Cleaning Toys

Dear B.,

Many cloth toys can be washed in the washing machine, and there will be instructions on the tag. If not, you can usually put them in a pillowcase or mesh bag and run them through the gentle wash cycle, then air dry in the sun or put them in the dryer on low heat. If the toy doesn't stand up to washing, it probably won't hold up under play.

As for the plastic ones, soap and water will clean and then I would use a non-toxic disenfectant - nothing with cholorine or ammonia - since toys usually go into the child's mouth. You can find these online, Whole Foods and I have found an entire line of products for bath, body and home which are economical, free of toxic chemicals and they work. I love them, and I would be happy to tell you about them.

A. W

congratulations! - that little one will be a joy to you every day of your life - I had a premie so was crazy about cleaning and sterilizing - I ditto the above, I used the Clorox Anywhere spray a lot (just make sure it's dry before near baby) - a lot of toys that we have had the "surface wash" instructions and I tried that and finally threw most in the wash. Agree with the mom above that said if it didn't survive, we don't need it. I just tried to examine them really carefully to make sure no loose parts, threads etc. Dishwasher great as well. For Breast pump parts, highly recommend the Medella pump and steam bags - used these for some small toys as well. Important not to put the water filled teething rings in the microwave since they explode. (my husband had a laugh about that one :) Good luck!

I have been mother to five...and a bit of a clean freak. My theory has always been that if it can't survive the washing machine with a little bit of bleach, then we don't really need it. :) Also, those plastic ones fit real nice in the dishwasher.

I put many of our children's toys in the dishwasher on the top shelf and they do great. You can even secure some of the smaller ones by placing a bowl or cup over them. I feel they are really sanitized after this. I've never had anything to be damaged or melted and I had my doublts about it at first. I love to do this during the winter/flu season. The other things I put in the wash in a garment bag, even the ones with small beads enclosed that say you shouldn't wash. If they can't be washed and survive it - they can't be kept.

Congratulations! Many of these toys have washing instructions on them. Some say they can be washed in a pillowcase, but others have to be surface washed with a cloth. I only run them through the wash if they say it's okay on the instructions. With the plastic ones (especially rattles), you have to wash carefully to make sure water doesn't get trapped inside.

You could tie the little cloth toys up in a pillow case and machine wash them with Dreft on the cold water cycle. This is how my mom always washed my stuffed animals when I was a child, and this is how I washed my daughter's cloth toys and stuffed animals when she was small. I hope this was helpful!

Congrats on your new baby!

A.

The cloth ones can be washed in baby detergent if they are all cloth. Do not use fabric softener though. Congrats on the new baby.

I just threw the majority of toys that my son had received into the washer unless they were all plastic.. and then I threw them into the dishwasher on sanitize ( NO HEAT DRYING!!! THEY COULD MELT!)!
You have to be careful.. if there are paper objects or pieces, these will come apart.. so you have to use your own judgment.

I always washed my cloth toys in a mesh washing machine bag. That way they don't get thrown around in the washing machine. Then you can pop them on low in the dryer. Although, don't wash anything that has long fur on it, like a horse with a tail, it will get terrilby frizzy.:) Best wishes to you and your new one.
Anywhere spray, by Clorox, is great for those plastic toys that you cant submerge in water

Clorox Anywhere spray or the playtex toy cleaning solution is the best for toys, so you're not having to soak them (It's not good for at least 1/2 of the toys). Surface wash most of the soft toys (woolite, tiny amount of dreft, or clorox anywhere spray) or throw them in the washing machine if it says it's okay.

B.,
Just keep in mind that bath toys that have holes in them like some duckies will harbor water build up and cause mildew inside the toys. Just be careful with that. When I found out, I went through all my son's bath toys and tossed those.

Good Luck

Jenn

Try washing them in the washing machine. You may need to put them in a pillowcase. You can buy a device called the Germ Dr. that sanitizes toys. Good luck.

I saw this at BabiesRUS and plan to use it for my next baby . They say you can use it for plastic and plush.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=274724...

I wash all my daughters soft toys in the washer and I just let them air dry.

Put them in a lingerie bag and toss themin the washer on the gentle cycle.
Please don't put bleach on anything that will go into your baby's mouth - bleach is toxic. I don't allow it or any cleaning products containing it in my house.
If you're worried about germs and odors, use white vinegar. It's acidic, which kills bacteria, and also non-toxic if you miss any when you rinse. The only drawback is that it makes everything smell like pickles for a few minutes.

I bought alot of my kids stuff at yard sales so I wanted them clean also. Some of the plastic I stuck in the dishwasher, others I put in the sink or bathtub and I used lysol on them. The cloth things, I threw into the washing machine. I figured that if they were cloth that the manufacture intended for them to be washed. I was afraid they wouldn't hold up but to my surprise they did. Most of the things have a way of unsnapping so it can be washed. There were a few things that I put in the washer that had some plastic attached and I did it anyway. I adjusted how it was washed according to according to common sense as to what is was and how I thought it would hold up.
If it is used or you got it super cheap, I figured that I could take the chance. Would rather do that than take the chance of my baby being sick from germs already on there.
Good luck with the delivery and enjoy your newborn. There is nothing like it.