All About – Cleaning and maintaining sex toys to prevent infections

Can sex toys mess up my vaginal pH or cause BV?

Sex toys themselves don’t magically destroy your vaginal pH, but how you use and clean them absolutely can. Your vagina stays healthy when lactobacilli (good bacteria) keep things acidic. That balance shifts across your cycle – more acidic after your period and around ovulation, more vulnerable during bleeding and late luteal phase.Toys can push things toward BV if you:- Leave dried fluids and lube on them between uses.- Use scented soaps, harsh cleaners, or leave soap residue on the toy.- Move a toy from anus to vagina without washing or changing a condom.- Store toys damp so bacteria or mold grow.If you’re suddenly getting fishy odor, greyish discharge, or post-sex odor that wasn’t there before you started using toys regularly, it’s time for testing – and a ruthless audit of your cleaning routine.

Is it safe to use sex toys on my period?

Yes, using sex toys on your period is safe for most people and can actually help with cramps and mood. During your period, estrogen and progesterone are low, blood is present, and vaginal pH runs higher (less acidic), which makes you a bit more vulnerable to infections if hygiene is sloppy.If you use toys while bleeding:- Clean them thoroughly right after use; don’t let blood dry on them for days.- Pay extra attention to seams and textures where blood can cake.- Consider using a towel under you and washing your vulva with warm water after.If you use a menstrual cup or disc, be careful inserting toys so you’re not knocking things around painfully. Heavy cramping, foul odor, or sudden pain are your cue to talk to a clinician.

Can I share sex toys safely with my partner?

Yes, but sharing toys can transmit STIs, BV, and yeast if you don’t put up some boundaries. Think of toys like sex partners: if fluids are mixing and there’s no barrier, there’s risk.Safer sharing basics:- Use **condoms** on insertable toys and change them between partners or between anus and vagina.- Fully wash toys with unscented soap and water between users.- Avoid sharing porous toys without condoms – they’re hard to fully disinfect.- Boil non-motor silicone, glass, or steel toys if someone has had an infection and the manufacturer says boiling is safe.If your cycles, hormones, or STI status are different, your risk profiles are different. Honest conversations plus good cleaning is the move, not pretending the toy is magically neutral.

What if I already have a yeast infection or BV – can I still use my toys?

You can, but you’ll want to be strategic. With yeast or BV, your vaginal ecosystem is already off and tissue may be sore, inflamed, or sensitive. Toys, especially big or rough ones, can worsen irritation.If you do use them:- Stick to gentle, external stimulation or very soft, well-lubed internal toys.- Avoid sharing toys with anyone else during treatment.- Clean toys obsessively with unscented soap and warm water after each use.- For non-motor silicone, glass, or steel, consider boiling if manufacturer guidelines allow it.Once treatment is done and symptoms are gone, give yourself at least a day or two of symptom-free time before going back to your usual intensity.

How do I know if my irritation is from the toy or from my hormones?

Your body gives clues, but they’re not always obvious. Hormonal shifts across your menstrual cycle change lubrication, tissue thickness, and sensitivity. You’re often driest and most tender late in your luteal phase (PMS) and during your period; more wet and stretchy around ovulation.If irritation happens mostly:- At certain cycle phases, regardless of which toy you use – hormones and dryness are suspects.- With specific toys or materials – that toy, cleaner, or lube is more likely the culprit.Patterns matter: timing, products, materials, and symptoms. If this feels like a detective case you don’t have energy to solve alone, hand it off to Gush – you can sanity-check what’s normal, what’s fixable, and when to call a clinician.If you’re sitting here with more questions than you started with, that’s not a fail – that’s awareness. When you’re ready to ask the messy questions, unpack patterns, or just figure out if what you’re experiencing is normal, slide over to Gush and talk it out with someone on your side.