin | Yes | Warm water and mild soap, then air-dry. These can't be sterilised, so don't share them, use a condom on them, and replace them if they get sticky, cloudy or smelly. |
- Toys with motors: wipe them down rather than soaking them, unless they're marked waterproof. Take the batteries out first.
- Clean right after use, before anything dries on, and again before the next use if they've been stored a while.
- Anything that goes inside the urethra (sounds, plugs) must be sterile, or as close as you can get (autoclaved, or boiled straight before use), every time, with sterile single-use lube.
- Keep anal toys anal. Don't move a toy from ass to mouth or to anyone else without cleaning it or changing the condom.
- Electro gear: clean the pads and probes as the maker says, and never get the power unit wet.
leather
after wearing
Brush off dust and wipe with a barely damp cloth. Let sweat dry out naturally at room temperature, never near a heater or in the sun.
cleaning
Use saddle soap or a leather cleaner a few times a year, or after heavy use. Test it on a hidden spot first, and don't soak the leather.
conditioning
Condition after cleaning so the leather stays supple and doesn't crack. Let the conditioner soak in, then buff off the excess.
if it gets soaked
Blot it, stuff boots and gloves with paper, and dry it slowly at room temperature. Condition it once it's dry.
- Leather can't be fully disinfected. Floggers, cuffs and straps that have touched blood or other body fluids should stay with one person.
- Boots: clean and polish them regularly, and use shoe trees. Boot blacking is both a skill and a scene of its own.
- Impact toys: check falls and handles for cracks and loose stitching before each scene.
latex & rubber
Keep oil away from latex.
Oils, petroleum jelly, most body lotions and oil-based lube break latex down fast. Use silicone-based dressing aids and shiners made for latex.
- Getting dressed: use a dressing aid (silicone lube or a latex dressing spray), take off rings and watches, and keep nails short. Pull from flat palms, not fingertips.
- After wearing: rinse it inside and out in lukewarm water with a little mild soap, rinse again, and hang it to dry inside out, then outside out. Don't wring it.
- Shine: use a latex shiner when you wear it, not when you store it.
- Avoid sunlight, heat, chlorine, and contact with copper or brass, which leave permanent stains.
- Heavy rubber takes the same care. Neoprene and sportswear rubber can be hand-washed cool with mild soap and hung to dry.
- PVC and vinyl: wipe them with a damp cloth, keep them away from heat, and don't fold them sharply.
rope & restraints
- Nylon and polyester (MFP) rope can be machine-washed in a mesh bag and air-dried.
- Cotton rope washes well too. Expect it to shrink and soften.
- Jute and hemp shouldn't be washed often. Spot-clean them, or hand-wash and dry them under light tension, then re-condition. Many riggers keep fluid-soaked natural rope for that one person, or retire it.
- Check rope before every scene for fraying, stiff spots and thinning. Retire anything you'd hesitate to trust with someone's weight.
- Metal cuffs, chains and locks: clean them, dry them fully, and put a drop of oil in the locks now and then. Keep the keys with the kit.
storage
- Store everything clean and completely dry
- Keep it cool, dark and away from sunlight
- Hang leather on wide hangers, in a breathable bag
- Store latex separately, dusted or wrapped
- Keep latex colours apart, as they can bleed
- Keep silicone toys apart from other materials
- Use a separate pouch or box for each toy
- Keep keys, shears and spares with the gear
