How to Clean a Stainless Steel Sex Toy (The Most Hygienic Material)
A stainless steel toy is the easiest thing in your drawer to fully sanitise: wash it with soap and warm water, then boil it, steam it, or wipe it with isopropyl alcohol — the material is non-porous, so nothing hides in it. It's the most hygienic sex toy material there is, and the care routine is genuinely a two-minute job. Here's how to do it properly.
How do you clean stainless steel after use?
For everyday cleaning: warm water and unscented soap, rinse, dry with a soft cloth. That's it for solo use with one person. Because 316 surgical steel like the Njoy Disco is completely non-porous, bacteria have nowhere to live, so you don't need the elaborate routine a porous toy demands.
How do you fully sterilise it?
Three options, any of which works — this is where steel leaves every other material behind:
- Boil it for 3–5 minutes in a pot of water. Steel doesn't care about heat.
- Steam it, or run it through a dishwasher (top rack, no detergent).
- Wipe with 70% isopropyl alcohol for a quick, no-heat sterilise.
Do a full sterilise when sharing between partners, switching between orifices, or after storage. No silicone or TPE toy can be boiled or dishwashered — this is steel's unique advantage, and our materials comparison goes deeper on why.
Will cleaning damage the finish?
No. Surgical steel is the same material used in medical instruments and body jewellery — it's built to be sterilised repeatedly for decades without pitting, clouding or losing its mirror polish. You genuinely cannot wear it out with cleaning, which is part of why a steel toy is a lifetime purchase rather than a consumable.
Any mistakes to avoid?
Two small ones. Don't use abrasive scourers (they can micro-scratch the polish over years), and let it cool fully after boiling before use — steel holds temperature, which is a feature in play and a hazard straight out of a pot. Otherwise it's the most forgiving toy you'll own. Explore steel and other body-safe options in the dildos collection.
