Trusted for 24+ Years
Are Most Glass Sex Toys Safe?
Dr. Lisa Lawless, CEO of Holistic Wisdom
Clinical Psychotherapist: Relationship & Sexual Health Expert
What You Need To Know
Many sex toy companies sell unsafe glass sex toys and use words like Pyrex or borosilicate to assure consumers that what they are selling is safe. But is that true?
You may be surprised to learn that most glass sex toys are unsafe. This glass sex toy guide will dive into the nitty-gritty to educate you on what makes safe glass dildo or sex toy.
The Importance Safe Glass Sex Toys
We specialize in sexual health education and sex toy safety. That is why we must let you know that not all glass sex toys are properly made and are weak, which is a serious health risk.
In certain instances, they can contain toxic chemicals in the glass and sometimes, these toxic chemicals can also be found in the paint used for its decoration.
Properly Annealed Glass
To produce a glass sex toy that guarantees safety, it's essential to utilize a robust type of annealed glass. Neglecting this may result in the toy being susceptible to cracks or breaks.
The majority of glass dildos currently available are hastily manufactured in China without appropriate annealing. This is critical to ensuring your glass sex toys are safe. The last thing you want to happen is having a cheaply made glass sex toy break while they are inside of you.
Old Pyrex Vs. New Pyrex
Pyrex® glass used to embody strength and safety. However, the name Pyrex really does not embody the same standards it once held due to the sale of its patent and trademark, along with its parent company Corning, to World Kitchen. Consequently, many Pyrex glass products no longer maintain their former quality.
Upon evaluation, it becomes evident that the much of the new Pyrex glass demonstrates significant stress, indicating its inferior quality compared to the old Pyrex. Experts in glassmaking offer little praise for the new Pyrex brand, often criticizing its inherent quality.
False Scare Tactics
Some companies can mislead customers by feigning to provide educational services and assuring the safety of their products, which, in reality, may be of subpar quality.
In some instances, they even go so far as to assert that cheap glass dildos are made from the same glass windows are typically made out (most often called float glass). These companies warn of how these sex toys will easily break into tiny bits and pieces, but these claims are often false scare tactics.
See more information about this through our Fear-based Sex Toy Marketing Hype Guide
How to Test Your Own Glass Sex Toys
The reality is, though there are cheap glass sex toys that will crack under stress, they are not made of the same glass as windows. Intriguingly, many companies that employ exaggerated fear-based marketing have their glass sex toys perform poorly on simple stress tests. This is easily seen using a polariscope, an instrument that employs polarized light to detect material stress.
They are fundamentally deceiving their customers into believing that their glass sex toys are durable because they don't use window glass. This misrepresentation sidesteps the actual issue, which is their possible usage of other types of hazardous glass in their products.
You may try to test your glass sex toys using a circular polarizing filter lens, also known as a polarized camera lens. You would ideally carry out this test against a pure white computer monitor screen, or preferably inside a white photo light tent lit by a pure white light source. However, be mindful that this method is less effective with dark glass, as it doesn't show stress in the glass easily.
- If the glass is strong, it will appear clear but may also show slightly gold or indigo in the glass sex toy. When you examine kitchenware known to be made of older Pyrex glass, you'll typically find it clear and devoid of any signs of strain.
- If you see rainbows, that will indicate that the glass was not properly tempered or annealed. It means it is weak and has a lot of stress points throughout it which means it can break easily.
Why Is Proper Annealing So Important?
Annealing fundamentally refers to how a glass sex toy is cooled down. It's important to note that glass must be created at very high temperatures (over 1000 degrees Fahrenheit). Then, for the glass to properly harden and cure, it must be cooled down very slowly and at an accurately measured pace.
To do this takes time and money because you cannot quickly mass-produce glass toys. This underscores the risk of cheap glass sex toys, as mass production often neglects the proper annealing process. This negligent method makes the glass potentially hazardous for use within the human body due to the risk of breakage.
The Schott glass used to make our dildos, once correctly annealed, exhibits a slick, smooth texture and holds heat or cold effectively. This glass is resilient and robust and can safely withstand the heat of a dishwasher or microwave.
You can make these glass sex toys nice and warm to mimic a lover or cold to create different sensory experiences on various parts of the body. To do this, you might consider keeping hot water or ice close to the bed and submerging the toy before use.
Keep in mind that no matter how strong glass is, you have to gradually warm and cool them or they can crack when exposed to extreme swings in temperature. Our glass has no pores and absorbs nothing, so when sanitized, it is unable to transmit STDs, bacteria, or smell. It does not stain and is not only a durable toy that will last a lifetime but is also quite beautiful.
Are Colored Glass Sex Toys Safe?
Applying color safely to glass requires a specific method incorporating colored glass inside the clear glass. This should be performed correctly to ensure safety. Ideally, it should be a thick layer of clear glass added over the colored glass providing safety, durability and optimal hygiene.
Only Master Glass Artisans understand how to achieve this; deviations from these standard procedures could result in a weaker glass product that is unfit and unsafe for sexual use.
Making colored glass will change the physical attributes of glass, so the color formula has to be appropriately chemically altered to create safe glass sex toys. Many colored glass sex toys on the market are not using the proper chemical alterations to ensure strong glass.
As a testament to how strong glass sex toys can be, our glass is so strong that we have dropped it onto a concrete floor from a height of 5 feet, and it not only did not break the glass, it did not even crack or have micro-fractures.
While this doesn't imply they're invincible or that you should recreate this experiment, we did want to illustrate the remarkable robustness of properly made glass dildos such as ours.
We have sold them for over two decades and we are always impressed by the level of punishment they can endure when we hear stories from customers who have accidentally dropped them. That being said, it is critical never to utilize a glass sex toy that displays any signs of damage, such as cracks or breakage.
Buyer Beware of Glass Paint
Certain glass adult toys are decorated with spray paint or brush on paint on their surface or just below it, a process referred to as glass painting. However, it's crucial to note that these types of glass adult toys can pose safety concerns and, thus, are not recommended for sexual use.
The utilization of glass sex toys can potentially pose a health risk due to the toxicity of the paints used, which may include harmful elements like arsenic, lead, mercury, sulfides, antimony, and chromates, among other toxins.
You most likely will not find lead in cheap glass toys because leaded glass is more expensive and, therefore, wouldn't be used. However, consumers should remain cautious about the potential presence of toxic paints and decals.
Additionally, the quality of the glass used and whether or not it has undergone the proper annealing process, contributing to its strength and durability, is another concern for consumers.
Glass paints can also contain solvents that can degrade the skin, and because the skin is absorbent, these potent toxins can cause extreme tissue damage and even cancer.
Due to these apprehensions and the potential risks of fragile glass that could shatter and inflict significant harm, it's essential to understand what you are buying if you decide to purchase glass sex toys.
Again, this is why we are very particular about the glass dildos that we sell and have a limited selection as we refuse to sell cheap, poor-quality products that may break or cause health risks.
Why Is Properly Annealed Glass Ideal To Use?
- It is extremely strong and safe to use sexually.
- Provides a slippery surface that allows for easy penetration vaginally, anally, or orally.
- It has no pores to absorb lubricants and minimizes the need for it.
- Can be sterilized between uses and partners.
- It is odor resistant.
- Is hypoallergenic.
What Is German Schott Glass?
German Schott glass is the glass we use to make our glass dildos and it comes from the company Schott AG, which is a German multinational company specializing in manufacturing glass and glass ceramics. Specifically, it is Schott's Borosilicate Glass (BOROFLOAT®).
The company was founded in 1884 by Otto Schott, a pioneer in technical glass production, as it is known for its excellent thermal resistance and chemical stability.
Schott glass is used in various applications due to its specific properties, such as temperature resistance, chemical durability, and optical clarity, for applications in pharmaceutical packaging, optical devices like telescopes, electronics, and more.
Schott AG does not make our sex toys directly; rather, it is the glass our artisan glass blowers use to make them. Borosilicate glass is known for its low coefficients of thermal expansion, making it resistant to thermal shock. It is used for many scientific, laboratory, cooking, and industrial applications.
How To Clean Glass Sex Toys
It is not hard to clean glass sex toys. Our German Schott glass can be washed with soap and water, sex toy cleaner. Make sure the water is at room temperature before adding or removing glass as sudden, drastic temperature changes may, on rare occasions, crack the glass. Remember to stay away from abrasives so as not to scratch them.
Heating Glass Sex Toys Made Of Schott Glass
Since our Schott glass insulates and holds temperatures, warming your glass sex toy may provide additional sensory stimulation. The safest and proper way to heat your glass takes about 20 - 25 minutes.
Make sure your glass is at room temperature, and then add very warm tap water directly onto it or submerge it in a bowl or sink.
Keep it submerged for about 5 minutes. Carefully pour or drain 1/2 to 2/3 of the water from the bowl or sink, leaving the glass partially underwater. If you want it warmer, you can fill the remainder of the bowl or sink with boiling water and soak for 20 minutes.
Always test the temperature before using glass to burn the skin at high heat. Remember that glass retains heat remarkably well, so proceed cautiously when handling it.
Cooling Glass Sex Toys Made Of Schott Glass
Freezing glass toys is not a good idea. It may stick to the skin or crack if thawed too rapidly. For this reason, we recommend avoiding extreme cooling or freezing methods.
Use the same process to safely cool your toy as you use to heat it. Just substitute cool water for the very warm tap water and use ice water with ice cubes instead of boiling water. This process should also take 20 - 25 minutes.
In Closing
Made right here in the United States, our glass toys are meticulously annealed glass that is custom-made for each order placed. They are handblown using patented designs called borosilicate by the German company Schott. Because they are handblown, no two erotic art objects are ever exactly the same.
Our handmade process ensures each piece is properly made for longevity and safety. What's more, our products are completely free of lead and devoid of spray paint, unlike some mass-producing competitors who may incorporate potentially toxic elements.
Each hand-crafted glass treasure embodies beauty and pleasure, making it a thoughtful gesture of self-love or a heartwarming present for a lover. We have customers who have been creating collections showcasing these intricate works.
However, more than simply aesthetic, these creations unlock a world of safety, enjoyment, and comfort. Nurtured with appropriate care, they have the potential to become timeless sexual companions on your journey of sensual exploration.