How To:  Clean a Sex Toy

A Bit Rude recommends using a Toy Cleaner whenever possible.

Any Antibacterial Toy Cleaner on the market is ok, although some better than others. Toy Cleaners also assists in the preservation of your Toys Colour .   We suggest you use Toy Cleaner Wipes or Baby Wipes in conjunction with Toy Cleaner, this also iliminates any flint picked up from other cloths.

A Couple of good Cleaners we recommend  are Pjur Toy Cleaner and Pjur Wipes, also a new product called Splash Sex Toy Cleaner ( it contains pure alcohol, pure essential eucalyptus oil & purified water)  for more details see Splash under Lubricants

Splash Toy Cleaner combines Eucalyptus Essential Oil with a low range enzyme to amplify its effectiveness as an antibacterial cleaning agent and disinfectant.

1. Eucalyptus Essential oil is a natural antibacterial defence
2. Germs can become resistant against synthetic cleaners Resistance does not develop against naturally-occurring substances like eucalyptus oil
3. Eucalyptus Essential Oil on depletes BAD BACTERIA
4. Synthetic and bleach based antibacterial kill both bad and good bacteria.  Allowing Bad Bacteria to re-form and mutate into SUPER BUGS travelling easily between surfaces and onto humans
5. Eucalyptus and essential oils have been clinically tested at Weber State University  to kill 99.96% of airborne bacteria
6. Clinical trials show Eucalyptus Essential Oil has one of the highest  BIO-Frequencies of any Natural substance.  Its frequency of 150MHZ does not allow microbes, disease, bacteria, virus and fungus to live.

How To:  Choose a Sex Toy Material

YOUR CHOICES OF SEX TOY MATERIALS

We knew this would interest you, and quite rightly so. You can get all sorts of toys made from all kinds of materials nowadays. It's not just the functions of the toys you should be interested in, but whether your new sex toy is made of the right stuff for your orgasm. Everyone's different and everyone's looking for different sensations and functions from their sex toys, but not all of you take into account how much the different materials can enhance your orgasm. With that in mind, we've given you a breakdown of the most popular sex toy materials, what they're good for and how they will make you feel and come. We know that it's important to you to know what your toys are made of, so we try to make sure that every product description tells you what material's in them. 

Jelly 

The world's most popular sex toy material, jelly is used to make different versions of practically every sex toy on the planet. It has been used in sex toy manufacturing for decades and with good reason: it's cheap, it's colourful and it makes sex toys fun! Jelly sex toys also tend to be a lot warmer to touch than other materials. The only downside is that jelly toys are more porous than any other materials, which means they collect dirt easily, and they contain phthalates (phthalates are oil-like chemicals that make everything from vinyl to nail varnish more flexible), so it's a good idea to use a condom with your jelly toy, especially if you're sharing it with your lover. 

Latex and rubber

Rubber can be pretty firm, but it is cheap, versatile and highly resilient: unlike silicone it won’t shudder at the sight of your long nails. As befits such a tough customer, rubber sex toys tend to come in black or flesh colouring. A lot of dildos and butt plugs are made from latex.

Silicone

silicone warms up quickly and retains heat well, but it's much more flexible than Jelly and is non-porous, which means it is hypoallergenic and can be cleaned easily with hot water or with specially formulated sex toy cleaner. Silicone toys vary in density, making some feel supremely soft while others are more firm. Its non-porous surface makes it easy to clean and unlikely to cause allergic reactions. It doesn’t smell weird, it adapts brilliantly to your body’s contours and it transmits vibrations more effectively than any other material. Silicone sex toys are, on average, toward the more expensive end of the sex toy scale because the cost of silicone is so high. Most silicone sex toys are handmade, which on the plus side means your toy will be of superb quality. When it comes to using lubricant with silicone-based sex toys, do not use silicone lubes because they will melt the silicone. Use a water based lubricant or place a condom over your toy before applying the lube.

Plastic

Plastic sex toys usually have hard surfaces and are primarily smooth and sometimes fluted or textured, depending on the type of toy. As with metal toys, hard plastic transmits vibrations easily, leading to much more powerful sensations and orgasms. Plastic toys are easy to clean, odour-free and also phthalate-free.

Cyber skin

The most realistic dildo and vibrator material, Cyber skin feels just like a real penis and is soft, warm and smooth to touch. Cyber skin toys, also known as Real skin and Ultra Skin, are more expensive than most other materials, do not contain phthalates and are porous. With that in mind, always use a condom with your Cyber skin sex toy, especially if you're sharing it.

Metal

There aren't as many metal sex toys on the market as there are jelly toys, but if you're into seriously powerful toys, or if you're into S&M  metal is the perfect choice for your sex toy material. The hardness of metal makes it easy for vibrations to be transmitted, providing you with more intense sensations and more powerful orgasms. Metal is also one of the least porous materials, making it less likely to cause allergies or transfer germs.

Glass

Glass is used in only a limited number of sex toys, most commonly for dildos, but is becoming increasingly popular because it's easy to clean and stays massively slippery for a long time when used with a good lube. The smooth texture makes it ideal for sliding in and out of your anus.

So many toys, so little time. How's a girl to set about choosing her perfect pocket pal? Allow us to ease the burden with a few toy-shopping tips.

What are you like - and what do you like?

Before you dive into this stimulating sea of toyness you need to figure out what gets you going. Are you a penetration girl, a big-cock fan or one for serious clitoral attention? If you have trouble coming through penetration, then ditch those preconceptions about dick-shaped dildos and give your clit the time of its life with a clitoral vibe like the bang bang bullet vibe– no penis required. If you're turned on by new and wild bedtime treats, then explore the lesser-spotted toys like smart balls. But if you're a no-nonsense classics girl, a little finger vibe could be your new best friend. It's all about you,

Vibrator or dildo?

In short, vibrators are for stimulating your external genitals while dildos are for penetration – though you can penetrate with vibes too. Dildos are generally longer and narrower; all the better for wiggling with, while vibrators come in all shapes and sizes: big, small, round, lipstick shaped (a canny public disguise). You could even hand your vibe's remote control to your partner in the morning. Do remember to let him know when you're in a meeting with your boss.

Looks good...

If you're a penis-or-bust kind of girl who'd rather not straddle something that looks like a Walkman, try a realistic vibrator or prefer something more kooky, head for the glass dildos. You've got your butterfly vibes, your glow in the darks, or double ended. vibes and dildos beyond your wildest imaginings. Be a devil.

But what about the size?

You think of penis size, and you tend to think of length. It's much the same when you're buying a dildo or penis shaped vibrator. But remember that even the largest dildo needn't go all the way in – it's all about how you or your partner controls it. Girth is what really matters. Here you can choose your perfect girth – not a luxury you get with your partner's penis. You may find a thick penetration deliciously satisfying, or you may find it uncomfortable and even painful. To find out which width works for you, head for the fresh veg section of your favourite supermarket and fill your basket with a nice broad cucumber, a medium zucchini and a little carrot. Wash them well, apply a condom and some lube, and get playing.

The science bit

Ultimately your desires should be your guide, but check that your body doesn't beg to differ. If you react badly to latex or rubber, your skin may celebrate your toytastic spree by itching, burning and developing an unseemly rash around your key parts. So find out whether you're allergic to anything before whipping out your credit card

Remember him? You know, that bloke who keeps hanging around...

There are some surprises a chap doesn't like. An impromptu visit from your parents; lettuce salad for tea; nipping upstairs to find you humping a rubber schlong. Talk to him (or her) about your fantasies and desires. Do not whip out a new sex toy and shriek, "Do me with my new big boy!" (Guys get insecure too, you know.) Choose a sex toy together, because you may find that he'd love to use a vibrating ring to inject some dynamite for you both. What's not to love? `

Sex toy hygiene - vibrator care and cleaning A little TLC goes a long way when it comes to keep your sex toys in tip-top condition. Love them and they'll love you - long time. Never take the "clean" out of "good clean fun". Just as you wouldn't leave a fork to get mouldy overnight before sticking it right back in your mouth, so you really don't want to go sticking unwashed sex toys in your holiest of holies. Most toys can be kept clean and safe by washing with soap and warm water whenever you've used them, but it depends on what they're made of – porous toys need a bit more care. Use an antibacterial wipe or better still something designed to do the job – sex toy cleaner - for example. See below for more details on cleaning different materials. First, here are a few top tips for keeping any sex toy clean:

·         Remove any batteries when you aren't using your toy, and especially when you're cleaning it. Water + batteries = gooey sparks of the very wrong kind.

·         If you're sharing toys with your partner or using the same toy for vaginal and anal use, clean it before passing it back and forth. However…

·         If popping out to sluice down your toy at the heavy peak of sextime sounds like a turn-off (it does to us), then use a condom. One condom for anal, one for vaginal, and another for your partner if required.

 Clean machines: what's your material? JellyExercise care when cleaning your porous jelly toys. Don't just cover your precious. Harsh soap or boiling water will warp the surface, so we'd advise sticking with warm water and a gentle touch, or best of all, sex toy cleaner.
Easy-to-clean rating: *** SiliconeAs well as feeling as silky as Ritz sheets and being hypoallergenic, silicone is the easiest toy material to clean because you can just submerge it in very hot water. That means you can stick your fav dong in the dishwasher, though possibly not when your mum pops round to help out. For the odd special spruce-up, bleach your silicone toy in a 10 per cent solution or boil it in a saucepan of water for three minutes. Just make sure it's rinsed and dried before you put it away.
Easy-to-clean rating: ***** RubberRubber is even more porous than jelly, so you can't really sterilise your rubber toys. Your best bet is to use a condom and wash your toy in mild soap and water.
Easy-to-clean rating: *** MetalAs with silicone, metal is a hardy beast and can be disinfected, boiled and made to face assorted forms of abuse in the name of cleanliness – but always make sure to dry it properly.
Easy-to-clean rating: ***** PlasticA gentle rub with a cotton wool ball soaked in alcohol is the best cleaning solution for plastic, though rinse your toy afterwards so the alcohol doesn't come into contact with your precious genitals. Otherwise you could find the experience a bit, well, drying.
Easy-to-clean rating: ****

Sex toys and phthalates

Phthalates have made headlines because of their alleged effects on your health, but we've sorted the fact from the scare-mongering to help you reach an informed decision about your choice of sex toy material.

First things first: don't panic! Phthalates may sound scary (even if you could pronounce the word!), but it's important to not get overwhelmed by a sense of hysteria. All our sex toys are safe, and we would never sell anything that could be detrimental to your sexual health. So relax and let us give you the lowdown on phthalates and their relation to sex toy materials. We also do our best to tell you exactly what every toy that we sell is made of and whether it is free of latex or phthalates.

What are phthalates?

Pronounced 'thalates' (the 'ph' is silent), phthalates are colorless oil-like chemicals that can make everything from vinyl to nail varnish more flexible, depending on the size of the molecules. They are also present in children's toys to make them more sturdy when under pressure from biting or cracking. Between 1998 and 2000 there were numerous reports on the alleged health effects caused by phthalates. Some health and environmental activists are currently pushing for products such as toys and plastic food packaging containing phthalates to come under scrutiny and possibly carry stickers to advise consumers that phthalates are present in the product they are buying. Some people even called for women to stop wearing nail varnish, just in case!

How phthalates affect your sex toys

But what does this have to do with your sex toy, we hear you ask? Well, some jelly sex toys as well as some Cyberskin or UltraSkin sex toys contain phthalates, and you need to know it's there so you can make an informed buying decision. A study carried out by German chemist Hans Ulrich Krieg in 2000 found that some sex toys available in Europe included phthalate concentrations up to 243,000 parts per million - a number characterized as "off the charts Baltz continued by saying that the danger with some of these sex toys is that the extended shelf life could accelerate a 'leaching' effect, in which the phthalates are drawn out, though he had no evidence for it.

Don't let the facts spoil a good story

When you look at the research behind the headlines, it's not quite that simple - or scary! Researchers at the Statistical Assessment Service of George Mason University, Washington have a level-headed review of research in phthalates, describing the issue as an "activist-driven health scare". The European Union’s Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (CSTEE) has said that phthalates did not pose an immediate or serious risk. The EU's Institute for Health and Consumer Protection has said that "The end products containing [phthalates] (clothes, building materials, toys and baby equipment) and the sources of exposure (car and public transport interiors, food and food packaging) are unlikely to pose a risk for consumers (adults, infants and newborns) following inhalation, skin contact and ingestion." Europe has decided to adopt the precautionary principle for regulating chemicals. In other words, chemicals will be presumed dangerous until proven safe. Chemical manufacturers will have 11 years to test everything; anything that cannot be proven safe will be banned. The effects of phthalates have only been linked to birth defects in animals in very small samples, and nothing detrimental in humans. In fact, a report carried out by the US Center For Disease Control in January 2003, showed that out of 2,500 subjects tested the average exposure to the phthalate DPB was 100 times lower than the recommended safety levels. The CDC report demonstrates that there is no new evidence to suggest there are any direct links between the phthalates present in jelly or Cyberskin sex toys and any detrimental health effects on humans. If anything, the recently published reports and continued research have reassured the public since the first false alarm over phthalate levels in women over child-bearing age in 2000.

How phthalates affect you

There is no hard scientific data available at present to show that phthalates in sex toys pose a risk to human health. The risk of contracting a health defect due to phthalates present in some sex toys is much less than the risk of contracting an infection from an unwashed sex toy, an STI from a shared sex toy or a heart attack brought on by excitement through using a sex toy. Jelly sex toys, or any sex toys that contain phthalates, are safe to buy and use. If you're concerned, it's sensible to make sure that each time you use one of these products you use a condom over the top of it. That way, you can give yourself peace of mind, protect yourself from STIs and still enjoy your favourite sex toy. And if you're still concerned, buy a sex toy made from silicone, skin-safe rubber, glass or metal for ultimate peace of mind. We'll keep an eye on the situation and will keep you informed and we'll do our best to make our product descriptions as detailed as possible so you know what you're buying.

Sex toys for lesbians

Are you buying for a lesbian couple or girlfriend and stuck for sexy, affordable performance toys? We've got tons of ideas to get your gorgeous girly or lesbian mates hot down under...

If you're a lesbian and think shopping for sex toys is difficult, you couldn't be more wrong. With so many indulgent, sensual, powerful and stimulating sex toys available, lesbians are spoilt for orgasmic choice. It's easy to get swept away by thinking that a lesbian sex toy refers solely to a product that two women can use simultaneously. While this is ideal in some cases, such as with double ended dildos. lesbian sex toys refer to anything that can help you provide intense clit and vaginal stimulation for your lover.

Battery-powered toys for extra kicks

Get back to basics and check out our range of vibes available to drive you and your partners clits wild. There's a whole host of vibrators to choose from, including rabbit vibes, G-Spot Vibes and Remote Control. Anal vibes are also a sexy pleasure for adventurous lesbian couples. Smooth anal vibes will tantalize your anal nerve endings and buzz away at your G-spot, providing you with irresistible orgasms and tons of pleasure.

Strap-ons and dildos

Many lesbian couples love to indulge in strap-on sex because it allows them to experience the dual sensation of penetration and clit stimulation. Whether you're giving or receiving, dildo and harness combinations are an erotic toy for lesbian couples to use, especially when adding powerful vibrations If a strap-on doesn't fuel your sexual fancy, you could simplify your routine by either using a double ended dong or try a single dildo, or make a splash with the Ejaculating Realistic Cock.

Massagers and oils

It's not just about vibrators, dildos and anal stimulators when it comes to lesbian intimacy. Massagers and massage oils are a powerful aphrodisiac that can put you in the mood for a night of sensual touching, pleasuring and experimenting.

Nifty nipple clamps

Women's nipples are a great source of orgasmic enjoyment that are extremely receptive to licking, kissing and sucking, so why not get the most out of them with nipple clamps? If you and your girlfriend want to add some spice to your normal sexual routine, use nipple clamps to experience a unique combination of pain and pleasure.