Sexual Wellness: A Plain Guide to Products and Care

Sexual wellness on this site means practical information about product materials, lube, cleaning, consent and privacy. It also means knowing when to take a health question to a professional. This overview points you to our guides so you can read more about the choices that matter to you.

What sexual wellness covers here

Start with the question you have now. You might want to understand a material label, choose lube for a silicone toy or find out what appears on a parcel. You can read about each topic separately, without working through every product category first.

Our guides cover care and shopping decisions in plain language. The health advice below is attributed to the health services named in those guides. Brand reviews explain published product care and buying terms. Use them to check details before buying, and take personal health concerns to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic.

Choosing body-safe products

Material is a useful place to start. According to Quin, the health service of Thorne Harbour Health, non-porous materials such as silicone, glass, stainless steel and hard plastic are the easiest to clean and the most durable.

Quin says porous materials, including jelly rubber, TPE, PVC and vinyl, have tiny holes that can hold bacteria. It suggests keeping these products for solo use, or putting a condom over them if they are shared.

Read the material information on the product listing before deciding. Then check the care instructions and which lube is suitable. Our body-safe materials guide explains porous and non-porous materials and what to look for in a listing. If you have an allergy or irritation, ask a health professional for advice about your concern.

Choosing lube

Choose lube with the toy and any condom in mind. According to Quin, water-based lube is easy to clean and safe with latex and silicone barriers. Our brand reviews note that Womanizer, We-Vibe and Satisfyer each recommend water-based lube for their toys.

The Sexual Health Victoria external condom guide advises against using silicone lube with silicone toys. Silicone lube is safe with latex condoms. Oil-based lube is not, because it damages latex, as our lube guide explains.

For sensitive skin, Quin suggests a water-based lube described as glycerine-free, fragrance-free or hypoallergenic. If you have irritation or an allergy concern, speak to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. Our lube guide brings the material and condom compatibility advice together, so you can check both before choosing.

Cleaning and storage

Quin advises cleaning a toy before and after every use with mild, fragrance-free soap and water or a toy cleaner. Dry it completely before putting it away. Read the product's care instructions alongside that basic routine.

Only submerge waterproof toys. Our cleaning guide says never to boil porous toys or anything with a motor. Avoid treating every product as though it can be cleaned in the same way, even when the materials look similar.

For storage, Quin advises using a fabric pouch or separate compartments, keeping toys away from heat and storing porous toys apart from others. Think about where you will dry and store a product before you buy it. The cleaning and storage guide covers the routine by toy type, as well as cleaning when you share.

Condoms and safer sex

Sharing needs its own care routine. According to Quin's advice in our guides, clean a shared toy between partners or use a condom over it. For porous toys, Quin suggests solo use or a condom when sharing.

Check lube compatibility here too. Our guides advise water-based lube with silicone toys and condoms. Sexual Health Victoria's condom guidance is a source for the lube advice, including avoiding oil-based lube with latex condoms.

Consent belongs in the same conversation. The Australian Government's Beforeplay information describes consent as everyone feeling respected and not pressured, and says it is okay to say no. Talk about sharing and cleaning before choosing a product together. For questions about your sexual health, contact a GP or sexual health clinic.

Starting out

For a first toy, begin with material, care and the features you actually want to try. Our vibrators for beginners guide covers vibration, air pulse, waterproofing, charging, apps and privacy. Read the sections that answer your questions before comparing individual models.

You can also decide whether you want an app at all. Every app-enabled toy we checked for that guide could also be used without the app. That applies to the models we checked, so read the details for the one you are considering.

The guide advises using water-based lube, cleaning before and after each use, reading the maker's safety notes and keeping proof of purchase for the warranty. Make those checks part of choosing your first product, alongside deciding which features interest you.

For couples

Start with a conversation about what you both want to try. Beforeplay's advice about respect, pressure and being able to say no applies here too. Leave room for either person to decline a product or a feature.

Our couples toys guide covers products designed to be worn during sex and app-controlled products a partner can operate nearby or remotely. It also covers consent, privacy, lube and sharing hygiene. Use those topics as prompts for a conversation before buying together.

For a closer look at one brand, our We-Vibe review explains its published care advice and Australian warranty terms. We-Vibe says to wash its toys with soap and water or its own cleaner, never boil them, and use water-based lube. Check the instructions for the product you choose.

Buying discreetly and checking returns

Privacy involves packaging, the sender name and the name on your card statement. Every store and brand checked for our delivery guide said it used plain packaging. The guide found differences in sender and billing names, so read beyond the packaging description.

Our discreet delivery guide covers those details. It also suggests checking collection points or parcel lockers where allowed, and whether a courier may leave a parcel unattended.

Before opening a purchase, read the returns terms. Our Australian online adult stores comparison found that none of the three stores compared accepted change-of-mind returns on opened adult products. It also explains that Australian Consumer Law rights apply to faulty items. For the primary consumer source, see the ACCC's consumer rights and guarantees information.

When to talk to a health professional

For pain, irritation, an allergy or any other health worry, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. A product guide cannot answer a question about your own symptoms. Keep that question separate from comparing materials, features or delivery terms.

You can use these sexual wellness guides to understand care instructions and prepare questions. If your concern is about your body or a reaction to a product, take it to a health professional rather than choosing another product as the answer.

18+ only. SexCentral.com.au is for adults. It's an independent guide operated by Dominet BV. This page is general information, not medical advice: for pain, irritation, an allergy or any other health worry, talk to a GP, a pharmacist or a sexual health clinic. We don't sell products and we don't show explicit content. No link on this site is an affiliate link right now. We may earn a commission from retailers in future when a reader buys through a link on this site. If that happens we'll label those links and explain it in our affiliate disclosure, and it won't change the facts we publish. Retailer facts were checked on each retailer's own website on 30 October 2026 and can change. Read our general information notice.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I start with sexual wellness?

Start with your immediate question. Read about materials before choosing a toy, or use the lube guide to check compatibility. For pain, irritation, allergies or other health concerns, speak to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic.

Which toy materials are easiest to clean?

According to Quin, non-porous silicone, glass, stainless steel and hard plastic are the easiest to clean and the most durable. Check the listing for the material, then read the product's cleaning instructions.

Can I use the same lube with every toy?

Check compatibility first. Sexual Health Victoria advises against silicone lube with silicone toys. Our guides recommend water-based lube with silicone toys and condoms. Oil-based lube damages latex condoms, so keep it away from them.

What should I check before buying online?

Read the material, care, lube and waterproofing details. Then check packaging, billing names, delivery options, returns and warranty terms. Keep your proof of purchase. Our store comparison and delivery guide cover these buying questions without ranking the stores.