Looking at the toy bin and thinking that these toys have seen better days? Or have your kids had a lot of sicknesses the last couple months? Either way, with springtime on its way, it's never been a better time to give Mr. Teddy and all his friends a good "bath." Let's talk about a few toy groups and ways to clean toys so that can help you feel confident that the germs are gone.
Cleaning Soft or Plush Toys
My kids stuffed animals can carry a lot of dirt, and they love to cuddle with them at night. My daughter has a Cuddle+Kind stuffed animal by her side all day! So I really like to have a regular cleaning schedule with them. I always check the labels first and you should too!
I have found that many of the care tags on stuffed animals say they can go in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with mild detergent and hang to dry. I like to put everything like this in a laundry bag or in a pillow case knotted at the top to be safe. Some of our stuffed animals tags have instructions to hand wash and hang dry.
To hand wash a stuffed animal:
- Fill a bucket or sink with cold water that is deep enough to submerge the toy.
- Add mild detergent to the water--just a small amount will do.
- Gently squeeze the toy to get it wet and saturate it with detergent. Then gently scrub it with a cloth, but don't scrub too hard, particularly with older toys which may have loose threads or worn fabric.
- Drain the sink or bucket, then refill with cold water, rinsing the toy. Or hold the toy under cold running water to wash out the detergent. Avoid wringing the toy.
- Let the toy air dry--if you want, you can roll it in a dry towel first to get out excess water.
Remember that stuffed animals with batteries or other electronics needs to be spot cleaned only!
Plastic Toys
I find this to be a fairly easy group of toys to clean. One reminder is to remove any batteries before getting the toy wet! If the toy just needs a wipe down and do not need any form of disinfection, you can use a mixture 1:1 of water and vinegar to wipe down, then rinse and allow it to air dry. If a child has been sick and played with the toy you will want to disinfect it--simply wipe it down with a disinfecting wipe.
Some plastic toys and even some silicone teethers may be dishwasher safe too, and can be put on the top rack of the next load! This will help clean them thoroughly and sanitize them.
Wooden Toys
I love wooden toys because they are beautiful and timeless. But you need to be a little more careful when cleaning them, as getting them too wet can ruin the wood and cause mold to grow. A cloth that is a little damp to get off any grime, dust, or dirt will usually do the trick. I would only use a disinfecting wipe if its needed from spit up or a child was sick.
Bath Toys
Bath time in our house is a toy party, and my toddler's favorite time of the day! I think that it's easy to overlook cleaning bath toys since they are getting wet and soapy all the time. You can also use a toothbrush or dish sponge with a dot of dish soap to scrub off soap scum and grime from all your bath toys when you're ready for a deep clean. However, hollow bath toys with holes that allow them to hold water inside can easily grow a shocking amount of mold. Don't forget that a clean outside also means a clean inside with these toys. For these types of toys, try to squeeze them out thoroughly after each bath. To clean them out, fill them with one part white vinegar to three parts hot water, let them soak for 10 minutes, then squeeze them out and let dry.
An alternative is to seal up the hole with a drop of hot glue. While this may make it harder to squeeze or squirt water, if you think your child won't notice the difference, it's an easy way to prevent mold growth.
Another option is to make the hole in the toy larger using a drill so that water can more easily stream out after each bath, leaving less moisture and allowing it to dry out completely.
I stay away from any bath toys that I don't feel confident can be cleaned in new, clean, soapy water and dry out completely after each use. Squigz are a huge hit at our house!
I know that we as parents work hard to keep the house clean--it's a job that never seems to be finished. So the additional effort of cleaning toys may be overwhelming, but it's still important to do occasionally. You can set aside a time every month or ever few months to buckle down for a deep clean. I do it either when I can see that the toys need it or if I know that it has been a while since the last time I did it--and, of course, after my child has been sick. It can be a great chore to tack on to a spring cleaning regimen, since we're all (hopefully) coming out of cold and flu season and ready to obliterate all those germs that may still be hanging around in the nooks and crannies of those play sets and stuffies.
As parents we want to keep our kids safe and healthy and that is why you are looking for an article to help you keep your kids prized possessions clean for them! I want to mention that when you are cleaning with any sanitizers and disinfectants and the AAP has suggested guidelines to stick to keep your baby safe.
Happy cleaning, friends!