Heyyy Loves! We all know that baby toys can get so gross, right? Whether it’s spit up or drool or just laying around on the floor day after day, baby toys get nasty. Baby’s are always putting everything in their mouth so how do you safely clean and sanitize baby toys?! I am here to give you 5 easy tips to disinfect you home and all items that might come into the hands of your children.
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So what is the difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing?
Cleaning – removes any dirt, oils, or dust
Disinfecting – kills and removes harmful viruses and bacteria
Sanitizing – removes bacteria
You would first want to wash and remove all dirt, grime, dust or whatever from surfaces and then sanitize and disinfect to prevent the spread of germs.
How often do you clean, sanitize, and disinfect your toys?
It really depends on how often they are used. If they are used daily then I clean them once a week or if they are in need of immediate cleaning. For toys that are not used on a regular basis I will clean them either once a month or when they become dingy or dirty.
It is important before we start that you check the manufacturer tags (if any) on all items and follow their instructions.
Plush Toys
Most plush toys are machine washable – make sure they do not have electronics in them – i.e. sing, play music, light up. Check to make sure there are no loose buttons or anything delicate that might get caught and pulled off. DO NOT PUT TOYS WITH BATTERIES IN WASHING MACHINE.
TIP #1: Protect plush toys by putting them into a pillow case or delicates bag. Make sure to tie the end to keep them securely inside.
TIP #2: Wash on delicate with ONLY cold water.
TIP #3: Never wash dark colored toys with light colors. Darker ink colors could run and ruin the other lighter toys.
TIP #4: Use child safe laundry detergent: Seventh Generation, Dreft, All Free Clear, Babyganics are just some examples for baby safe detergents.
TIP #5: Throw in dryer on low OR air dry.
Wooden Toys
TIP #1: NEVER soak wooden toys as it can warp and damage the toys. It can also harbor bacteria if contains too much moisture.
TIP #2: Wipe off any dust with cloth.
TIP #3: Spray with child safe disinfecting spray: Seventh Generation, Babyganics, The Honest Company are just a few that are safe to use.
TIP #4: Wet a cloth with warm water and wipe down all surfaces.
TIP #5: Leave them to air dry. Leaving them to dry in the sunlight will give them a quicker dry time.
BONUS TIP:
DIY Child Safe Cleaning Spray: 1/4 cup of white vinegar to every 1 cup of water – add to empty spray bottle.
Rubber Or Plastic Toys
Most plastic and rubber toys are dishwasher safe – but always check with manufacturer first. I would NOT put any hand painted or delicate plastics/rubbers in the dish washer.
To manually wash all toys that cannot go into the dishwasher:
TIP #1: Plug the drain of your sink or use a large bowl or bucket and fill with warm soapy water (Dawn soap works just fine)
TIP #2: Soak toys for about 10 minutes and then drain the sink, bowl, or bucket.
TIP #3: In sink, bucket, or bowl make your bleach solution: 2 tablespoons bleach for every 4 cups of water.
TIP #4: Soak toys again for only about 2 minutes to disinfect and sanitize.
TIP #5: Rinse off with warm water and wipe dry.
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