Cleaning toys

[spencersmommy]

How do you all clean your baby's toys, specifically the plastic type ones that go on their mouths, like on the exersaucer. Do you use hot water and soap? Is it really that easy? Also, has anyone used the Pampers Spray Cleaner for toys? My MIL gave me some, but it doesn't say anything about if it safe for things that baby "eats". Just wondering... Thanks for your help. DS has his first cold, so I want to clean all of his toys!
Amy
Mommy to Spencer 6-4-03

[duein june2003]

Pampers makes a toy cleaner that I buy at TRU. It doesn't need to be wiped off... I tasted it after it dried- not bad!

[Denyse]

I wash what I can in the washing machine or sink. For other stuff I use the Pamper's cleaner. Works great! You can also use a bleach water solution (it's cheaper and works GREAT) but you have to get the bleach/water proportions right or it won't work. If you can smell bleach, you've got too much. I'm sorry, I'm going to have to go look up the proportions b/c I don't remember them right off hand. I make the solution at work but I have ph strips to test it so I almost never have to measure anymore.

[heidi_timms]

I have been using those clorox wipes and baby wipes after that. I also put some of the plastic toys in the dishwasher.

~Heidi
Mom to Kailey Ashlin
4/27/03

[justlearning]

I just use hot water and dishwashing soap on toys that can't be put in the dishwasher. DS is always putting everything in his mouth so that seemed like the safest route to go, but I hadn't heard of the cleaners designed specifically for baby's toys until now.

[sntm]

Um, how cool is your avatar?!?!?!?!?!
you gotta tell us how you get it to do that.


shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[amp]

We put anything we can in the dishwasher. The rest we wash buy hand with hot water and dishsoap. Keep in mind, there are a few things that are hollow inside that have beads or something...some of these are not sealed and will take in water if you immerse it or even run it under heavy water. We found this out the hard way. It'll dry, but it takes awhile and I don't think it would be very sanitary if you keep getting water in it since it takes so long to dry. And a bleach solution can be great at killing germs. I forget the amounts to use too, but I do know you can use the bleach and water solution and just rinse or wipe off and let dry, even for going in the mouth (be especially careful here of those toys I mentioned that take on water).

[jennifer13]

Yipes! I'm sitting here at work and this thread just made me realize that DD has been using her exersaucer for two weeks now and I forgot to wash/sterilize the toys when we set it up! Oops! Oh well, she survives another parenting error...

Jennifer
Mom to Norah 5/23/03

[Mabster]

Question: When washing toys via the dishwasher, do you just out them on the top shelf, or can you load them up on the bottom too? Any special soap solution, or just use regular dishwashing liquid? Thanks!

[gamommy2noahnavery]

Hi. I clean all of my kids' toys the same way I did when I worked in childcare cleaning toys for other children. I rinse them off in the tub with lukewarm water, wash them with soap and water...usually antibacteral, then I use a bleach/water mix and soak them for a few hours, then put them on a blanket in the floor to air dry. I spray down with lysol anything that can't be washed (dolls, etc....) HTH you some!