by Tami Boyd, SupplyTime Product Expert
When should you disinfect children’s toys?
Small children, especially babies tend to put everything they can touch in their mouths. Toys should be cleaned on a regular basis but don’t necessarily need to be disinfected as often. Cleaning with soap and water should be enough for most situations but you should also disinfect toys after children are sick. You should also disinfect toys after anyone in the household that has been sick has handled the toys, including caretakers that put the toys away.
How do you disinfect plastic toys?
Most plastic toys that do not have batteries can be run through the dishwasher to be cleaned and sanitized. If you’re not sure whether the toy is dishwasher safe you can hand wash the toy in hot soapy water. Washing with soap and water will remove most of the germs. To sanitize toys you can them in a mixture of 1 tablespoon of bleach in 1 gallon of water. Soak the toys in the bleach water for a minimum of 5 minutes. Rinse with water and allow to air dry before allowing children to play with them. Chlorine bleach will evaporate as it dries. If you use a disinfectant product like Lysol you will need to thoroughly rinse the toys after disinfecting. Please read the product label and follow the instructions for use.
How do you disinfect stuffed animals or other cloth toys?
Most plush toys are machine washable and should be run through the washer and dryer on a regular basis. When machine washing plush toys the water temperature should be set to hot. To spot clean stuffed animals or other soft toys you can use dish detergent or liquid soap and a clean cloth. To get rid of dust mites, stuffed toys should be put in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.
How do you disinfect baby furniture like high chairs?
To minimize the amount of germs that can get on high chairs, play pens, cribs, and large toys or baby equipment you should routinely wipe down surfaces with soap and water. A bleach solution of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water can be used to disinfect surfaces but allow the items to thoroughly air dry before allowing children to touch them. Disinfectant cleaners and sprays can be used but most disinfectant cleaning products require the surfaces be rinsed with water before anyone should touch them. If you choose a disinfectant cleaning product be sure to read the label for instructions and precautions. Also, choose product that have been certified by third party testers such as Green Seal, Ecologo, and USEPA Design for the Environment.
SupplyTime Product Experts are available to offer advice and recommendations on the best disinfectant cleaning products for your home or office.