Using Condoms with Sex Toys: A Good Idea

A Visitor Asks...

"I'm worried about germs and I'm wondering if I should use a condom with my sex toys?"

There are a couple answers here. From a disease perspective it depends on what you're doing with your toys and whom you're doing it with. The issues surrounding this question include the spreading of diseases, personal hygiene and depending on what type of toy you're using, chemical exposure. Since you don't want to engage in behavior that will risk your health, you might want to read through this section carefully. If you find that you still have questions please let us know!

Preventing Disease

The basic rule of thumb is that you don't want to do anything with a sex toy that you wouldn't do with part of your body. Using a sex toy with a separate condom for each partner will help avoid spreading unwanted bacteria or viruses. Be careful to follow the guidelines for proper condom use described on the back of the condom packaging. You want to avoid contacting your partner's bodily fluids, so it might be a good idea to wash your hands each time before you open a new condom.

If disease is your only concern, and if neither partner is concerned about transferring or catching any diseases then it's probably safe to use your toys without a condom. Obviously, the same rules apply to using adult toys as it does to having intercourse - avoid contact with semen if you're concerned about pregnancy and don't put your toys anywhere you wouldn't put say, your tongue or your penis without protection.

Other Issues: Allergies and Phthalates

Although rare, some people have an allergic reaction to latex. If you or your partner has an allergic reaction to your toy we recommend not using it without a condom. Of course using a latex-free condom might prevent another reaction. We don't recommend doing this, but it's an option and we had to mention it.

Some sex toys contain chemicals called phthalates, which are used during the process of converting hard plastic PVC into softer materials. Phthalates are common in jelly toys but can also be found in some of the more realistic materials, with the exception or silicone, which is phthalate-free. The Consumer Product Safety Commission approves sex toys and their materials for use, but think it might not be a bad idea to use condoms with sex toys anyway - and especially if you have any type of chemical sensitivity. Phthalates have been a part of sex toys for many years and there have been no reports of physical damage as a result of phthalate exposure, but we think it's better to be safe than sorry.

You also want to avoid inserting anything in the vagina after it's been used anally. It's very important to avoid exposing your (or someone else's) vagina to the E. coli bacteria that resides in the anus. While not harmful to the anus, E. coli can cause urinary tract infections if it's allowed to grow in the vagina. If you want to use your sex toys in other areas after anal play, either use a condom or wash it thoroughly.

Which segues nicely into the next section.....

Sex Toy Hygiene

It is very important to keep all of your adult toys clean. It's good for the toy, and it's good for you. Washing your toy after each use is a good way to keep any bacteria from accumulating and causing problems. Your toy will probably last longer as well, especially if it's made from a porous material such as jelly or rubber.

If you have questions regarding how to clean specific materials, such as silicone, cyberskin, jelly etc., see the "sex toy materials" section of our Sex Toy Primer.

As always we hope this information has helped you. If you've read through the article and still have a question please feel free to email us at questions@mybodyvibes.com.

Ask us! We'd love to hear from you. If you're curious about something but haven't gotten around to looking it up just let us know. We would be glad to help. Any questions about adult toys, sex, sexuality, relationships or any other adult topic can be sent to readersask@mybodyvibes.com. Who knows, we might post your answer!