Disinfect Crayons

[ashleybama24]

Does anyone know of a way to disinfect crayons? I know I could just throw them all away and buy new ones but I figure daycares have to clean them daily so there must be a way.

[kep]

I don't think there really is a good way, short of coating them with Lyson, but yuck! And I do not think that daycare's disinfect crayons every day, but perhaps I am wrong.

[MommyAllison]

What are you trying to kill? Freezer might work, if you left them in there awhile?

[crl]

Sunlight kills a lot of stuff, but it also will melt the crayons if it is hot outside. . . .

I wonder if the temp to melt crayons into different shapes is hot enough to kill germs?

Catherine

[essnce629]

I've worked at 3 daycares/preschools and have never heard of cleaning crayons! Tables and nap mats yes, but crayons, no.

[ashleybama24]

What are you trying to kill? Freezer might work, if you left them in there awhile?

Strep virus. My son has a tendency to lick or eat the crayons. I know I could just go get more but how to they keep them clean at daycares? Another mom told me she uses Listerine or Vodka to clean and disinfect. Might make the house smell a little better than vinegar!

Would sticking them in the freezer work? Dr. Oz does a commercial with a news anchor here telling her she needs to put her lipstick in the freezer to kill any germs.

[hellokitty]

Freezer is the only thing I can think of, but honestly it is has never dawned on me to disinfect crayons, I don't have that much free time on my hands.

[o_mom]

In about two weeks, Target and Walmart will start the Back To School sales. They will be $0.22 for a box of 24 Crayolas.... I vote for replace. :) Melt the old ones down into new crayon rocks. ETA: Thinking about it - you could get probably 20-30 boxes of brand new crayons for the price of one can of Lysol.

[scrooks]

I just can't imagine daycares disinfect crayons....

I am another vote for new crayons!

[kristenk]

I really don't think daycare centers disinfect crayons. I'm guessing that if the staff gets to the point of feeling that they need to be disinfected, that new ones are purchased.

[lalasmama]

I'm jumping on the "buy new" bandwagon. My mom did daycare (in home, and large centers) for 27 years, and I don't recall *ever* seeing her, or her staff, cleaning crayons--there's too many other things that need cleaned! Like others, we just stock up during the Back To School sales, and when too many get lost/broken, we just pull out a new 25¢ box, and toss the old ones, or use them for a melty craft.

[ett]

Another vote for replacing them. You'll be able to get them so cheaply with back to school sales.

[ABO Mama]

It doesn't seem like freezing would kill all the germs. Frozen yogurt still has "live and active cultures" in it. Freezing may kill some microbes, but not all. Also, with melting, I'm not sure the melted crayons will get hot enough to kill all of the bacteria.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

Freezer is the only thing I can think of, but honestly it is has never dawned on me to disinfect crayons, I don't have that much free time on my hands.

:yeahthat:

you can get packs of new crayons for literally pennies, especially now with all the back-to-school sales.

my son eats and breaks crayons all the time. it's just easier to buy new IMO.

or, what you could do is melt a bunch of them in really small containers (mini cupcake molds?) to make new "crayons". i know there have been threads on here of ppl doing this (e.g. melting crayons in silicone molds to make heart shapes for valentine's day). my mom used to do this for us when we were kids. its kinda cool bc then you can make multicolor crayons out of cool shapes.

[s7714]

Just lay them out and spray them with Lysol. I've done that before with markers and crayons when kids have been sick.