Waterproof vs Splashproof Sex Toys: Know What Can Get Wet

The bath is full, you've finally got the bathroom to yourself and the vibrator is coming with you. Then you spot “splashproof” on the box. Ah, shit. That is a different promise.

Splashproof means limited protection from splashes, not permission to dunk a toy. Waterproof can mean it's suitable for immersion, within its stated water limits. For the bath, choose a toy explicitly sold for use under water. If that isn't confirmed, keep it out.

Sort that out before the clothes come off. Reading about water ratings while your bath gets cold is nobody's idea of a decent night.

Splashproof doesn't mean you can dunk it

A few drops land on the toy. Fine, if that's the level of water protection it offers. Leaving the whole thing under water asks a lot more of the seals around the buttons, joins and charging area.

That's the difference between splashes and immersion. A splashproof toy isn't automatically suitable for a soak in the sink or a sustained shower spray, either.

Even waterproof has limits. IPX7, for example, covers temporary immersion under defined conditions, commonly up to one metre for thirty minutes. It doesn't mean unlimited time, boiling water or a blast from powerful jets.

You don't need to become an engineer. You need a clear answer to one question: can this toy go under water for the use you have in mind? “Probably” is an expensive answer if it turns out to be wrong.

The vibrator and remote can have different ratings

Your partner offers to take charge of the buttons. Lovely. Then they put the remote on the wet edge of the bath and look surprised when you move it. The vibrator may belong in the water. The remote might bloody well not.

A waterproof toy can come with a splashproof or non-waterproof remote. Keep the remote dry unless it has its own confirmed protection for that use. One rating doesn't cover everything that arrived in the parcel.

Water can also weaken the signal. Being able to reach the toy's own controls helps if the remote stops responding. Otherwise, your partner's new job may involve repeatedly asking whether anything happened.

Our remote versus app-controlled vibrator guide covers the wider choice. For bath use, think about where the controls will sit as well as where you will.

Waterproof doesn't mean you can boil it

The toy survived the bath, so you're tempted to drop it in hot water for a thorough clean. Hold on. Keeping water out and coping with high temperatures are different things.

A waterproof rechargeable vibrator isn't automatically safe to boil or put in a dishwasher. A washable removable part doesn't mean you can wash the rest of the toy the same way.

The toy cleaner versus soap guide covers cleaning choices. Let the toy dry before charging, keep charging equipment away from water and never charge it in the bath or shower.

If a seal is damaged or a cover no longer closes, keep the toy out of water. Hope is not going to fill the gap.

Make room for yourself as well as the toy

You've chosen a suitable vibrator. Good. Now your elbow is against a tap, one leg has gone somewhere awkward and you can't reach the towel. Turns out the bathroom deserves some thought as well.

Get comfortable with stable support and room to reach the controls. Keep lube off the floor and other surfaces where it could cause a slip. Being in water doesn't replace lube.

If you're sharing the space, our practical shower-sex guide covers the bits films tend to leave out. You can fancy each other without pretending a cramped shower is suddenly spacious.

Buy for where you'll actually use it

If a bath with your vibrator sounds like an excellent way to spend an evening, suitable waterproof protection earns its place on your shopping list. If you always use toys in bed, shape, feel and easy controls may matter more.

Browse the vibrator range with that in mind. A silicone cover, rechargeable battery or photo beside a bathtub doesn't tell you the water rating.

Choose the right toy first. Then you can shut the bathroom door and enjoy some time to yourself, instead of spending it wondering whether you've just drowned your favourite vibrator.