How to store your vibrator

Good storage is the quiet hero of toy care. A toy kept clean, dry and protected stays hygienic, keeps its finish and is always ready when you want it. Storage is also about privacy: knowing your toys are tucked away safely helps you relax. This guide covers the essentials.

Should you clean a vibrator before storing it?

Before a toy goes away, clean it with warm water and mild, unscented soap or a toy cleaner, then leave it to air dry completely. Storing a damp toy, especially in a closed pouch or box, is the most common storage mistake. Our guide to cleaning your vibrator walks through each step.

Why give each toy its own pouch?

A soft fabric pouch protects a toy from dust, lint and scratches, and stops different toys resting against each other. Silicone surfaces can occasionally react when pressed together for long periods, especially if one has a different finish, so separate pouches are a simple safeguard.

Some toys come with a pouch: the Lune Rechargeable Mini Bullet, for example, arrives with a storage pouch. A soft cotton or satin bag works just as well for any toy. Wash pouches by hand in cool water every so often and let them dry fully.

Where is the best place to keep a vibrator?

The ideal storage place is:

• Cool and dry. Avoid radiators, windowsills in direct sun and steamy bathrooms if your toy is not waterproof.
• Clean. A drawer or box is better than an open shelf where dust settles.
• Private. Somewhere that feels comfortable for you, whether a bedside drawer, a lidded box or a lockable case.
• Out of reach of children and pets. A high shelf or a box with a lid works well.

Bathrooms can work for fully waterproof toys, but humidity is not ideal for chargers, cables or remotes, so keep those in a drier room.

Keep the extras together

Store your charging cable and any remote in the same pouch or box as the toy. Losing a proprietary magnetic charger is frustrating, and keeping everything together makes charging a habit rather than a hunt. If your toy charges magnetically, keep the contacts clean and dry. A rechargeable bullet like the Argent Rechargeable Bullet also comes with its own USB cable, so keep the two together.

How do you look after batteries in storage?

For rechargeable toys with lithium-ion batteries:

1. Store them part-charged, around half full, if you will not use them for several weeks.
2. Top them up every couple of months so the battery does not sit completely empty.
3. Avoid storing them somewhere hot, such as a sunny windowsill or a car.

For toys with removable AAA or coin-cell batteries, take the battery out if you will not use the toy for a while. Old batteries can leak and damage the contacts. Our guide to charging and battery safety has more detail.

How can you store a vibrator discreetly?

If privacy matters at home, a few ideas help:

• A lidded box that looks like any other keepsake or jewellery box.
• A make-up bag or wash bag in a drawer.
• A small lockable case, if you share your home and want extra peace of mind.

Remember that our products arrive in plain, unbranded packaging with the sender name BH Commerce, so discretion starts before your toy even arrives. See our discreet packaging guide for details.

Checking your toys now and then

Every few months, take a quick look at your toys:

• Is the surface still smooth, or has it become sticky or cracked?
• Are buttons and charging contacts working well?
• Does the toy hold its charge as it used to?

If a silicone surface becomes tacky, rough or damaged, it is time to replace the toy. Our guide to body-safe materials explains what to look for in a replacement. And if a toy develops a fault, our returns page explains what to do.