The most common questions new love doll or sex robot owners have are usually about proper cleaning and maintenance. Doll hygiene is incredibly important — when done well, a doll will last much longer. As love dolls can cost a great deal of money, it’s smart to treat them like you would a house or a car.

Several problems can arise quickly from inadequate sex doll maintenance. Depending on the material, skin and pigment can degrade and erode quickly if not maintained well. Dolls and robots can break, stain, or even chemically react when handled the wrong way.

If you have the right tools, caring for your doll can be pretty straightforward.

TPE VS SILICONE

To start, it’s important to note that TPE and Silicone dolls vary wildly in a lot a ways — see our thoughts on Silicone vs. TPE Dolls here.

TPE dolls, while generally less expensive, are porous by nature. That means that unless sanitized and cleaned carefully, they can harbor and retain bacteria, especially when any moisture is allowed to seep into their skin.

Silicone dolls, being more expensive and hand-crafted, do not suffer as much from these issues (and they dry more quickly). One should consider the opportunity cost of extra maintenance and susceptibility to damage when choosing between a TPE and a silicone doll — it might just turn out that silicone dolls are actually more cost effective!

BATHING AND SHOWERING YOUR SEX DOLL OR ROBOT

Most owners enjoy taking showers with their dolls to clean them after they’ve been intimate. Though even when you haven’t a reason to, it’s suggested that you give them a maintenance shower around once a month.

  • When you are showering your doll or robot, make sure that the water is at medium temperature. Hot water is not a good option, as many dolls are not resistant to high temperatures. TPE dolls especially can react poorly to too high of temperatures.
  • Don’t spray water over your doll’s head, and avoid getting water on the neck (because it may end up inside the head or frame). Don’t ever submerge your doll’s head. Water inside a doll can cause rust, mold, or other damage. The hair and makeup used in the production of sex dolls and robots is generally not designed to be soaked. If you need to wash his or her face or mouth, use a mild antibacterial soap and gentle circular or dabbing motions. We suggest a microfiber cloth for this.
  • In fact, it’s probably safes to take your doll’s head off before showering. Assuming you’re able, unscrew the head, and leave it somewhere safe and soft. When you’ve done that, wrap several layers of aluminum foil or plastic wrap around the next to seal it.
  • Make sure your doll is sitting or standing on a soft surface – dolls’ skin is tender. Never put her directly on the floor of your bathtub or shower. Fold a blanket or a towel underneath when you’re giving a shower.
  • When your doll is completely wet, soap’em up with your hands. You should use an unscented and mild antibacterial soap for this — harsher soaps can pull the natural oils out of your, especially if it is TPE. If you choose to use a sponge, make sure it is a very tender option to avoid roughing or scratching the skin. Don’t rub it too hard — you might create micro-tears and scratches that can retain unwanted moisture.

CLEANING THE ORIFICES

Sex dolls and robots can generally have between one to three orifices. While bathing most of the surface area of your doll’s body is easy, dealing with the orifices can be very tricky. Since orifices receive the most intimate contact, they are incredibly important to clean well.

Dark and damp holes are breeding grounds bacteria. Bacteria will, over time, eat away at material and produce foul smells. Leaving orifices uncleaned is also a health risk — left improperly sanitized, a doll owner puts themselves in danger of infection, especially if unprotected while having sex.

Some sex dolls have removable orifices while others have them locked in place. Removable vaginas, anuses, and mouths are generally upgrades available when purchasing your doll. Naturally, removable orifices are much easier to clean.

REMOVABLE ORIFICES

For dolls and robots with removable orifices, detach them after intercourse and flush them out thoroughly. Use a tool like a vaginal irrigator, cleaning sponge, or a douche (all covered below) to clean the inside. Wash with antibacterial soap before drying carefully with a towel. After drying with a towel, use a fan or other means to allow the piece to continue to air dry. There should be absolutely no moisture remaining before you store the orifice away. Do not store a removable orifice in the doll — rather, keep it separate until use.

IRREMOVABLE ORIFICES

If you can’t remove your doll or robot’s orifices, we suggest cleaning them out while you’re showering to avoid making a mess. The procedure here is roughly the same as with irremovable inserts — use a tool to rinse the insides of the orifice before drying it thoroughly.

Don’t let soap linger when washing your orifices as it can eat away at material (especially TPE). Similarly, don’t wait to begin drying your orifices — moisture will find its way into small crevices and ultimately lead to the growth of an unholy hole.

TOOLS FOR FLUSHING OUT ORIFICES

USING A VAGINAL IRRIGATOR

A vaginal irrigator is the best tool for washing out your sex doll or robot’s orifices. Also known as an enema and douche bulb, there are just a few steps in using an irrigator. First, fill it with cold water. Next, insert the curved tip into the orifice that needs to be cleaned. Lastly, squeeze to hit the cavity with a high-powered stream of water. For best results, use an irrigator right after you’ve finished being intimate with your doll. Begin with cold water before switching to warm water and antibacterial soap to best sanitize your doll.

Enema bulbs are not particularly expensive and can be found for as little as $10-$30 on Amazon.

USING A SHOWER HEAD

A removable shower head is a great option for owners looking to cleaning their sex dolls or robots while showering with them. Note that this option is only truly effective if your shower head has a setting for a a high-pressure, aimable, and adjustable single stream — otherwise, you may not adequately be able to adequately flush out the orifice. If you can find a shower head with an adjustable stream, that’s even better. Like a vaginal irrigator, begin with cold water before switching to warm water accompanied by antibacterial soap.

USING A SPONGE

Many doll and robot owners also insist on some friction when cleaning out their doll’s vagina, anus, or mouth. This can be accomplished by either a piece of sponge or a loofah on a stick. After rinsing thoroughly, use your sponge or loofah to gently scrub the inside of the orifice with warm, soapy water. A little bit of elbow grease can go a long way in helping you get rid of any lasting residue.

After you’ve scrubbed your doll, rinse him or her one more time!

OTHER CLEANING TOOL OPTIONS

If you are on a budget, replace your douche or shower head with a water bottle with a squirting mouthpiece. Though the lack of a curve can make it a bit harder to aim the stream of water, a water bottle can work just as well as other rinsing options. Many dolls are delivered with a squirt bottle for this purpose. Remember to start with cold water before switching to a warm water + antibacterial soap solution.

Put a soft towel under your doll, spread the legs, and insert the bottle into the cavity you want to clean. Hold one part of the towel around the part of the bottle that is still outside of the doll. Squeeze the bottle. Water will squirt out of your doll — if you don’t use towels, you’ll make a huge mess everywhere. Continue to squeeze and flush out soap residue. Do this as as many times as necessary.

DRYING YOUR LOVE DOLL

When drying a sex doll or sex robot, don’t ever use a blow dryer on high (or any other intense heat source). Any levels of heat can melt or damage your doll irreparably; this is especially true for TPE dolls.

Generally owners are advised to only use towels and soft cloths to dry off their dolls manually before positioning them to air dry. Microfiber cloths were especially well as they are the least likely to damage your doll’s skin.

Before you lift your doll or robot out of a bathtub or a shower, place a clean, white sheet on your bed or the area where you intend to lay him or her down. After cleaning a doll with irremovable orifices, some owners choose to spread their doll’s legs wide open and place a fan in front of the orifice that needs to dry. Others choose to leave a dry piece of a kitchen paper towel inside the doll’s cavity so it can soak in residual moisture (with the legs left spread).

Whenever you’re not using your love doll or sex robot, make sure that they’re exposed to room air at room temperature. Do not keep them near a humidifier, window, or other source of moisture. When a doll is allowed to accumulate moisture, mold and other dangerous bacteria can grow quickly. In order to constantly vent a small oral cavity, consider placing a hard straw or a pen casing in your doll’s mouth during storage. Just to reiterate, the most important areas are the orifices – they have to be perfectly dry. As it can be hard to reach inside them with a towel, some owners use paper towels, rolled up into oblong shapes, and inserted into her anal and vaginal holes.

OILING YOUR TPE SEX DOLL

For owners of TPE dolls. When your TPE doll is dried and bathed, it is important that you occasionally dry and bathe him or her — about once a month. TPE skin has natural oils that must be maintained and refreshed over time.

Massage your doll with baby oil all over the body. To avoid making a mess, lay your doll on a dedicated white sheet on top of a bed or table with a comforter layer. Baby oil takes some time to set — give it a few hours at least, or let it sit overnight. Once a doll’s skin is no longer sticky and tacky, you’ll know the oil has been fully absorbed.

The most stressed parts of a TPE doll or robot require some extra love. For orifices (vaginal, anal, or mouth cavities), weighted areas (breasts and butt cracks), or jointed areas (elbows, armpits, and inner thighs), setting vaseline in addition to the baby oil is advised. Vaseline will take more time to settle — give it a full night to be absorbed.

POWDERING YOUR SEX DOLL

Sex doll and robot skin is naturally sticky and will attract lint and wig hair if left un-powdered. After your doll has been oiled and the oil has completed setting, the last critically important maintenance step is to apply “renewal powder.” Renenwal powder is generally either baby powder (talcum powder) or cornstarch. Be sure that any leftover moisture from your cleaning or oiling is completely dried — if not, the renewal powder can clump up.

Most of the time, owners just shake renewal powder onto their dolls and the pat and rub it in. Others choose to apply it with a makeup brush.

While powdering your doll makes his or her skin nice and smooth, it also serves a mechanical purpose. Powder after oil improves the elasticity of your doll, preventing tears and abrasions. It is an important step in ensuring your doll lasts a long time.

Unlike bathing your doll, a doll should only really be oiled once per month. You can powder your doll as often as you like, assuming he or she is completely dry first.

SEX DOLL AND SEX ROBOT CLOTHING

While some owners prefer to keep their love dolls and sex robots naked all the time, others prefer clothing (and the thrill of dressing/undressing). For many, there exists a cosplay element to sex dolls — they can always accommodate whatever fantasy or role play you’d like. It is important to note, though, how different kinds of clothing can affect the longevity of your doll.

Certain types of clothing can damage your doll’s skin. Harsher fabrics like denim and fleece can behave like sandpaper over time, dulling the shine that he or she had at first. If too rough, clothing can also lead to a doll becoming more porous — this is especially true among TPE dolls.

Another important factor is the pigment of the clothes your doll wears. Darker pigments on dolls with light skin can wear off onto your doll (especially TPE dolls). This occurs more frequently with both cheap clothes and cheap dolls. If you spend a lot on your doll or robot, it follows that it is also worthwhile to invest in nicer clothes for him or her. Make sure you wash clothing with a darker pigment before dressing your doll or robot.

The same principle that applies to clothing applies to other things with pigment as well. Keep your doll away from inks — newspapers, books, cardboard — tanned or dyed leathers, greases, and any kind of painted surface.

If your doll gets stained by anything with a pigment, you can treat it with Odorless Mineral Spirits. Be cautious, though, that OMS can also pull out intentional pigments, like permanent makeup or manufacturer coloration. Also, a few love doll manufacturers produce sex doll stain removers.

If you end up having to reapply your doll’s makeup, make sure to use powder makeup. Water-based makeup will sink into your doll or robot’s skin, making it much more difficult to remove. To take off this kind of makeup, use a soft makeup remover.

YOUR OWN HYGIENE

Keeping your doll clean is only half of the journey; before being intimate, you have to make sure you are bathed and dried as well! Booth sweat and natural oils from your own skin tend to break down sex doll skin over time. Human oils and sweat react and eat away at both silicone and TPE. The best way to avoid this during intercourse is with a shower beforehand (and with regular renewal powdering).

KEEPING YOUR DOLL OR ROBOT SAFE

Do not let TPE come into contact with silicone. The TPE will chemically react with the silicone and eat away at it over time. If you have dolls from both TPE and silicone makes, ensure that they are stored separately and securely.

Lastly, some owners like to take their dolls outside. There are a few things to remember if you plan to do this: First, too much direct exposure to strong sunlight can ruin or even melt a doll’s skin (just like paler human skin!) Additionally, leaving your doll in an arid environment for too long can dry it out. In some cases, it can even become flaky and start to schluff off like dandruff.

Always assume that your love doll or sex robot are fragile. They can be very expensive, and nothing is more emotionally draining than seeing both an investment and a companion go to waste. Many different things can damage, stain, or corrode your doll’s skin.