How To Clean Toys Hygienically

Many of our fans often ask us how to clean toys well here are some easy toy cleaning tips!

Now that we are all stuck at home – we are told to keep our houses as clean as possible to reduce the risk of spreading germs.  The most germy place in the house has to be the toy box.  Here’s how to get them totally sparkling clean!

How to Clean Bath Toys:

Once bath toys get mould in them it is very difficult to get the mould out. So, prevention is much better than the cure. Raid your hubby’s shed and block the hole with waterproof silicon – make sure you press it right in so little mouths can’t get it. That way no water can get in there and no mould!  Make sure that silicon is totally set overnight before giving the toy back to the kids.

To give them a wash, just run them through the washing up water with a bit of washing up liquid – give them a quick rinse.  Easy.

Invest in a bath net or even use one of those orange net bags that you buy oranges in.  After every bath, squeeze as much water out of the toys as possible and place in the bag to drain further.

To get rid of mould in the toys get a bucket of nice hot soapy water and first give the bath toys a good wash on the outside. Then place them in a bucket of fresh water with 3 cups of white vinegar added.  Make sure you squeeze the toys so that they soak up some of the vinegar water. Leave overnight, then shake well and empty and rinse in clean water.

DO NOT use bleach do you really want your baby sucking on these toys after they have been covered in bleach?  Nope!

How to Clean Plastic Toys, Lego and Blocks (with no electronics):

One of the quickest and easiest way to clean these toys is to pop them all into a pillowcase, tie it off with a lacky band (you don’t want them escaping), then run them through your washing machine on a hot cycle.  Dry them on a towel out in the sun.

This is a particularly great way to clean bulk lego!

Another wonderful way to make sure the plastic toys are clean is pop them in the dishwasher!  Load them up add a few drops of eucalyptus oil (it removes sticky stuff) and wash on a warm setting. They will come out as good as new, sterilised and best of all squeaky clean!

How to Clean Stuffed Toys:

Believe it or not, most soft toys and dolls are machine washable! Just pop them in a pillowcase and wash on a gentle cycle (in cold water).  Of course don’t wash something particularly delicate they aren’t made for washing so it’s only an occasional thing or when they get beyond grotty!

Very large plush toys can be washed by opening a bottom seam and removing the stuffing, washing the fur on gentle then re-stuffing.  Yes it is a bit of a pain – but just about the only way to do it right!

How to Clean Other Non-Washable Toys:

Some toys just cannot be washed with water so the best way to overcome this problem is to wipe them down with a disinfected wipe. Toys such as:

• Soft toys and dolls, that can’t be machine washed
• Battery operated toys with moving parts
• Electronic talking/music toys- that have non-removable electronic modules
• Anything metal
• Dolls with moving eyes or eyelashes
• Plush toys or dolls with cardboard inserts (in paws/feet etc.)

Don’t forget to get in between all the little openings and deep down all those small cracks!

Follow these tips and your kids toys will look refreshed and some might even look brand new again.

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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