Family & Home Tips
How to Clean Baby Toys: A Simple Guide to Safe Toy Cleaning
How Do You Clean Stuffed and Fabric Toys
They may look all cute and innocent, but stuffed toys can harbor germs and dust mites (even babies can have allergic reactions). "The more often you can wash them, the better," says Kelly A. Reynolds, PhD, professor of Environmental Health Sciences at The University of Arizona in Tucson.It’s especially key to clean playthings after your baby’s been sick or another tot has been slobbering all over them. For machine-washable toys, use hot water. "However, the majority of germs will be killed in the dryer regardless of wash conditions," notes Reynolds, "so dry the item completely using the highest temperature."Cleaning Non-Machine Washable Stuffed and Fabric Toys
Surface clean the toy with a sanitizing spray that has ‘disinfectant’ or ‘sanitizing’ on the label and says it’s EPA certified. Also check the label to see if the product needs to be rinsed before children come into contact with it. Then let the toy completely air-dry.Cleaning and Disinfecting Baby Toys
Before your child gets his hands on a new plastic toy, wash it in the top rack of your dishwasher using hot water or the sanitizer cycle. Or clean it well with disinfecting wipes, sanitizer sprays, or diluted bleach (check the instructions on the bottle for specific diluting instructions). "Bleach is much cheaper than other cleansers, kills a broader spectrum of germs, and works quickly," Reynolds says.How Do You Clean Bath Toys
Dump water out of bath toys after each use and dry them to avoid mold. As often as is realistic for you, submerge them in a sink with diluted bleach. If you can see or smell mildew or mold after disinfecting, toss the toy.How To Clean and Disinfect Board Books
Swipe baby’s reading material with disinfecting wipes (not the same as baby wipes). Goodbye, germs!
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Stuffed and fabric toys can harbor germs and dust mites. For machine-washable toys, wash in hot water and dry completely on a high temperature setting to help eliminate germs.
For toys that cannot be machine washed, surface clean using a sanitizing spray labeled as a disinfectant and EPA-certified. Allow the toy to fully air-dry before use.
Plastic baby toys can be cleaned in the top rack of the dishwasher using hot water or a sanitizing cycle. Alternatively, wipe with disinfecting wipes, sanitizer spray, or a properly diluted bleach solution. Ensure toys are rinsed and fully dried before returning to use.
Empty bath toys after each use and allow them to dry thoroughly to prevent mold growth. Periodically soak them in a diluted bleach solution, rinse well, and air-dry. If mold persists, it is safest to discard the toy.
Board books can be wiped down with disinfecting wipes. Avoid using baby wipes, as they are not designed to disinfect surfaces. Allow books to dry completely before handling.
