Cleaning and storage, properly
What to use, what quietly destroys things, and why the little bag matters more than you’d think.
Cleaning by material
| Material | How |
|---|---|
| Silicone | Warm water + unscented soap, or a toy cleaner. Never alcohol. |
| Glass | Soap and water, or dishwasher top rack. |
| Stainless steel | Soap and water; can be boiled if fully non-motorised. |
| ABS plastic | Damp cloth and mild soap. Don’t submerge unless rated IPX7. |
What to avoid
Alcohol dries and cracks silicone over time. Scented or antibacterial soaps leave residue that irritates. Silicone lubricant on silicone bonds to the surface and ruins it permanently. Boiling anything with a motor or battery destroys it.
Waterproof ratings actually mean something
IPX7 means fully submersible — safe to run under the tap. IPX6 means splash-resistant; wipe it, don’t dunk it. Not rated means keep water away from the charging port entirely. Ignoring this is the most common way people kill an expensive toy.
Storage
The bag isn’t packaging — it’s function. Silicone attracts dust and lint, and more importantly different silicone formulations can react with each other, leaving permanent sticky patches where two toys touch in a drawer. Store each one separately, dry, out of direct sunlight.
Avoid airtight containers for anything that was damp when it went in. Dry fully first.
When to replace something
Any tackiness, surface cracking, discolouration or persistent smell after washing means the material has degraded and can no longer be cleaned properly. At that point it goes in the bin, not back in the drawer.