Cleaning Toddler's and Children's Toys: Safety Guidelines
Whenever I think of playgrounds or public play spaces I think one word: GERMS! Children I don’t know slobbering and mucking up my kids' favorite toys is generally what keeps me carrying antibacterial sprays and gels on me at all times. It’s also why you can most often find my kids and me always in the bathroom washing our hands. The hard truth is that even toys that only your kids play with at home get icky and to stay hygienic and healthy, require good scrubbings now and then.
Babies in specific, like to explore and examine their surroundings and everything in them with their mouths. That’s why it’s so important to know how to keep your toddler's toys clean because at any time they are likely to be sucked on and saliva is germy. Even older kids who get dirty, sweaty, and are touching many unclean surfaces put a lot of grime on their toys or equipment. If you are a parent of a child most any age, cleaning toys is part of the gig.
How To Clean Toys Safely For Children
The best ways to keep toys clean in a safe way for your little ones differ a bit with the materials they are made with along with what they are used for.
Plastic
Plastic can be put in a pot of boiling water. Let them sit for approximately 5 minutes, and then use tongs—because they will be hot—and sit them out on a dry towel to cool and dry off. If the toys you are cleaning are made 100 percent of plastic you can save yourself some time and just stick them in the dishwasher. Remember though, even if they are made fully of plastic, those toys that have batteries, or wiring, things that don’t work well with water, shouldn’t be put in the dishwasher. The gentle cycle will do it, and then take them out to air dry on a rack or a dry towel.
Those toys with crevices and intricated details or hard-to-get holes can use a toothbrush to scrub out the grime. Toothpicks are another handy tool to have on hand for plucking out debris from tiny spaces.
Wood
There aren’t too many toys nowadays made out of wood, but for those that are, or those that have wooden parts, there is a way to easily clean them. Wood doesn’t take too well to water. It can suck up the moisture and cause splintering and rough surfaces which makes wooden toys more splinter-prone. That isn’t going to be a good time for anyone.
Wiping the wood clean using a lint-free cloth that won’t get fibers stuck in any grains works. Dip the cloth in 50/50 distilled white vinegar and water as the solution to use. Vinegar does wonders on breaking down grime and grease. Mild soapy water using dish soap or baby soap is also a feasible option.
After the solution has been applied to the wood and thoroughly cleans it, it is time to remove residue and any leftover ickiness. A damp towel with water works well to wipe down one last time. If there are particularly dirty areas, a cotton ball soaked with rubbing alcohol can get into those tough sections. If you do this, just remember to also wipe off with a towel dampened with water before you let it air dry.
Fabric
Lots of toys and playthings are made with cloth or have some type of fabric on them. Baby wipes are excellent to spot-clean. As long as there are no electrical, batteries, or mechanical components, you can put fabric toys in the washer. Sometimes the heat can help remove deep-down dirt. If you throw these extra grubby fabrics in the dryer on medium for 10-15 minutes you can loosen some of the scuzz out of the fibers and will have a better time to wash and remove it.
Rubber Toys and Board Books
The 50/50 mixture of distilled white vinegar and water for wiping down, followed by a wipe of the water-dampened towel to remove residue is the way to go. Remember that for books, moisture can cause the pages to stick together and that will ruin them. Keep pages separated while they dry.
Bath Toys
The big issue with bath toys is that if they don’t ever completely dry out, they can get slimy mold. Molds can cause a plethora of problems for children including breathing issues, congestion, or sickness. Soaking in the 50/50 vinegar mixture mentioned above does it, just make sure that you are using very hot water. A weekly soak should keep them healthy and safe, but if you need to get a more intense clean, as long as they are all plastic you can run them through the dishwasher. If you go this route, do it the same way you would for plastics as described earlier in this article.
Metal
Not too much is made of metal these days. But most often, metal is used in combination with other materials-specifically rubber. Think of toy cars with metal bodies and rubber wheels. Unfortunately, the dishwasher isn’t going to work out for you with metal toys that have these other materials because the heat will degrade them dramatically. A tablespoon of bleach and one quart of water will work for a quick soak. Or, you can use this mixture to wipe them the toys down. Air drying is best.
Toys that are used on a daily basis, like a plastic doll that is always in baby’s mouth, can do well with weekly cleaning. But for the most part, you can just clean as needed. When your child’s toys become a bit out of control with gunk, it doesn’t hurt to take a day to go through them and give them a good scrubbing or soaking. The other time you may want to consider cleaning is if your child is overcoming some type of illness, like a stomach bug. Getting these dastardly microbes and viruses removed from toys will help prevent constant re-infection.
Resources— Better Homes And Gardens, Essential Home And Garden, National Center for Biotechnology Information
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