Sex Toy Inspection Checklist: When to Keep, Clean, or Replace Your Toys

By Jake Turner  ·  Senior Editor  ·  May 2025

Most people don’t inspect their sex toys systematically — they use them until something obviously goes wrong. But surface degradation, battery failure, and material breakdown often have early warning signs that are easy to catch if you know what to look for. This checklist-based guide covers what to check on every toy, how often to check, and what each warning sign means for whether to keep, deep clean, or retire the toy immediately.

How Often to Inspect

Minimum inspection frequency: before every use (quick visual and tactile check), after every cleaning (surface condition check), and a full systematic inspection every 3 months or when you do a storage box clean-out. The before-use check takes 30 seconds and catches most problems before they become safety issues.

Surface Inspection Checklist

Run through these checks on every toy during inspection:

Silicone toys: ✓ Surface smooth and consistent — no sticky patches, no rough areas, no discoloration. ✓ No tears, cuts, or abrasions. ✓ No visible separation at seams (where two molded pieces join). ✓ No unusual texture changes from last inspection.

TPE/TPR toys: ✓ No surface stickiness beyond normal (new TPE has a slight tackiness; degrading TPE becomes excessively sticky). ✓ No visible flaking or crumbling. ✓ No discoloration. ✓ No pitting or holes in the surface.

Glass toys: ✓ No chips — run fingers over every surface. ✓ No cracks — hold to light and look for hairlines. ✓ Clear and clean — cloudiness that doesn’t clean off indicates surface damage. ✓ Smooth edges everywhere, including the base.

Stainless steel: ✓ No rust spots (rare with quality steel but possible with poor storage conditions). ✓ No pitting. ✓ No scratches deep enough to harbor bacteria (surface scratches are cosmetic; deep grooves are a concern).

ABS plastic: ✓ No cracks. ✓ No yellowing (indicates UV or heat degradation). ✓ No tacky coating (indicates surface breakdown). ✓ No peeling if the toy has a coating over ABS.

The Smell Test

Smell every toy after cleaning. A clean toy should smell neutral or very faintly of its material. Warning signs:

Sour or bacterial smell after cleaning: Biofilm established in porous material (TPE) or inadequate rinsing of non-porous material. For TPE: retire. For non-porous materials: try a deeper clean with isopropyl alcohol, then recheck. If smell persists, retire.

Chemical or burning smell: Material breakdown, usually in low-quality toys or those exposed to incompatible lubricants or cleaners. Retire immediately.

Sweet or unusual smell that wasn’t there before: Chemical off-gassing from degrading material. Retire.

Battery and Charging Check

Rechargeable toys: ✓ Charges to full within normal charge time. ✓ Holds charge for normal use duration. ✓ Charge port clean and undamaged. ✓ No unusual heat during charging.

Red flags: won’t charge at all (deep discharge or charge port damage), charges but drains immediately (battery cell failure), gets hot during charging (battery safety concern — retire immediately), charge port shows corrosion or physical damage.

Battery-operated toys: ✓ No battery leakage visible in compartment. ✓ Battery contacts clean and shiny. ✓ Compartment seal intact.

Motor and Function Check

Run every toy through its full function range at least once during a 3-month inspection: ✓ All vibration modes work. ✓ No unusual grinding or rattling sounds (indicates motor wear). ✓ Motor doesn’t cut out at higher intensities (indicates battery or motor issue). ✓ Controls responsive without sticking.

Cord and Retrieval String Check

For kegel balls, anal beads, and any toy with a retrieval cord — this check is non-negotiable before every single use: ✓ Cord intact along full length. ✓ Attachment point where cord meets toy is secure and undamaged. ✓ No fraying, stiffness, or discoloration. ✓ If the cord has a loop or ring, test that it’s fully intact.

A compromised retrieval cord is a safety emergency — retire the toy immediately.

Material-Specific Red Flags

Silicone: Any tear, cut, or seam separation. Sticky surface that won’t resolve with washing. Permanent discoloration.

TPE: Excessive stickiness, surface crumbling, flaking, persistent odor, visible pores or pitting. These are signs TPE is degrading — retire.

Glass: Any chip or crack whatsoever. Retire immediately — no exceptions.

Steel: Rust spots or deep surface grooves. Deep scratches that create crevices where bacteria could harbor.

ABS: Cracks, significant yellowing, surface tackiness, peeling coating.

Retire Immediately — No Exceptions

These findings mean retire the toy today, regardless of how expensive it was or how recently you bought it:

Any chip or crack in glass. Frayed or weakened retrieval cord. Toy gets hot during charging. Chemical burning smell. Visible mold. Battery leakage in compartment. Seam separation exposing electronic components. Any material that flakes or crumbles when handled. Persistent foul odor after multiple thorough cleanings of a porous toy.

These aren’t judgment calls — they’re safety thresholds. A cracked glass toy used internally can cause serious injury. A leaking battery can cause chemical burns. The cost of a replacement is always lower than the cost of the alternative.

Store Your Collection Safely

Frequently Asked Questions