It only took us a DECADE, but we finally got there. How to take care of your sex toys, by Jey Pawlik!
Erika and I had put this comic off for years because the toy-cleaning advice can be murky and ever-changing. Sometimes, with an electronic do-dad the best thing to do is just… try your best, and that’s hard to comic up! I’m so dang thankful that Jey went a step further and put together such a winner of a directional comic.
If you didn’t see it, over the weekend we posted a BONUS comic here on OJST. We’re celebrating our 10th year of comics AND reaching out for help! Oh Joy Sex Toy needs your support to continue! Patronize us, and we’ll keep making you comics each and every week for as long as we can!
Notes and links from Jey!
Let’s learn how to clean your collections today! Have you ever wondered the best way to clean each type of toy? Never fear because with these handy recipe cards you’ll always be able to come back and check the basics. Always remember to wash your toys before and after using them, be sure to read the cleaning instructions for each piece you purchase, and use condoms on toys if you’re sharing!
I didn’t get to touch on specific toy cleaning products due to space and if I’m being completely honest I don’t think are worth it. As long as you use a mild unscented soap on your toys, then that’ll be more than enough to get them safely clean to use internally. I just wouldn’t recommend spending your money on it.
April 23 – TALC VS CORNSTARCH Note from Matt
This comic has a bit of advice on the Latex care section to originally cover your latex clothes in cornstarch to store ’em! We’ve since changed this to include Talcum-powder/Talc. But honestly, it seems like both have their contentious issues?! Talc is in the news for being carcinogenic, while Cornstarch is in studies as having properties that bind it to latex, and can promote mold over time in humid environments! We’re not completely sure what piece of advice to point you toward and strongly recommend you do more research!
↓ Comic Transcript
Jey Pawlik is a nonbinary person with a short black haircut, glasses, and wears a t-shirt, jeans, sneakers, and a big white cooking apron embellished with a "COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO" slogan and rooster logo on the front pocket. The colour palette of this comic are greens and aqua colours paired with cartoony line art
Jey strikes a jaunty pose, humming to themself as they hold a bubbling pot over a hot plate. Another person leans in from off panel, enticed by the promise of a hot meal. They have dark teal skin and their black curly hair is held up in two big poofy pigtail/buns on either side of their head.
"Whoa! What's on the menu, Jey? I'm starved!" The friend says, indicating at the pot.
"Oh? Well I hope you're hungry for *this!*" Jey announces, using cooking tongs to triumphantly lift a glorious dark teal dildo out of the boiling pot with a flourish. The phallus is accentuated with a "TA-DA!" sound effect.
"Ohhh~" Marvels the friend, their eyes round with wonder as they clasp their cheeks with their hands.
"Hot and ready!" Jey continues proudly. "One sterilized silicone dick!"
Page 2
"Wanna help me with some toy deep cleaning?" Jey asks their friend jovially, holding the dingus just over the pot with the tongs.
"Absolutely!" The friend replies, clasping their hands. "Where do I start?"
"First thing's first:" Says Jey as they pass their friend an apron of their own. "Different materials need different treatments, so the most important thing is to know what sort of material your toy is made of!"
A teal recipe card fills up a third of the page, titled "Silicone". It features a VixSkin Mustang dark teal realistic penis dildo on the righthand side. It is captioned with a X and the title, "Non-Porous"
Text: The most simple and loved of sexy materials! Did you know, not all silicones are made the same? Some are of higher quality than others, and all of them degrade in the sunlight!
Ingredients: 1 Silicone Toy, 1 Pot of Boiling Water, Pinch of Cornstarch.
For the full-sterile treatment, wash these with mild soap and rinse, before adding to the pot of boiling water. A few minutes in their hot bath will do the trick! Drain, dry, and toss in a bag with a bit of cornstarch for bonus points and a nice finish (never use talcum powder!)
The next recipe card is gray-blue and titled, "All Other Soft Non-Silicone Toys"
On the lefthand side floats an illustration of the Tenga Spinner Toy, helpfully captioned with a checkmark and the label, "[checkmark] Porous". This is a soft masturbation sleeve for penises with a coil around it.
Text: Y'all I'm sorry to say these toys aren't built to last. If you notice mold, any weird smells or anything out of the ordinary- it doesn't matter how well you scrub 'em, you'll have to toss these out.
Ingredients: 1 Non-Silicone Toy (jelly, realskin, etc.), Mild Unscented Soap, 1 Dish Towel.
Wash these with mild soap and hot water, but the real trick is to get them as dry as possible STAT! I use small dish towels to dry out the nooks and crannies so the bacteria doesn't have a chance to grow.
Back to the comic, the friend, now sporting their apron, tends to a bubbling pot over the hot plate. "Wow!" They exclaim. "I had no idea you could boil silicone, that's so cool!
"I know, right?" Jey answers with pride, before snapping to attention as they shout, "W-WAIT! Is that a vibe?!"
"Yeah, it's silicone!" The friend asserts confidently, just inches away from dropping in a purple smoothly-elongated toy with a bulbed end.
Jey leaps into action, snatching away both toy and pot, holding them away from each other at arm's length. "Hold your horses!" They warn. "Anything electric is more complicated!"
"Oops" Gulps the friend, breaking into a nervous, embarrassed sweat.
A new teal recipe card appears, titled, "Vibrators & Toys with Electronics". On the right side floats the previous purple and white toy, now drawn in more detail and identified as a Lelo Mona 2, with a helpful "X - Non-Porous" label. Imagine a rounded tube that somebody squeezed just south of the middle, making either ends kind of bulb out. The top two-thirds the is insertable purple end, while the bottom third is the white control handle with buttons.
Text: These can be pretty tricky to clean, especially if they aren't the waterproof type. Be sure to check the toy's information before dunking any in water.
Ingredients: 1 Vibrator, Mild Soap.
First, remove any batteries if possible. Wash with mild unscented soap as before, using hot water on a cloth to wipe soap off and doing your best to avoid any electronics. 100% sterile might not be attainable, so make sure to use condoms on these toys if you play with others!
The "Glass and Steel" recipe card is blue, with an illustration of the Njoy Pure Wand. It is a steel rod curved to the shape of a crescent moon, tapering from thick to thin. At the thick end sits a large steel ball, while the thin end is topped with a small one. It is labeled "X - Non-Porous"
Text: Now these are pretty easy to clean and bacteria really struggle to stick to them. Still be sure to wash thoroughly after each use.
Ingredients: 1 Glass Toy, 1 Dishwasher.
Place toy on top rack of dishwasher. Run normal wash.
The "Wood" Recipe card is green with an illustration of the nobEssence Romp 2.0, a wooden, rounded, organic shape that resembles a globular wax dollop you'd find in a lava lamp. It is labeled "Varies" with a question mark instead of the check or X marks seen before.
Text: WOOD you like to see how I clean these? Wooden toys are typically sealed, but it's not always a guarantee.
Ingredients: 1 Wooden Toy, Mild Soap.
Gently wipe with mild soap and a warm wet cloth. Too aggressive and you might ruin the finish!
Page 4
Back to Jey and they friend, they are now on either side of a diner kitchen windowless window that separates the front of a restaurant from the cooking area. The friend rushes to sort with one hand through the different paper slips with orders written on them that hang from an order wheel ticket holder, while their other hand is already full of other orders.
"Holy cow!" They exclaim, breaking a nervous (but excited!) sweat. "That is so much!"
From the other side of the window partition, Jey cheers them on with fists in the air, saying, "Final stretch, okay? Speaking of stretch, let's talk about things you can wear!"
The blue Leather recipe card fills up the width of the page. A brown leather JT Signature Collection Waist Cuff floats to the right side with a "Porous" note and checkmark by it. This resembles a wide belt, with two thinner belts running parallel along it and multiple metal D-rings protruding at the North, East, South, and West points when it is wrapped around a waist.
Text: Real leather can be hard to keep clean and sterilize but don't let that intimidate you! When taken care of properly, leather can last a lifetime.
Ingredients: 1 Leather Item, Mild Soap, Leather Conditioner.
Wash with a mild soap and wipe down with a warm damp cloth. Leave to air dry completely in a shaded place on a towel. After it's dry, massage conditioner into leather to prevent cracking.
The teal "Nylon" recipe card shows the Tantus Bend Over Beginner Strap-On harness. Three sets of straps radiate around a center piece of leather that is sort of shaped like a heart, but without the two heart bumps on top. That center piece has an O-ring suspended in place by for mini straps. When worn, the center piece is positioned over the pubic area of the wearer, while the rest of the straps secure around the person's waist and between their thighs and over the butt.
It is labeled "Porous" with a checkmark.
Text: Many strappy things are made of nylon, which is a pretty forgiving material and real easy to get clean!
Ingredients: 1 Nylon Item, Sensitive Laundry Detergent.
Remove toys from harness. Run on normal wash with like colours. Air dry. Do not machine dry!
The green "Latex" recipe card features the Sweetheart dress, labeled "Porous" with a checkmark. This is a tight black tube of a dress that stops above the knees with sleeves just long enough to cover the shoulders. The low neckline emphasizes the boob cups that individually adorn the wearer's bosom.
Text: Latex is a natural material that will naturally degrade. Oils from your skin can damage it over time, but like most items, taking care of it will help it last longer.
Ingredients: 1 Latex Item, Mild Liquid Dish Soap.
Hand wash and soak in warm soapy water. Rinse and place in a room temperature space on a non-metallic hanger. When dry, carefully cover with Talk-powder or cornstarch* and hang in the closet. When you're ready to wear, wash before each use, and apply latex conditioner liberally to it to bring back the luster!
*Do additional research! As of '23 we try not to recommend Talc as it's in the news for being a carcinogen, but equally Cornstarch has been shown to bind with latex and can invite mold!
Page 5
Back again to the regular comic, Jey and their friend are taking a breather from their chaotic kitchen run. They've removed their aprons, looking triumphant and exhausted.
"Phew!" The friend says, wiping sweat from their brow. "We did it!"
"It was a big job--" Jey announces with their hands on their hips, before gesturing at a table laden with all of the before-mentioned items (AND MORE!) laid out across it. "--but now we get to enjoy the fruits of our labour with this fine spread!"
The table is covered in toys of all kinds and clothes for sex play and gender-affirming use.
Transcribed by Erika Moen on February 25, 2025 for https://www.ohjoysextoy.com/sex-toy-care-jey-pawlik
Jey Pawlik is a nonbinary person with a short black haircut, glasses, and wears a t-shirt, jeans, sneakers, and a big white cooking apron embellished with a "COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO" slogan and rooster logo on the front pocket. The colour palette of this comic are greens and aqua colours paired with cartoony line art
Jey strikes a jaunty pose, humming to themself as they hold a bubbling pot over a hot plate. Another person leans in from off panel, enticed by the promise of a hot meal. They have dark teal skin and their black curly hair is held up in two big poofy pigtail/buns on either side of their head.
"Whoa! What's on the menu, Jey? I'm starved!" The friend says, indicating at the pot.
"Oh? Well I hope you're hungry for *this!*" Jey announces, using cooking tongs to triumphantly lift a glorious dark teal dildo out of the boiling pot with a flourish. The phallus is accentuated with a "TA-DA!" sound effect.
"Ohhh~" Marvels the friend, their eyes round with wonder as they clasp their cheeks with their hands.
"Hot and ready!" Jey continues proudly. "One sterilized silicone dick!"
Page 2
"Wanna help me with some toy deep cleaning?" Jey asks their friend jovially, holding the dingus just over the pot with the tongs.
"Absolutely!" The friend replies, clasping their hands. "Where do I start?"
"First thing's first:" Says Jey as they pass their friend an apron of their own. "Different materials need different treatments, so the most important thing is to know what sort of material your toy is made of!"
A teal recipe card fills up a third of the page, titled "Silicone". It features a VixSkin Mustang dark teal realistic penis dildo on the righthand side. It is captioned with a X and the title, "Non-Porous"
Text: The most simple and loved of sexy materials! Did you know, not all silicones are made the same? Some are of higher quality than others, and all of them degrade in the sunlight!
Ingredients: 1 Silicone Toy, 1 Pot of Boiling Water, Pinch of Cornstarch.
For the full-sterile treatment, wash these with mild soap and rinse, before adding to the pot of boiling water. A few minutes in their hot bath will do the trick! Drain, dry, and toss in a bag with a bit of cornstarch for bonus points and a nice finish (never use talcum powder!)
The next recipe card is gray-blue and titled, "All Other Soft Non-Silicone Toys"
On the lefthand side floats an illustration of the Tenga Spinner Toy, helpfully captioned with a checkmark and the label, "[checkmark] Porous". This is a soft masturbation sleeve for penises with a coil around it.
Text: Y'all I'm sorry to say these toys aren't built to last. If you notice mold, any weird smells or anything out of the ordinary- it doesn't matter how well you scrub 'em, you'll have to toss these out.
Ingredients: 1 Non-Silicone Toy (jelly, realskin, etc.), Mild Unscented Soap, 1 Dish Towel.
Wash these with mild soap and hot water, but the real trick is to get them as dry as possible STAT! I use small dish towels to dry out the nooks and crannies so the bacteria doesn't have a chance to grow.
Back to the comic, the friend, now sporting their apron, tends to a bubbling pot over the hot plate. "Wow!" They exclaim. "I had no idea you could boil silicone, that's so cool!
"I know, right?" Jey answers with pride, before snapping to attention as they shout, "W-WAIT! Is that a vibe?!"
"Yeah, it's silicone!" The friend asserts confidently, just inches away from dropping in a purple smoothly-elongated toy with a bulbed end.
Jey leaps into action, snatching away both toy and pot, holding them away from each other at arm's length. "Hold your horses!" They warn. "Anything electric is more complicated!"
"Oops" Gulps the friend, breaking into a nervous, embarrassed sweat.
A new teal recipe card appears, titled, "Vibrators & Toys with Electronics". On the right side floats the previous purple and white toy, now drawn in more detail and identified as a Lelo Mona 2, with a helpful "X - Non-Porous" label. Imagine a rounded tube that somebody squeezed just south of the middle, making either ends kind of bulb out. The top two-thirds the is insertable purple end, while the bottom third is the white control handle with buttons.
Text: These can be pretty tricky to clean, especially if they aren't the waterproof type. Be sure to check the toy's information before dunking any in water.
Ingredients: 1 Vibrator, Mild Soap.
First, remove any batteries if possible. Wash with mild unscented soap as before, using hot water on a cloth to wipe soap off and doing your best to avoid any electronics. 100% sterile might not be attainable, so make sure to use condoms on these toys if you play with others!
The "Glass and Steel" recipe card is blue, with an illustration of the Njoy Pure Wand. It is a steel rod curved to the shape of a crescent moon, tapering from thick to thin. At the thick end sits a large steel ball, while the thin end is topped with a small one. It is labeled "X - Non-Porous"
Text: Now these are pretty easy to clean and bacteria really struggle to stick to them. Still be sure to wash thoroughly after each use.
Ingredients: 1 Glass Toy, 1 Dishwasher.
Place toy on top rack of dishwasher. Run normal wash.
The "Wood" Recipe card is green with an illustration of the nobEssence Romp 2.0, a wooden, rounded, organic shape that resembles a globular wax dollop you'd find in a lava lamp. It is labeled "Varies" with a question mark instead of the check or X marks seen before.
Text: WOOD you like to see how I clean these? Wooden toys are typically sealed, but it's not always a guarantee.
Ingredients: 1 Wooden Toy, Mild Soap.
Gently wipe with mild soap and a warm wet cloth. Too aggressive and you might ruin the finish!
Page 4
Back to Jey and they friend, they are now on either side of a diner kitchen windowless window that separates the front of a restaurant from the cooking area. The friend rushes to sort with one hand through the different paper slips with orders written on them that hang from an order wheel ticket holder, while their other hand is already full of other orders.
"Holy cow!" They exclaim, breaking a nervous (but excited!) sweat. "That is so much!"
From the other side of the window partition, Jey cheers them on with fists in the air, saying, "Final stretch, okay? Speaking of stretch, let's talk about things you can wear!"
The blue Leather recipe card fills up the width of the page. A brown leather JT Signature Collection Waist Cuff floats to the right side with a "Porous" note and checkmark by it. This resembles a wide belt, with two thinner belts running parallel along it and multiple metal D-rings protruding at the North, East, South, and West points when it is wrapped around a waist.
Text: Real leather can be hard to keep clean and sterilize but don't let that intimidate you! When taken care of properly, leather can last a lifetime.
Ingredients: 1 Leather Item, Mild Soap, Leather Conditioner.
Wash with a mild soap and wipe down with a warm damp cloth. Leave to air dry completely in a shaded place on a towel. After it's dry, massage conditioner into leather to prevent cracking.
The teal "Nylon" recipe card shows the Tantus Bend Over Beginner Strap-On harness. Three sets of straps radiate around a center piece of leather that is sort of shaped like a heart, but without the two heart bumps on top. That center piece has an O-ring suspended in place by for mini straps. When worn, the center piece is positioned over the pubic area of the wearer, while the rest of the straps secure around the person's waist and between their thighs and over the butt.
It is labeled "Porous" with a checkmark.
Text: Many strappy things are made of nylon, which is a pretty forgiving material and real easy to get clean!
Ingredients: 1 Nylon Item, Sensitive Laundry Detergent.
Remove toys from harness. Run on normal wash with like colours. Air dry. Do not machine dry!
The green "Latex" recipe card features the Sweetheart dress, labeled "Porous" with a checkmark. This is a tight black tube of a dress that stops above the knees with sleeves just long enough to cover the shoulders. The low neckline emphasizes the boob cups that individually adorn the wearer's bosom.
Text: Latex is a natural material that will naturally degrade. Oils from your skin can damage it over time, but like most items, taking care of it will help it last longer.
Ingredients: 1 Latex Item, Mild Liquid Dish Soap.
Hand wash and soak in warm soapy water. Rinse and place in a room temperature space on a non-metallic hanger. When dry, carefully cover with Talk-powder or cornstarch* and hang in the closet. When you're ready to wear, wash before each use, and apply latex conditioner liberally to it to bring back the luster!
*Do additional research! As of '23 we try not to recommend Talc as it's in the news for being a carcinogen, but equally Cornstarch has been shown to bind with latex and can invite mold!
Page 5
Back again to the regular comic, Jey and their friend are taking a breather from their chaotic kitchen run. They've removed their aprons, looking triumphant and exhausted.
"Phew!" The friend says, wiping sweat from their brow. "We did it!"
"It was a big job--" Jey announces with their hands on their hips, before gesturing at a table laden with all of the before-mentioned items (AND MORE!) laid out across it. "--but now we get to enjoy the fruits of our labour with this fine spread!"
The table is covered in toys of all kinds and clothes for sex play and gender-affirming use.
Transcribed by Erika Moen on February 25, 2025 for https://www.ohjoysextoy.com/sex-toy-care-jey-pawlik