There are so many great things about sex toys, but one of the best is that you can use them in whichever way brings your body and mind the most pleasure (as long as it's safe of course!). With your unique body and kinks, you have the options to pick the right toy to use for you, and how to use it. Although… There are still some limitations to that freedom.
This article covers the ground rules - the “dos and don’ts” if you will - that so many people unfortunately ignore as toy users and owners. By avoiding these common mistakes, you will be implementing the precautions to ensure you get the most pleasure out of your toys.
1. You don’t use lube. And if you do, it’s not the right kind
Just as lube is important when having sex with your partner, it is a vital part of getting it on with your toy. It can even be more important! When using toys for masturbation, we often don’t take the time to engage in some steamy foreplay. This means that natural-lubricant - the life of the party when it comes to sex - isn’t there to smoothen your date with your sex toy. You are then at the mercy of discomfort and irritation, and tearing is an unfortunate reality.
It’s not that simple though. Even if you use lube with your toys, you might still be committing a grave crime: not using the right kind of lube. For silicone toys - which are the most common toy material - you can only use water and oil-based lubes. Silicone-made toys are NOT compatible with silicone-based lube! This is because the silicone lube will deteriorate (eat-away in a non-hot kind of way) at the silicone toy’s surface - completely ruining it. The only way to use silicone-based lube (for its long-lasting qualities) with a silicone toy is to use a condom over the toy.
2. You don’t wash your toy properly
There are 2 really important goals with sex toys: 1. Using them safely, and 2. Making sure they last a good while so you can boink yourself for a long time. Dirty and damaged toys can cause health complications - there are just too many potential infections to list.
The first thing to do when getting your new toy is checking its instructions for a cleaning guide. If your toy didn’t come with one, check its website and I can almost guarantee that it features cleaning information. However, while looking at the toy manufacturer’s cleaning manual is best practice, you don’t need to do anything fancy to clean most toys… Use any mild soap and make sure to rinse well with warm water, and dry thoroughly. The real important part is to WASH IT FREQUENTLY - before and after each use. I understand that cleaning your toy right after using it isn’t the most fun thing to do, so at least make sure you clean it before usage. If you’re absolutely too lazy to clean your toy, the last resort is to put a condom on it - just make sure it isn’t lubricated with silicone-based lube because that’ll mess up your toy.
3. You go for the most popular toy without shopping around
It’s no surprise that most people end up buying stuff that their friends or favorite influencers recommend. However, you’ll soon find out that your tastes might vary significantly from others'. Go figure! You have different bodies and minds… There’s a good chance that the sex toy you’re recommended isn’t the right shape, size, or firmness for you, it might not even be the right toy type! From butt-plugs to vibrators and everything in between, there are a lot of choices to be made.
All of this doesn’t mean you can’t trust advice on which toy to get. There’s a solid chance that, if a toy is gaining in popularity, there’s a good reason for it. My recommendation is to keep all these juicy toy recommendations in mind, but to still research/shop around to explore your preferences. For example, if you’re someone who enjoys intense clitoral stimulation, don’t get yourself a traditional dildo that’s meant for deep penetration, get a magic wand or a bullet vibe. If you don’t really know what you like yet, it’s a good idea to carry out experiments in the bedroom before taking out your credit card.
If you really know what you like or if you're looking for a toy that you just can't find, I recommend checking out custom sex toys! After all, that’s our specialty here at Freely. To learn more about them, check out our blog post “Why Custom Sex Toys” or go straight to the Freely Builder to design and purchase your own fully custom unique toy from our site.
4. You don’t store your toys correctly
Long story short, not storing your sex toys correctly can damage them, which will in turn damage both your body and your bank account. Make sure your toys are completely clean and dry before storing them. You can simply put them in a plastic or cloth bag - anything that will avoid your toys getting contaminated by touching other stuff. To learn more about storage tips and tricks, checkout our “How to Store your Sex Toys” article.
5. You share toys without taking the proper precautions
This may come as a surprise, but sharing unprotected toys with a partner during sex is essentially the same as having unprotected sex, especially if the toy is used for penetration. When sharing unprotected toys, you are sharing bodily fluids, which are the drivers of sexually transmitted infections. Another thing to consider is using the same toy for different holes. Don’t do that without having first cleaned your toy properly. The healthy bacteria for one part of your body, isn’t so healthy when it lands in other parts. The right precautions if you’re gonna use the same toy in different holes, or people, is to use a condom over it or wash it thoroughly between "locations". If you decide to go the condom route, replace it for a new one once you’re ready to switch to your partner, or a different part of yourself. But, you know… You could also buy new toys so you don’t have to share ;).
References
https://www.self.com/story/sex-toy-mistakes
https://www.bustle.com/articles/120565-6-sex-toy-mistakes-youre-making
https://www.purewow.com/wellness/sex-toy-mistakes
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/a4962208/sex-toy-vibrator-shopping-mistakes/