Are sex toys safe?

Yes, if you use them responsibly and keep them clean – otherwise, sex toys can pass on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and infections passed on through the blood (blood-borne infections).

 

Avoiding STIs

You can avoid STIs by:

 

keeping sex toys clean – wash them after each use

covering penetrative sex toys, such as vibrators, with a new condom each time they're used

not sharing sex toys

having a different set of sex toys for each partner

Sex toys may pass on infections such as:

 

chlamydia

syphilis

herpes

bacterial vaginosis

shigella

There is an increased risk of bacterial vaginosis in women who have sex with women who have a history of sharing sex toys, or whose partners have bacterial vaginosis.

 

Avoiding blood-borne infections

Do not share any sex toy that may draw blood from the skin, as this type of sex toy can pass on blood borne infections.

 

Take care when using penetrative sex toys, particularly if there are any cuts or sores around the vagina, anus or penis and blood is present, as there's an increased risk of passing on infections such as:

 

hepatitis B

hepatitis C

HIV and AIDS

Cleaning sex toys

How you clean a sex toy and whether it can be cleaned properly depends on:

 

what the sex toy is made of

if the sex toy uses batteries and has parts that cannot be washed

Sex toys should come with advice about how to clean and store them. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.

 

For reusable sex toys, make sure you wash them thoroughly after each use.

 

You should also wash them between using them on different parts of the body, such as the mouth, vagina and anus.

 

Check sex toys regularly for any scratches or breaks in the surface material where germs could be present and spread, as this can increase the risk of infection.

 

Using a silicone-based lubricant on a silicone sex toy can:

 

make the sex toy harder to clean

damage the sex toy and make it more likely to break

increase chances of passing on an infection

If you're allergic to latex, do not use sex toys that are made of, or contain, latex.