Storage is where toys quietly die. Not from use, from sitting in a drawer touching each other, damp, in the dark, for months. Silicone reacts with silicone. Moisture breeds what you would expect. Lithium batteries degrade when stored flat. None of this is difficult to avoid and almost nobody is told about it.
The four rules
- Dry completely before storing. Not damp, not nearly dry. Moisture trapped in a drawer is the most common cause of a toy that smells wrong six months later.
- Store silicone separately. Silicone against silicone can react and leave both surfaces permanently tacky. Individual bags, or dividers. This is the rule people learn the expensive way.
- Charge before long storage. Lithium batteries degrade when left completely flat for months. Store around half charged if you can.
- Cool, dark, dry. Heat and UV degrade silicone, latex and TPE. A bedside drawer is fine. A sunny windowsill is not.
What to store things in
Individual bags. Many toys ship with a satin pouch and most people throw it away. Keep it, and it solves the silicone contact problem for free.
A divided box or drawer insert. Cheap, and it stops everything sliding into a pile.
A lockable case if household privacy matters. This is the honest answer to most people’s actual concern, better than any hiding place.
Not the original packaging. Cardboard absorbs moisture and most product boxes are printed with exactly what you would rather not have visible.
Cleaning first, always
Storage only works on a clean toy. All Spicerack Selects, our in house shop, free discreet shipping.
Clean Before You Store: Free Shipping
SpicerackSelects
Wicked Cleene, twelve dollars
Antibacterial, unscented, safe on every material we sell. The default bottle.
Wicked Simply Cleene
Shorter ingredient list for sensitive skin, same job.
Wicked Foam n Fresh
Foaming, which gets into textured internals in a way liquid cannot. The right choice for strokers.
pjur Toy Clean and La Nua Foaming
Alcohol free alternatives, both safe on silicone.
Wicked Refill, 24oz
The cheapest per use by a wide margin once you own enough toys to care.
Full material by material detail is in our cleaning guide.
Travelling
- Use travel lock. Most rechargeable toys have one. A toy activating in a suitcase is a story you do not want.
- Hand luggage, not checked. Checked bags get opened without you there. Hand luggage means you are present if anything is questioned.
- Remove batteries where removable.
- Check destination laws. A small number of countries genuinely restrict this. Most do not.
- Security has seen everything. Genuinely. Nobody cares.
More on discretion in our shipping and privacy page.
FAQ
Why did my toy go sticky? Silicone contact, or a porous material degrading. Sticky silicone is usually unrecoverable.
Can I store toys in the bathroom? Humidity is the enemy. A bedroom drawer is better.
How long do toys last? Well stored silicone, glass and steel last many years. Porous materials, a year or two regardless.
Do I need renewal powder? For porous soft materials, it genuinely extends life and prevents tackiness.
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