Oil Eats Rubbers


Oil rots condoms
and makes them break!

Oil can eat holes in a rubber in 60 seconds. These holes are too tiny to see, but they are big enough for the AIDS virus and other germs to get through. There is oil in lipstick, chapstick, hand and face creams, crisco, butter, vaseline, vitamin E and ointments for rashes and sores (like for yeast, herpes or hemorrhoids). Lotions that say water-soluble are not water-based! They could still contain oil that eats latex.

Only use water-based
lube with latex condoms.

Remember, wipe off lipstick or chapstick before giving a blow-job with a rubber, especially if you're going to use the same condom for fucking. (Fucking with flavoured condoms can give you yeast.) When doing massage, keep oil away from the crotch (unless you're just giving a hand-job). Always wash oil off your hands before touching condoms. Water-based lubes that do not eat condoms include K-Y, Muko, Wet, Astroglide, and Probe.


The new oil-friendly
condoms are not latex.

Condoms made of polyurethane like the female condom or Avanti aren't damaged by oil. They stop things as small as sperm or viruses like HIV in lab tests. But these condoms are still being tested to see if they're risky for pregnancy or STDs during sex!

References for "Oil Eats Rubbers" include:

How "Oil Eats Rubbers" was made...


For free info & testing for STDs contact:

  • AIDS & STDs Clinic . . . . . .
  • . . . . . . . . . . . . 828 W. 10th Ave., 660-6161
  • Richards St. Clinic . . . . . . . .
  • . . . . . . . . . . . . 1237 Richards St., 660-6776
  • Main St. Clinic . . . . . . . . . . .
  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Main St., 660-9695
  • Safe Company . . . . . . . . . . .
  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1170 Bute St., 660-7949
  • AIDS Vancouver Helpline
  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 687-AIDS
  • B.C. AIDSline . . . . . . . . . . .
  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 872-6652

    More Health Cards... [Safe Sex Tips] [Rights Groups]

    Created: July 13, 1995
    Last modified: January 25, 2000
    SWAV Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver
    Box 3075, Vancouver, BC V6B 3X6
    Tel: +1 (604) 488-0710
    Email: swav@walnet.org