How to Clean Your Baby’s Toys

One way to keep your baby safe and healthy is to make sure that all of his things are clean. This includes his crib, high chair, baby carriage, stroller, and of course, his toys. Cleaning your baby’s toys may seem like an arduous task since there are usually a lot of them; but it’s a task worth doing. Make sure that you clean your baby’s toys at least once a month and always, after he/she has been sick.

Here’s how to keep your baby’s toys as clean and germ-free as possible:

First, make sure there are 2 to 3 different sets of toys so you can alternate cleaning and sanitizing. Babies usually have a lot of toys to choose from so alternately taking them in and out to be cleaned and sanitized is not a problem.

Put the toys that you want to clean warm soapy water and let them soak for about 5 minutes. Use an effective cleanser that is safe for your baby. There are some cleaners out there that do not contain harsh chemicals but use plant based cleaning agents instead.

After soaking the toys, scrub them to remove dirt and grime. Germs can stick to the surface so it is necessary to scrub them. Make sure to scrub each toy thoroughly. After cleaning the toys, rinse them thoroughly to get rid of all soap residue.

Some would recommend sanitizing babies’ toys in a solution of ¼ cup of household bleach to a gallon of water since diluted bleach is considered safe for cleaning children’s toys because chlorine evaporates quickly. However, research has shown that cleaning with bleach and other chemicals releas poisons in the air we breathe at home. What’s more, harmful toxins may be ingested by your child (since kids put things in their mouths) however small the amount. Long term exposure could result in serious illnesses such as lung disease and tooth corrosion.

As thus, it is best to use baby-safe all purpose wipes that contain natural cleaning agents and no harmful chemicals.

You might also want to consider using hydrogen peroxide. It is a non-toxic, oxygenated bleach that is one of the most environmentally safe chemicals on the market today. It works by releasing oxygen to do the bleaching process and then converts them to water once the process is complete. It is also biodegradable. Use it to disinfect baby’s stuff especially after he/she has had a cold or the flu.

You can also disinfect toys by wiping them with a mixture of baking soda and warm water or white vinegar and warm water. Both baking soda and white vinegar are natural, mild disinfectants that are safe for your baby as well as environment friendly.

To clean stuffed toys that cannot be machine washed, put them in a plastic bag and sprinkle them with baking soda. Shake up the bag and let stand for about 15 minutes. Vacuum off the baking soda.

Deborah Williams is a child care expert consultant on a non-government organization promoting natural household cleaners and eco friendly cleaning.

BabyGanics is the manufacturer of natural baby products made with all-natural ingredients for effective and non-toxic cleaners.(my.articlepros.com-Deborah Williams)