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How can baby toys be safely disinfected?


I thought a Lysol wipe would do the trick, but it turns out this stuff is harmful to children, especially since they tend to put toys in their mouths. According to, there is a process to disinfect toys. “Wash baby toys with soap and water to remove dirt. Scrub the toys with a rag or sponge and rinse well.”

“Open a window or turn on a ventilation fan. Pour 1 tablespoon of household bleach and 1 quart of cool water into a bucket, container or spray bottle. Alternatively, use another type of nontoxic disinfectant, such as a ready-to-use hydrogen peroxide cleaner that is approved by the EPA.”

Next, “Dip baby toys into the disinfectant or spray them until they are thoroughly wet. The toys must stay wet for two minutes if you are using the bleach solution. Alternatively, for products other than bleach, use enough solution so the toys stay wet for as long as indicated on the label. For example, hydrogen peroxide-based disinfects must stay wet for 30 seconds to three minutes, depending on the product, to effectively kill germs.
And finally, “Take the toy out and let it air dry.” shares, “Keep in mind that a top-load washing machine, due to the agitator, may displace the batting of the animals. For a high-efficiency washer, you’re in good shape. Regular detergent is fine, and I’d use something safe for baby i.e. dye and scent-free. Consider adding in a scoop of oxygen bleach powder to the wash if they are stained or smelly. Then, take an old pillowcase and throw the plush toys into the pillowcase. Close it up with a while pipe-cleaner, twist tie or piece of fine wire (or perhaps use a pillow cover with a zipper instead) and place in the wash. I’d recommend using a delicate or gentle wash cycle with cool or warm (not hot) water. If the water gets too hot, it can melt glued-on items (leading to a very sad child). When the wash cycle is done, pull out the toys and brush the fur with a fine-tooth comb to re-fluff it (white glove service right here).”

“You have a couple of drying options too. You can place the pillowcase in the dryer on the fluff-cycle (never leave unattended) or, remove the stuffed animals and hang them to dry, or dry them in the sun. Treat the toys like clothing and wash like colours together. You may want to consider washing them with towels instead of clothing just in case a toy’s colours run in the wash. Your plush toys should be in tip-top shape!”

Child Beach

For different toys, there are other options, “you are best to wash them in the sink as opposed to a dishwasher since these materials are more susceptible to melting or deteriorating in hot water. Thin, flimsy plastic toys fall into the same category. So, to clean them, simply add a squirt of dish soap to a sink, bucket or basin and add in warm water. Then, clean the toy by wiping it with a soft cloth or an old toothbrush. Rinse well in cool water. Now, to disinfect the toys, spray the toys with a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water and let them stand for a minute. Rinse again and lay flat to dry. Clean and sanitized! I don’t believe in using chlorine bleach so this is a perfectly safe alternative. If you don’t care about the toys all that much, feel free to place them in a delicates bag, lay the bag on the top rack of the dishwasher and run through a water-only sanitizing cycle in your dishwasher (and don’t have dirty dishes in there either). It’s your call, but if the toys melt don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”


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