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As a parent, it can get hectic trying to keep a house clean when you have a baby or a toddler. From time to time, you will need to wash or clean your child’s toys. What is the safest way to clean your child’s toys?
Cleaning Bath Toys
The other day I realized, Scarlett is getting to the age of enjoying her bath time and she will need toys to play with. I started to think about how I am going to keep her toys clean. Of course, I fell victim to the cute toy organizer that nicely attaches to the wall or side of the tub. However our wall tile is textured and therefore, the cute whale organizer would fall promptly in our child’s bath water. Not to mention, cleaning the back regularly to keep mildew from growing. After several minutes of staring at my Target app, it came to me, a mesh laundry bag. The laundry bag is big enough for any large toys and has a strap to hang on a hook or shower head to drain excess water into the tub. It is easy to spot clean and can be machine washed if needed.
Kids love their water squirting bath toys, but how can you keep these toys clean? I disinfect Scarlett’s toys with a bleach and water solution, one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of water. Let the toys soak for a few minutes and scrub any outside dirt you can see. For her water squirting toys, I let the solution soak inside the toys for a few minutes, rinse and repeat.
Cleaning Plush Toys
Plush toys can be tricky on how to clean. Most plush toys are safe for machine wash unless they have eyes or limbs that are not sewn on and are battery operated. If machine wash safe, use a gentle or delicate cycle setting. Heavy soiled items can presoak in the bleach and water solution I mentioned above. For toys NOT machine wash safe, you can spot clean with a bleach and water solution. Gently clean the soiled area and let air dry.
Cleaning Plastic Toys
Thrift shopping has become one of my favorite ways to find toys for Scarlett. Kids quickly out grow toys or simply loose interest in it. For any plastic toys, I use the bleach and water solution and thoroughly wipe down all the parts of the toy. Smaller toys I let soak for 20 minutes in the solution and let air dry.
Always be sure to read any manufacturer labels on items you are unsure of.
If you are interested in a more “green” approach to living, head over to MKP ESSENTIALS group on Facebook. She provides monthly Doterra deals and tips for a greener way of life.