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How to clean plush toys in the washerĬolorfast, plain stuffed animals and fabric books are usually safe to clean in your washing machine. If you ever see mold inside a toy or mold comes out when you shake or squeeze it, immediately toss the toy out. It's safest to avoid using hollow toys with holes - even rubber duckies - in the bathtub, but if you do, make sure to vigorously shake or squeeze out as much water as you can and allow them to thoroughly air dry after each use. Even mesh toy caddies may not allow enough air to circulate to completely dry the toys inside. When water gets trapped inside, mold grows. Keep in mind: Bath toys with holes in the bottom are particularly problematic. This will remove any remnants of the cleaning solution. While these are all safe ways to clean, sanitize and disinfect baby and children's toys, after air drying, you should always give them another thorough warm water rinse and let them air dry again. Always make a fresh bleach solution each time.
1/2 cup chlorine bleach and one gallon of water.īe sure to keep the toy's surface wet for at least 10 seconds to sanitize with a wipe (or for the time recommended on the product's label) and for five minutes to disinfect with the bleach and water solution and let it air dry.
A cloth wet with a a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. You can also disinfect or sanitize all colorfast plastic baby and children's toys with: Select the normal or sanitizing cycle and heated dry and be sure to thoroughly air or towel dry any toys that may come out of the dishwasher still wet. Nestle large toys securely between the tines in the rack and put small toy pieces into a mesh bag to keep them from jostling around with the forceful water spray. Solid plastic toys, like rubber rings, animal figures and building blocks and bricks can easily be cleaned in your dishwasher's top rack. They are EPA registered, but keep in mind that they work more slowly than traditional disinfecting wipes and the surface needs to stay visibly wet for 10 minutes to be the most effective. If you are looking for a more natural, plant-based alternative to chemical disinfectants, products like Seventh Generation Disinfecting Wipes, kill germs with thymol, a component of thyme oil. Play icon The triangle icon that indicates to play You are better off just washing toys in hot sudsy water to clean them. Vinegar is a great household grease cutter and limescale remover and while it can kill some germ strains, it's not powerful enough to reach the sanitizing and disinfecting levels required to be recognized and registered by the EPA. Baby toys that are the most likely to be put in a child's mouth and dropped on the floor are the ones that need the most frequent attention. Electronic toys are only safe for surface cleaning and should get a sanitizing wipe down weekly and always whenever a child is sick. Freshen and spot clean non-washable plush toys when they need it. Plush toys are often machine washable and dry-able, so it's easy to launder them once a week (especially if children sleep with them), every other week, or as needed. Hard plastic and bath toys are the easiest to maintain and should be cleaned and sanitized weekly if they are played with daily. It's always important to clean and sanitize toys more frequently when your child is ill or has the flu and to do it all again once they've recovered. These are general guidelines for when your child is healthy. How frequently toys need cleaning depends on how loved they are (a.k.a how much they get played with). Below, our Good Housekeeping Cleaning Lab recommends how - and how often - to clean and kill germs on toys to help keep your children safe. Besides the visible dirt and grime, toys can harbor germs, allergens or worse, mold.ĭifferent toys require different cleaning methods not only to get them clean, but to keep them looking and working their best.
That means they get played with, tossed around, slept with, chewed on and who knows what else? Before long, that beautiful, pristine teddy bear looks like a gnarly mess. Let's face it: Your child's toys are their most prized possessions, often by his or her side 24/7.