Porous vs. non-porous sex toys comes down to one question: can the surface hold on to what touches it? Porous materials such as jelly, TPR, TPE, PVC, rubber and "cyberskin" have tiny openings that trap lube, fluids and bacteria where soap can't reach. Non-porous materials such as silicone, glass, stainless steel and ABS plastic don't. That's why we don't sell porous toys at all.
Porous vs non-porous sex toys: where the difference comes from
Soft, squishy toys are usually plastics that have been loaded with softeners or oils. A survey by Denmark's Environmental Protection Agency found that "jelly" toys were typically PVC, with plasticizer making up as much as 70 percent of the material in some samples. TPR and TPE are rubbery blends, often extended with oils to get their stretchy, skin-like feel.
That feel is lovely out of the box. But the surface isn't a closed skin. It has small openings that lube, skin cells, body fluids and bacteria can work their way into.
Non-porous materials are solid all the way through. Cured silicone, glass, steel and hard ABS plastic present a closed surface, so whatever sits on top can be washed off.
Why porous toys are hard to keep clean
You can wash the outside of a jelly or TPR toy, but you can't reach what's in the pores, and most of these materials can't be boiled or bleached without damage. Some residue stays behind every time.
There's research on this. In a 2014 study in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, researchers swabbed TPE and silicone vibrators used by women with HPV. The virus was found on most toys right after use and on several even after the women cleaned them. Some were still positive 24 hours later, and the silicone toys had a lower detection rate at that point than the TPE ones.
Silicone wasn't perfect either, which is a fair reminder that every toy needs cleaning. The difference is that a non-porous surface gives your cleaning routine something it can finish. With a porous toy, sharing it between partners or moving it between anal and vaginal use can pass bacteria and infections along, and a condom over the toy is the only practical workaround.
Anal play raises the stakes. The rectal lining is thin and delicate, and it's exactly where you want a toy you can clean completely. Our anal play guide for beginners covers the rest of the safety basics. This is general information, not medical advice: if you notice pain, bleeding, irritation or unusual discharge that doesn't settle, see a doctor.
Porous toys also break down faster
The softeners that make jelly and TPR squishy don't stay put. The Danish survey found far more plasticizer migrated out of the toys when they were used with oil-based lube than with water-based lube. Over time, porous toys tend to turn tacky, cloudy or discolored, hold on to smells that won't wash out, and mark or damage other toys they're stored against.
A cheap toy that needs replacing after a few months isn't much of a bargain, especially when you can't be sure it's clean.
Why we sell only non-porous sex toys
Everything we carry is made from silicone, ABS plastic, borosilicate glass or stainless steel. That rules out a lot of the market, including most male strokers, which are nearly all TPE or TPR because that's the easy way to make something soft and skin-like. We'd rather point you to silicone and hard-shell designs than sell something we couldn't tell you how to get properly clean.
Caring for a non-porous toy is simple. Wash it with warm water and a mild soap or toy cleaner after each use, rinse well, let it air dry, and store it somewhere clean. Silicone toys usually pair best with water-based lube. You'll find toy cleaner and compatible lubes in our lube and care collection, and a good first non-porous piece among our silicone and glass dildos.