The truth is: your child’s toys are their most prized possessions, and are often by their side at all times, making them feel secure. It means that they get to be played with, tossed around, slept with, chewed on, and who knows what else they get to do? In no time at all, that beautiful, pristine teddy bear will appear to be a gnarly mess. Aside from the dirt and grime that can be seen on toys, they can also harbor germs, allergens, or even worse, mold.
It is important to remember that different toys require different cleaning methods not only to get them clean but also to keep them looking good and working at their best.
The Importance Of Cleaning Kids’ Toys
Scientists believe that children might play one of the most important roles in the transmission of Coronavirus, according to the Wall Street Journal. It has been reported that children can carry the virus for up to 22 days in their secretions, according to reports. Therefore, it’s still important to try to prevent them from getting it and spreading it to others so that it doesn’t become a problem.
Is It Necessary To Clean Toys Every Day?
In order to determine how often toys should be cleaned, you need to consider how much they are loved (a.k.a. how much they are played with). In general, these are some guidelines that you should follow when your child is healthy. Whenever your child is ill or has the flu, it is always important to clean and sanitize toys more frequently. As soon as your child has recovered, you should repeat the process again.
- The easiest toys to maintain are hard plastic and bath toys, which should be cleaned weekly if played with frequently.
- It’s easy to wash plush toys once a week (especially if your children sleep with them), every other week, or as needed. You can freshen and spot clean non-washable plush toys when they need to be cleaned.
- Whenever a child is sick, electronic toys should always be wiped down with sanitizing wipes to prevent any infection from spreading, and they should only be used for surface cleaning.
- Baby toys that are likely to be dropped and put in a child’s mouth require the most frequent attention. These should be cleaned every one to two days. The rest can be done on a weekly basis.
Cleaning Kid’s Toys Effectively
It is not recommended that you wash your toys in the dishwasher. It is possible for them to warp as a result of the heating cycle, which will affect the way they fit together.
There is another method that works well for toys and other items – both plastic and wood – is a solution of bleach and water that is being used by many preschool teachers in order to quickly clean multiple toys at once. 99% of the germs on the surface of an object will be killed by the solution.
If you would like to do this safely, mix 12 cups of bleach into a gallon of water and completely submerge the toys in the solution, making sure that all surfaces have been saturated. On a clean towel, rinse the toys and allow them to air dry for a few minutes. Leaving toys in the mixture of bleach and water for an extended period of time is not recommended, as the bleach can discolor materials if left in for an extended period of time. If your hands are sensitive to bleach, wear gloves during this process, and use a maximum of 12 cups of bleach per gallon of water.
Let’s get back to the important part… Having FUN!
