Children love toys because they help stimulate their imagination. Kids will take their toys everywhere. Since toys are exposed to different environments, they can become dirty quickly. You can use the following tips to clean and disinfect different types of toys.
1. Use Disinfectant Surface Wipes
This is the quickest and most effective way to clean plastic toys that use batteries. You cannot wash such toys with water because they can malfunction. However, you can safely use disinfectant surface wipes to clean them. Additionally, you’ll find pacifier wipes on the market to make sure your baby’s pacifiers are always clean. It is recommended that you use pacifier wipes to clean other toys that the child puts in their mouth because they are safe.
2. Use Soap and Water
Soap and water are perfect for cleaning most surfaces. Toys are no exception. Warm water and dish soap are great for cleaning teethers, rattles, and block toys. Use a clean piece of cloth to gently scrub the toys and rinse with warm water before putting them outside to dry.
Source: ShutterstockYou can also load some soft toys in the washer to clean them.
3. Use the Washing Machine
LEGOS are everywhere these days. If your child plays with them, you need to disinfect toys at least once every month. Put the LEGOS in a mesh bag and wash them in the washing machine. A mesh bag prevents LEGO pieces from getting lost while in the machine.
4. Use Benzoyl Peroxide
Kids love to play with anything that they see because they are curious. If a child finds a pen, they will play with it and pour ink on themselves. Even though you can easily wash the ink off clothes and the child’s body, the stain is often difficult to remove once it lands on toys. If the child spills the ink on a doll, you can remove the ink and disinfect the surface using benzoyl peroxide.
5. Use Vinegar and Water
So far, we have talked about cleaning plastic toys because they are the most common. However, some toys are made of wood. Unlike plastic, wood can get damaged when cleaned with the wrong ingredients.
Source: ShutterstockTo disinfect wooden toys, pour similar portions of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on a washcloth and wipe the wooden toys with it.
6. Use Steam
Some toys have dirt and grime trapped between the different components. It can be challenging to scrub off the grime after it has dried and especially when it’s in hard-to-reach places. If you want to disinfect that surface and get rid of the dirt and grime, put that toy on a steamer. The steam will loosen the grime, making it easy to clean the surface.
7. Freeze the Toys
Stuffed animals are likely to pick up dirt and dust as children love to play with them. While you can clean stuffed animals by washing them in the washing machine, the process doesn’t totally get rid of dust mites. After washing and drying the stuffed toy, put in a freezer bag and let it sit for 2 days. That way, you disinfect the toys and get rid of the dust mites.
8. Use Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent antiseptic for cleaning household stuff and disinfecting surfaces. Instead of washing the toys, you can immerse them in hydrogen peroxide for 15 minutes before putting them out to dry. After drying, give them to your child to play with.
Source: Shutterstock9. Use Bleach
Bath toys are tricky to clean because they are in water most of the time. If you don’t dry them properly after use, mildew and mold can grow on them. To get rid of mildew, disinfect the toy with chlorine bleach. Soak the bath toy in the bleach for six minutes and wipe off the mildew or mold. You could also seal the bath toys with glue to prevent water from getting inside and bringing molds.
10. Use Baking Soda
You can’t wash all soft toys in the washing machine. Some get destroyed by the washer.
As a parent, you have to make sure that your children’s toys are always clean to prevent infections. To do so, you can use baking soda, the world’s multi-purpose household cleaner. It’s an excellent way to disinfect toys. Put the stuffed animal in a plastic bag with baking soda. Shake the bag for 3 minutes and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, remove the stuffed animal and vacuum it to get rid of any baking soda on the surface of the toy.
11. Use a Dishwasher
Some toys are safe to wash in the dishwasher. Examples include block pieces and some bath toys. Usually, you have to place the pieces on the top rack of the dishwasher to disinfect them properly.
Apart from cleaning their toys, you also need to encourage your kids to wash their hands before using toys. That way, they don’t spread germs on the surfaces of toys.
You should also teach your kids to return their toys where they found them and not leave them everywhere. Lost toys can easily get mixed up with the disinfected ones, compromising the whole bunch.
