You should consider care and maintenance a factor in choosing a sex toy. They must be cleaned carefully after and before each use.

Remove the batteries before you clean and when you store your toy, to prevent corrosion. Also, batteries can leak and ruin the internal workings.

The quickest and surest way to clean and sterilize your sex toys is by using an non-irritating, alcohol-free, anti-bacterial toy cleaner. Look for a fragrance and alcohol-free, anti-bacterial toy cleaner. Toys can also be cleaned by wiping them with a damp, soapy washcloth or baby wipes.

Take care with the non-waterproof models to use a toy cleaner or use a slightly damp washcloth when cleaning. If water does enter the internal compartment, wipe out what you can with a dry cloth and keep the base off the vibrator until it has a chance to air dry.

Cyberskin and other realistic materials like it, need to also have talcum powder sprinkled on them to keep the material fresh.

Some materials have specific cleaning requirements … read and follow any instructions that come with them, or follow the general advice above.

When considering a place to store toys, think carefully. Many toys are used within the body, which is not a place to be putting dirt and bacteria!

Jelly toys are particularly bad for attracting dust and bits, so be sure that the location is clean.

Toys should be wrapped separately in clean cotton cloths to prevent any transfer of bacteria that may have slipped through cleaning. Washing the toy again before use is also a good habit to get into.

Rather than giving each other gifts, how about doing something together? Here’s five romantic gift ideas for the special person in your life.

1. Make your own candle kit. You’ll pour the candle wax, watch it dry, and then let the sparks fly over a candlelight dinner for two.

2. Massage for two. Make an appointment at your local day spa to learn the latest massage techniques. You’ll learn tips that will relax each other for years to come.

3. Chocolate supreme. Make an ice cream sundae together with loads of chocolate sauce. Pretty soon you’ll be feeding each other this tasty treat and kissing the night away.

4. Weekend getaway. Leave the laptop and blackberry behind and create a weekend for just the two of you.

5. Couples Photo Album. Go to your local photo studio and take a series of romantic poses together.

A question often asked is what’s the average length of a penis.

A non-erect penis usually measures between 3-4 inches from tip to base.

Many factors can cause a temporary shrinkage of two inches or more, for instance cold weather or going swimming, so you needn’t worry if you happen to fall short of the average.

Of course, it’s true that some men have big penises and some have smaller ones, just as some men have small feet and some have big feet, but the measurement is not - an index of virility.

Most people think that a tall man will usually have a large penis, but this is not true. The distinguished American researchers Masters and Johnson measured the penile lengths of more than 300 men.

• The largest organ was 5.5 inches in the flaccid state. It belonged to a slim man who was 5′ 7″ tall.
• The smallest penis measured 2.25 inches. It belonged to a fairly heavily built man of 5′ 11″.

It’s also worth pointing out that there is no correlation between penile size and race.

We’ve talked about the length of the penis in its ordinary non-erect state, but how long should it be when it’s erect?

Interestingly, most penises are very much the same size when erect.

• The man whose non-erect penis is smallish will usually achieve about a 100 per cent increase in length during sexual excitement.
• The man whose non-erect penis is on the largish size will probably manage about a 75 per cent increase.
• This means the great majority of penises measure between 15cm and 18cm (6-7 inches) when erect, with the average figure being about 16.5cm (6.5 inches).

So you can see that even if a man has got a ’small’ penis, he’s got a built-in compensating factor that will bring him up to about the same size as the guy who appears to be ‘better equipped’ in the shower room.

Use these tips to achieve a stress free get away:

1. Go at least one area code away.

2. Choose a location that fits your vacation style — a city if you need to keep busy, the country if you like to slow down.

3. Consider the size of the bed and breakfast. Do you want to be the only guests in a small inn or be part of the crowd at larger inn?

4. Let the innkeepers know why you’re coming. Many will put in a litle extra effort to help make your stay even better.

5. Make a deal with your traveling partner that work-related conversation is off-limits.

6. Leave behind your cell phone, laptop computer and beeper. If you just can’t leave them behind, bribe the innkeeper to keep them so you aren’t checking them constantly!

7. Bring along a personal project. Something you’ve wanted to finish for a long time (a book, cross-stitch project, etc.).

8. Bring a board game or two in case it rains and you wind up being stuck inside the bed and breakfast.

9. Remind yourself that everything at work (or at home) will go smoothly without you.

10. Afternoon naps can be quite effective at shutting out the worries of the world.