How to tell if a shop sells body-safe toys

"Body-safe" is printed on a lot of things that aren't. What you actually want to know is the material, because it decides whether a toy can be cleaned properly.

Non-porous: the good list

These have no tiny pores for bacteria to hide in, so they can be fully cleaned:

• Silicone, ideally platinum-cured
• Glass, usually borosilicate
• Stainless steel and other body-grade metals
• ABS plastic, the hard shell on many vibrators

Are glass sex toys body-safe?

Yes, when they're made of borosilicate glass, the same heat-resistant glass as lab and kitchen glassware. It's non-porous, so it washes completely clean, and it handles warm or cool water, which is part of the appeal. Check for chips or cracks before every use, and skip anything sold as "glass" that won't say what kind.

Non-toxic sex toys are really just this list: materials that are non-porous and named on the product page.

Porous: the proceed-with-care list

• TPE and TPR: soft and cheap, used in many strokers. Fine with care, but they can't be sterilised and wear out.
• Jelly and PVC: often softened with phthalates, often smelly. We'd skip them.
• Rubber and latex: a problem for anyone with a latex allergy.

Porous doesn't mean dangerous for everyone. It means the toy is for one person, needs a condom if it's shared, and gets replaced when it discolours or smells.

Red flags on a product page

• No material named at all, or just "body-safe material"
• "Silicone blend" or "sil-a-gel": not the same as silicone
• "Novelty use only": a way to dodge product-safety rules
• A price far below similar toys in the same material

What we look for in a shop

On each review we note whether the shop labels materials on all, most or some of its products, and whether it sells porous materials alongside body-safe ones. Shops can sell both and still be listed; we just say so. What we won't list is a shop that makes medical claims it can't support.

Looking after it

• Wash before first use and after every use, with warm water and mild unscented soap or a toy cleaner.
• Water-based lube is safe with every material. Silicone lube can degrade some silicone toys.
• Store toys apart so soft materials don't react with each other.