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What is the difference between buying a silicone or plastic toy? What about glass? Along with size, shape and color fabulosity, there's maintenance and material to be considered too. There is a lot to think about concerning materials inside a toy that's going inside you. Federal laws are more lackluster than you'd think, leaving toy makers completely free to add harmful chemicals to a product in order to save money. Until product testing and stricter regulations are in place, it's up to us to be toy detectives and decipher how much care we devote to our toys
Toys that are made from PVC, rubbers, rubber/latex, CyberSkyn, UltraSkyn, (any Skyn products), UR3, jellies, TPE, and TPR (thermoplastic elastomer/rubber) are known as porous. Think of pores on your toy similarly to the pores on your face. The more you wash your face, the cleaner it is. Leave the pores on your face dirty and clogged, pretty soon no one will want to touch your face. Pores in a toy collect all bacteria, including STI's and HIV and hold it tight. Cleaning care consists of consistently using antibacterial soap, or soaking your toys in a 10% bleach and water solution. Porous toys will never be fully sanitized, so these toys are not ideal if you are using the same device with multiple partners. A polyurethane condom will help to be a barrier between bacteria/STI's if sharing is unavoidable, but nothing is foolproof when it comes to porous toys. It is also important to understand how some plastics and rubbers interact with each other. All porous toys leak oils over time and melt into each other. Storing them together is a science experiment best kept out of your naughty drawer.
Toys that are made from PVC, rubbers, rubber/latex, CyberSkyn, UltraSkyn, (any Skyn products), UR3, jellies, TPE, and TPR (thermoplastic elastomer/rubber) are known as porous. Think of pores on your toy similarly to the pores on your face. The more you wash your face, the cleaner it is. Leave the pores on your face dirty and clogged, pretty soon no one will want to touch your face. Pores in a toy collect all bacteria, including STI's and HIV and hold it tight. Cleaning care consists of consistently using antibacterial soap, or soaking your toys in a 10% bleach and water solution. Porous toys will never be fully sanitized, so these toys are not ideal if you are using the same device with multiple partners. A polyurethane condom will help to be a barrier between bacteria/STI's if sharing is unavoidable, but nothing is foolproof when it comes to porous toys. It is also important to understand how some plastics and rubbers interact with each other. All porous toys leak oils over time and melt into each other. Storing them together is a science experiment best kept out of your naughty drawer.
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Check out this nasty example from The Coalition Against Toxic Toys. What exactly is happening here, and what does it mean for your body? The toys in the jar were typical jelly toys. Manufacturers use many conditioners (including mineral oil and phlatates) to give toys their flexible jelly properties. These toys are porous as well as chemically unstable, meaning they can interact with other materials (such as lubes or other toys) and that they will naturally change over time. An ideal toy is chemically inert, meaning it will maintain its body safe non-porous properties for the life of the toy. When cleaned and stored properly out of direct sunlight, a good toy can last for several years.
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Nonporous toys are appealing to those who are sensitive to latex, and those who wish for less cleaning maintenance. ABS plastic, glass, ceramic, stainless steel, aluminum, sealed stone or wood, or 100% silicone are all nonporous. Cleaning care for these toys consists of antibacterial soap, sex toy cleaners, or boiling for a few minutes. If using soap, make sure to use an unscented variety as scented types can cause irritation. Some silicone toy manufacturers even suggest using the sanitize cycle on your dishwasher! If your toy vibrates, be sure to never boil it or clean it in the dishwasher, though! Also be aware that some toys, especially glass or stainless steel, are coated with a hypoallergenic glaze that could chip off if you decide to be vigorous with your cleaning.
Any toy labeled as 100% silicone or medical grade silicone will be ideal for someone using the same toy with multiple partners. Silicone is a flexible molecule, so storing silicone toys together or using a lubricant with silicone in it will cause the molecules to interact, resulting in negative effects such as melting or material breakdown. Our advice is to always use a water-based lubricant with all toys. You may not see an effect immediately, but over time you may be compromising the quality of your toys by using silicone on them. Some sneaky toy makers try to appeal to smart shoppers by labeling their products as 'SEBS Silicone', Silica, or other pseudonyms. These toys are the equivalent to a fake designer handbag. Close, but a total ripoff. Silicone is an expensive material to manufacture, so be prepared to make an investment.
Toy companies need to use cheaper chemicals to imitate a quality product for a cost effective price. Before you settle on any toy look for a label indicating if it's free of phlatates: (Ffff-uhhh-al-ates). Phthalic acid (in phlatates) have been linked to disruption of the reproductive system, lowered sperm count, and malformation. Toxic phlatates are introduced to many types of plastics to make them more flexible. Many toy packaging advertises 'phlatate free' right on the front. If your toy isn't made with latex, it should have a similar 'latex free' mark on the packaging.
This is a lot to take in, and you might be feeling a little lost and hopeless right now. The good news is, we've already done the research for you! Our store is set up to make this easy to navigate. In the front of the store are the rechargeable toys, all of which have warranties. We also have a glass wall in the back room, a case with surgical steel toys, and another wall of just silicone toys. If you're not sure, just ask us.
Some companies can always be trusted as a source for safe, reliable toys. Toys manufactured in the European Union, for example, are regulated as medical devices which means they are required to be made with chemically inert, body safe materials. Here's the rundown on our favorite brands.
Any toy labeled as 100% silicone or medical grade silicone will be ideal for someone using the same toy with multiple partners. Silicone is a flexible molecule, so storing silicone toys together or using a lubricant with silicone in it will cause the molecules to interact, resulting in negative effects such as melting or material breakdown. Our advice is to always use a water-based lubricant with all toys. You may not see an effect immediately, but over time you may be compromising the quality of your toys by using silicone on them. Some sneaky toy makers try to appeal to smart shoppers by labeling their products as 'SEBS Silicone', Silica, or other pseudonyms. These toys are the equivalent to a fake designer handbag. Close, but a total ripoff. Silicone is an expensive material to manufacture, so be prepared to make an investment.
Toy companies need to use cheaper chemicals to imitate a quality product for a cost effective price. Before you settle on any toy look for a label indicating if it's free of phlatates: (Ffff-uhhh-al-ates). Phthalic acid (in phlatates) have been linked to disruption of the reproductive system, lowered sperm count, and malformation. Toxic phlatates are introduced to many types of plastics to make them more flexible. Many toy packaging advertises 'phlatate free' right on the front. If your toy isn't made with latex, it should have a similar 'latex free' mark on the packaging.
This is a lot to take in, and you might be feeling a little lost and hopeless right now. The good news is, we've already done the research for you! Our store is set up to make this easy to navigate. In the front of the store are the rechargeable toys, all of which have warranties. We also have a glass wall in the back room, a case with surgical steel toys, and another wall of just silicone toys. If you're not sure, just ask us.
Some companies can always be trusted as a source for safe, reliable toys. Toys manufactured in the European Union, for example, are regulated as medical devices which means they are required to be made with chemically inert, body safe materials. Here's the rundown on our favorite brands.