couple1One of the biggest misconceptions that people have is that sex toys are only used by those who do not have a sexual partner, or those who are in a same-sex relationship. These days, single women, married couples, gay couples and people of different sexual orientations can all use sex toys. The goal of introducing these adult toys in the bedroom is to enhance sexual pleasure. There are even sex toys which help with problems like erectile dysfunction, difficulties sustaining an erection or not having enough natural vaginal lubrication. Sex toys range from ones which provide a ticklish sensation to outright pain for those who are into submission and domination.

Why You Should Never Share Sex Toys

No matter what your preferences are when it comes to sex, the number one rule that you should keep in mind is that you should never share. Here are the top two reasons why this is a crucial rule to follow:
* It's non-hygienic.
Think of sex toys as your toothbrush. You'd never let even your spouse or your sexual partner use your toothbrush, right? It is something that is extremely personal. Although sex toys are used by partners – sometimes even multiple partners – it is totally unhygienic to share them. Once you have used a dildo, for example, during penetration, it should never be inserted into the anus or mouth without being washed properly, or at least without using a fresh condom. After using a sex toy, you need to make sure that it is washed properly.

Proper cleaning of sex toys cannot be done haphazardly, either. You should consider the material that the sex toy is made of, and do proper cleaning steps based from that. Let's say that you have a glass dildo. Clean it using soap and water, but make sure not to expose it to extreme temperatures. Hard plastic can be cleansed with anti-bacterial soap and water. Silicone sex toys can be boiled in water for up to 10 minutes, washed with anti-bacterial soap or placed on the top rack of a dishwasher. There are different cleaners that can be used for sex toys made from rubber, vinyl, nylon, leather or cyberskin. To make sure that you are cleaning your sex toys correctly, check on the owner's manual.

* You can get infected with a disease.
Perhaps the more important reason for never sharing your sex toys is that you can get infected with a sexually-transmitted disease. Yeast infection and herpes are just a couple of diseases that you can get from using shared sex toys. It is also recommended that you use condoms or dental dams when using sex toys with a partner, so that you can help prevent the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases, bacteria or viruses.

One last thing to note is that you should always use plenty of lubrication when playing with sex toys. These are absolutely fun to use in the bedroom, but only in a hygienic manner. You don't want to miss out on all the fun by worrying about what kind of disease you can get from using sex toys, so make it a rule to never share them.