Essential guide to toy hygiene for parents
In the hustle and bustle of daily life, cuddly bears, building bricks and other toys can get pretty grimy as children play with them even in the cleanest houses, providing the perfect surfaces for bacteria to run wild
DAILY life can be pretty chaotic with small children at home, which means washing the hundreds of toys around the house is probably the last thing on your todo list. However, like everything else, these items also need some special attention off and on to ensure they are safe and clean for children to play with.
PLASTIC OR WOODEN BUILDING BLOCKS
The good news is that you can easily clean many types of plastic building blocks. Bernd Glassl, a cleaning specialist from Germany’s Industrial Association for Body Care and Detergents (IKW), advises even washing some types in your washing machine. Set a program with a maximum of 30 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit) and a high water level, such as a delicates, silk or wool cycle, for example. Use liquid detergent rather than powder.
“To prevent small items from slipping between the washing drum and the washing machine housing, place the building blocks in a pillowcase or duvet cover that has a zip on it, so it can act as a large laundry net,” says Glassl.
However, his advice does not apply to all products. Toy maker Lego advises parents against using washing machines or dishwashers. They should also refrain from using ovens, microwaves and hair dryers when cleaning Lego, and even drying them in warm sunlight can change the shape of the bricks, the company says.
Instead, you are advised to clean Lego parts by hand using water and a soft cloth or sponge. Make sure the water is not warmer than 40 degrees Celsius. It is best to add a mild detergent to the water and then rinse the bricks using clear water, Lego says.
Also, avoid machine washing if you are cleaning wooden blocks. “The varnish can flake off and unpainted wood can become rough,” says Glassl. He says to use a slightly damp cloth instead, or a dry one if that turns out to be enough.
Toy maker Sindibaba recommends using clear vinegar or apple cider diluted with water for disinfecting painted and unpainted wooden toys, especially smaller ones. However, avoid using disinfectant wipes and cleaning agents for wood as they may contain toxic substances.
TOY CARS, TRUCKS, SIMILAR ITEMS
The trouble with these kinds of toys is that they have lots of little grooves and niches that can soon fill up with dirt, whether from the floor or children’s fingers and mouths.
Don’t use the dishwasher, Glassl said, as they usually only let you select the water temperature for the actual cleaning but not for the rinsing cycles with clear water.
“In contrast to washing machines, where all the rinse cycles use cold water, the last rinse cycle in dishwashers is done with hot or very warm water so crockery dries faster,” Glassl says. The trouble is that this high temperature can lead to plastic parts losing their shape. To be on the safe side, it’s best to hand wash, which you can also make easier on yourself.
“Soak the pieces in a large bucket of cold water with a little hand dishwashing liquid added and leave it for at least two hours,” Glassl said. “Then rinse off the toys using water.” Incidentally, this also works for plastic blocks.
This could even be a fun activity for children to do on their own as an impromptu tiny “car wash.”
A teddy bear is an important item in the life of many small children, with an importance that may be hard to imagine for grown-ups.
Teddies and other plush toys are busy beings, taken everywhere, plus being snuggled in bed, which makes it hard to find a good day to wash them.
But when you find a chance, according to Glassl, cuddly toys can be washed in the washing machine on a program for delicates, silk or wool if the manufacturer says this is possible. These settings use a particularly large amount of water. The water temperature should be a maximum of 30 degrees Celsius, and he suggests you add a mild or wool detergent.
German teddy maker Steiff also advises washing machine-washable items at 30 degrees and making sure you pop the toy bear in a laundry bag first.
Toymaker Sindibaba advises parents against adding fabric softener to polyester fiberfill, saying the material may clump together or disintegrate.
If your cuddly toy contains wooden parts, rattle boxes or squeakers, check the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully and if in doubt, avoid using the washing machine.
“If the manufacturer states that machine washing is not possible but hand washing is allowed, then use lukewarm water at around 30 degrees and a mild or wool detergent,” Glassl said.
“Fill the sink with cold water then thoroughly rinse out your cuddly toy.”
He advises rinsing your stuffed animal three times with cold water.
Products made from mohair and alpaca should not be machine washed, Steiff says. Just rub the toy using the foam of a mild detergent, then rinse it off with clear water. Shake off and comb the cuddly toys several times after drying, the company advises.