Dildos have existed since the dawn of time – and they have been made of wood, stone, metal and glass! The sex business expanded rapidly as technology and new materials were developed. Several materials are used to make dildos and do other sex toys.
Today, there are man-made materials for making dildos, including TPE and PVC. Let’s get into whether TPE and PVC dildos are safe to use and the most important things to know about cleaning and using them effectively below.
What is a TPE dildo?
TPE, or Thermoplastic Elastomer, is a body-safe material that sees a variety of applications in industry. So if you’re asking yourself, Is a TPE dildo safe? The answer is yes — but caution is in order. TPE is soft, elastic, and flexible. But TPE is porous, which isn’t something you want in your sex toy. It’s a latex-free, phthalate-free material commonly used in sex toys like dildos and is labelled as being “body safe”.
TPE dildos are soft, flexible, and have a nice amount of give to them and so they have been embraced by many, as they mimic a cross between Jelly and silicone. The standards of the material are high because it is considered to be safe and nontoxic. Just like you would use lubrication with any sex toy, lubricant is a necessary accompaniment to a TPE dildo, and a water-based lube is best.
The downside to TPE is the material is porous – this means the toy’s surface has minuscule holes that could contain dangerous germs, fungus or yeasts. To keep your TPE dildo safe, it is necessary to clean it with great diligence. Always scrub a TPE dildo down to the last drop, usually involving plenty of gel toy cleaner and lathering with warm water.
Possible TPE Dildo Issues
TPE is not temperature resilient, so boiling your TPE dildo to sterilise it will melt it. TPE is degraded by alcohol and bleach. The soap is a great option for those who may not wish to use soap and water to clean their TPE full-size dildo, although if you fail to get all of the washing out, then the soap can stay in the little pores and, in some cases, irritate your sensitive body parts.
Although a TPE dildo is usually advertised as water-resistant and can be used in water, too much water could make the dildo’s tiny cavities grow mould. If your dildo is smelling funky, stop using it and buy a new one.
Not only is it porous but TPE is also not very durable due to its easily damaged surface. If your TPE dildo has changed colour and/or has black spots on it’s exterior, Your TPE dildo is Hacked. In cases like this, the toy must be thrown away and a new one purchased.
TPE is body-safe and is a very realistic-looking and -feeling soft material, along with silicone (and that’s why silicone dildos are so popular; it’s that amazing ability to feel like real skin). TPE toys, however, are more affordable since they are porous, and TPE dildos especially should be replaced every 6 to 12 months with use.
What is a PVC Dildo?
PVC refers to polyvinyl chloride, a chemical that is used in a number of contexts, which includes sex toys. It is the material of choice because of its stability, skin-like appearance and longevity. But PVC is not the ideal sex toy material.
PVC is rigid and fragile, so manufacturers add phthalates and other chemicals to make it more flexible and bendable — and, ultimately, softer. Yet, phthalates and other related chemicals aren’t the most human-friendly stuff, and many countries prohibit their use.
A PVC dildo can be cleaned and sterilised easily, but nowhere near 100% like a silicone one. chemicals cannot be thoroughly removed from it, which can cause harm to even the most health-conscious people. So, the best thing you should do is to use your PVC dildo with a condom to avoid hazardous chemicals from reaching your skin.
Silicone Dildos Are Much Safer
But to be absolutely safe, you ought to be using a dildo made from a body-safe material like glass, metal, or silicone. The silicone is our favourite because it’s pliable and flexible and body safe; it has no smell to it and it’s nontoxic.
Yeah, we always suggest that you buy sex toys from a reputable source or the manufacturer and read the manufacturer’s specs.
How Can You Tell If a Silicone Dildo Is High Quality and Body Safe?
If you already own a dildo but don’t know what material it is made out of, here’s how to determine that. First, see if the toy has a smell; silicone smells of nothing, but you can smell plastic if it is PVC or TPE (the smell doesn’t go away even after you clean the dildo).
A silicone dildo feels cool and smooth while also being soft to the touch. It doesn’t become tacky or sticky the way that some toys can when they’re wet. On the opposite side, PVC feels soft to the touch, but it’s sticky when wet. TPE also feels smooth but it might get sticky when used randomly.
A fire test yields convincing evidence: a PVC item will melt and burn, TPE will melt, and silicone will warm up and char some, but this can be wiped away and does no real damage. Above all else, though, your health is more important than anything else, so you should always go for sex toys made of body-safe materials. Well, lucky for you, we here at the shop are proud to offer a variety of sex toys, dildos and vibrators to meet your wildest requirements.