Need Advice on Cleaning Baby Toys

For plastic toys containing no electronics - DISHWASHER!!! Top rack only. Another way for bigger plastic toys, lay them in bath tub, spray disinfectant, let sit for 10 minutes. Next, run hot water (shower) over them.

If you are going for safest, yet effective use vinegar and water. I put small plastic toys in the dishwasher. When my son would drop his toys, binki, or bottle when we were out and about I would spray a listerine water blend. My pediatrician recommended this. You do NOT want to use clorox or Lysol near babies way too many bad things in them these days.

I like to use Clorox wipes. They disinfect EVERYTHING! Good luck!

Medela makes disposable cleaning cloths that were meant to clean breast pump parts if you dn't have access to soap and water. Since they are safe to use and sanitize the parts that touch breast milk, I also use them to clean toys, high chair trays, and any other surface my daighter might put in her mouth! They are kinda expensive, but worth it!

I use a product called soluguard, it is a natural cleaning product and you spray it on, wait 10 minutes (it even kills the AIDS virus along with all 99.999% of bacteria and other viruses, I'll have to get the label for you, but after 10 minutes I wipe it clean with a hot wet rag, and I know it is sanitized!!! I also use this for my crock pots after I have cleaned them.

I will never use lysol (a registered pesticide) or Clorox (has caused asthma attacks in my extended family) on anything that I put around my children. I am very careful with what I use around them and none of the cleaners I use would ever be harmful to them, even if swallowed! It scares me to see all of these things called "SAFE" when they are in no way safe to have around children. .... You can find out more about these products by looking up their MSDS sheets (material safety data sheets) this information is only required by the government to be given to people in the work places, the government doesn't regulate what we use at home. (sorry this is a passion of mine and it really scares me to see so many answers that say clorox or lysol!)

Also, not negating all the other posts, a steamer is great. You can use it on all toys that are not electronic, and it's great for cleaning anything else you have around. Toilets sparkle after using a steamer! They will also iron your clothes hanging up. I love mine! I have a shark and a scunci.Both work great!

I second the last two posts. Plush stuff in the washer just not the dryer. Anything else I use Clorox Wipes.

You can use vinegar and water and wipe them down. It's a great natural antibiotic and anti-viral wash.

S.-
There is a Clorox spray that is safe to spray on the kids' toys, and just wipe them off after you spray them.
-Also a stay at home mommy to Nathan- 6 months

I throw all plush things in the washing machine, even if they have a sound box in them, and they have ALL survived at least one wash, if not more. I have only had to re-do the eyes on a few who went "blind" when the paint came off in the wash, but a sharpie works great to restore their sight. For hard toys, I use clorox wipes. A mild bleach solution would do the trick as well. Now, keep in mind that there have been lots of studies that suggest that the rise in allergies is due to our society being "too clean"; aparently, when kids bodies have nothing to fight off, they turn on themselves. That said, I never let my kids put anything dirty in their mouths, but as they have gotten older, I have gotten much more lax about washing toys...I still give garage sale buys a good once over, and anything that has gotten visibly dirty gets a good cleaning too. But I don't go overboard.

wipe down with some kind of disinfectant, and wipe a few times with a clean wet rag

I use pro-tek cleaner for everything. Its nontoxic and works great for the multiple uses. The website is protekchemicals.com
For the stuffed animals I throw them in a pillow case and throw in the washer. If the label says to tumble low than I will if not I let it sit and dry on a towel laid out on the table.

If it has batteries, wipe down with clorox wipes but do not give them back to the baby until they are dried and rewiped with a wet cloth. If they are just easy plastic then throw them in the bathtub when you bathe the baby. If they are stuffed animals, I still throw them in the washer and even put them in the dryer in a pillow case and have never had a problem with stuffed animals getting clean that way. There are a number of safe/non toxic cleaners out there, even Lysol or clorox has one that you can wipe down and give back to the baby right away. Vinegar and water is a good one too.

If it is a plush toy that makes noise you may need to have them dry cleaned. Little plastic toys that are made of heavier plastic you can put in the dishwasher on the top shelf. Just make sure that you turn of the heat dry when you run it. For stuffed animals you can put them on a gentle cycle in the washing maching tied in pillow cases and then on an easy dry cycle in the dryer and they should be ok.

A few years ago there was a product you could find in the baby section of WalMart that was a spray that was for the specific purpose of cleaning kids' toys. I can't remember what it was called, but you might want to wander over to that part of the store the next time you're there and check it out.

For things that can't be submerged I use Lysol or Clorox wipes. For things that can be submerged I run them through the washer or the dishwasher, if I feel they toy can handl it.

I agree with Michelle G. Soluguard is great and it is the first botanical disinfectant formula approved by the EPA, so not only is it safe...but also approved for use in hospitals, daycares, etc.

You can contact me for more info on safe & green alternatives for lots of everyday products in your home if you would like.

S.-
I worked at a day care last year and the leader would send us to clean toys. If the toys could not be submersed in water we took them and carefully wiped them with sanitizing
solution then let them dry and returned them to circulation.

The Scuncci (sp) steamer is great!!! It gets in all the cracks and crevices too!

Hello!
There is a lot of great responses but I thought I would add mine too. I use Youngliving Thieves Household cleaner and Thieves spray. I'm an idependent consultant. I love the products because everything is all natural essential oils. I feel good knowing there in no harsh chemicals. Here is the website to check out www.youngliving.com - Select a country (USA), click on products on the top of page, then click on personal care, scrool down and you will see Personal Care and thieves cleaner and spray will be there.
There is other GREAT products too.
:) Have a good day!

Try Clorox Anywhere spray. It disinfects and is safe to use around babies and pets....even on food areas. It is in a light blue spray bottle and is not more expensive than other cleaners. Give it a go...spray it on and either let it dry or wipe it off...I think you'll love it too!