DIY Sex Toys: What's Safe, What Isn't, and What to Use Instead

S: Was it actually made for this?

“Body-safe” isn't something you can eyeball. Start with a simpler question: what does the manufacturer say this thing is designed to do?

A proper external vibrator should tell you what body area it's for, what it's made of, how it powers, how the controls work, what lube it's compatible with, and how to clean it. An insertable vaginal toy should be built to stay structurally sound during use and removal. An anal toy needs an external stopper—usually a wide, flared base or some other feature that absolutely can't slip all the way inside.

And let's be clear about what doesn't count. A handle on a kitchen tool is not an anal-safe base. A string you tied around something is not a tested retrieval system. A suction cup you glued on at home is not proof it won't come off.

If a seller provides zero instructions, or the description only has vague buzzwords like “skin-like,” “silicone feel,” or “premium material,” you don't have enough information to put it inside your body. Period. The Joybloom guide to body-safe silicone and material labels explains what clearer disclosure looks like.

A: Do you know the entire material—not just the surface?

For insertable toys, Planned Parenthood recommends body-safe, nonporous materials like 100% silicone (not blends), hard plastic, stainless steel, aluminum, or shatter-resistant glass. But even the right material isn't enough on its own. The exact item has to be designed for sexual use and used according to its instructions. A material name alone doesn't make a homemade shape safe.

You have to think about the whole object, not just what you can see:

• Is the color painted on, or baked into the material?
• Is there a glaze, varnish, glue, dye, fragrance, or soft-touch coating?
• Are there seams, screw holes, battery compartments, or porous joints?
• Does heat, water, lubricant, or repeated washing change the surface?
• Can the manufacturer confirm every single part that touches the body?

“Silicone-like” is not silicone. “Food-safe” describes one specific use—contact with food—and it tells you nothing about whether an object's shape, seams, coating, or construction are safe for insertion.

F: What happens if it breaks?

A proper safety check isn't about what the object looks like sitting on your desk. It's about what happens to it after movement, pressure, warmth, moisture, and repeated use.

Just don't use anything that is:

• sharp, chipped, cracked, splintered, rough, or abrasive;
• hollow, inflatable, brittle, or easily squished during insertion;
• made from regular glass, ceramic, thin plastic, or anything else that could shatter or break;
• held together with caps, lids, cords, glued decorations, detachable heads, or loose batteries;
• powered by exposed wiring or some janky homemade electrical connection;
• able to heat up without a reliable temperature limit;
• slippery or hard to grip once lubricant is added.

And for the love of everything, don't do a “stress test” on a questionable household object and then decide it's safe. Bending something with your hand can't reproduce every force, reveal microscopic damage, or detect an unknown chemical coating.

E: Can you stop and remove it instantly if you need to?

You should be able to end the sensation and pull the product out without hunting for a control, yanking on a fragile cord, or depending on a part that might come off.

This is extra critical for anal play. The rectum can literally suck an object beyond your reach—that's just anatomy. Which is why Planned Parenthood recommends a wide base or some other feature that keeps the whole toy from going in. A proper flared base should stay completely outside your body the entire time.

For vaginal use, your cervix prevents objects from traveling up into your abdomen, but something can still get stuck or be painful to remove. Smooth containers can create suction. Breakable things can fracture. Small parts can come loose.

If something does get stuck, here's what not to do: don't use tools. Don't stick another object up there to fish it out. Don't keep making blind attempts that could push it farther in or damage tissue. Go to urgent care or the ER. Rectal foreign-body removal can be really risky and might require imaging, anesthesia, endoscopy, or surgery; the Merck Manual's patient guide explains why professional care matters.

Get emergency care immediately for severe or worsening pain, heavy or ongoing bleeding, abdominal pain, fever, faintness, vomiting, or if the object is sharp, broken, or you just can't get it out easily. Be honest with the clinician about what it is and when it happened. The more accurate information they have, the safer and easier the removal will be.

R: Can you clean it, inspect it, and store it properly?

“I washed it” and “it can be reliably cleaned” are two very different things. Porous surfaces, hollow interiors, cracks, fabric, foam, wood, rubbery blends, and hard-to-reach seams can all hold onto moisture and bacteria.

Always follow the product's specific instructions, because care varies a lot depending on material, motor, and water-resistance rating. Don't boil, soak, bleach, or dishwash something unless the manufacturer explicitly says you can. For a reusable routine, see how to clean and store sex toys.

Before and after every use:

1. Wash your hands.
2. Look the toy over under good light for cracks, peeling, swelling, stickiness, sharp spots, exposed components, or a weird smell.
3. Clean it using the method stated in the instructions.
4. Let it dry completely before storing.
5. Store it separately in a clean, dry place if the instructions say so.

When you share toys, barriers and cleaning lower infection risk but don't eliminate it. Planned Parenthood recommends cleaning toys and changing condoms before the toy touches another person, or moves between the anus, vagina, or mouth. A condom is an extra hygiene measure; it doesn't magically make a structurally unsafe DIY object safe.