Infant toys stimulate your baby's senses, amuse her and serve as a source of comfort. They also carry germs, which means that you must sanitize infant toys---especially the ones your baby puts in his mouth. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, "If you can't wash a toy, it probably isn't appropriate for an infant or toddler." Sanitizing baby toys is not difficult and doesn't require any special solutions or devices. In fact, washing baby toys is a lot easier than washing wiggly babies.
Hard Toys
Step 1
Fill a bucket or basin with hot water, and add a few healthy squirts of dish soap. Use a clean sponge or toothbrush to wash off any surface dirt or dried food. Rinse the toys thoroughly.
Step 2
Place toys in a mesh bag and set them in the top rack of the dishwasher. Run them through the whole cycle, using regular dishwasher soap.
Step 3
Wash hard toys in a bucket or basin filled with hot water and bleach, if you don't have a dishwasher. Use no more than ¼ cup of bleach for each gallon of water. Rinse the toys thoroughly afterward and let them air dry.
Soft Toys
Step 1
Wash stuffed animals in the washing machine, in hot water. Use baby detergent, which is formulated to dissolve biological stains. According to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, plush toys should be cleaned in the washing machine at least once a week, or even more often if they get soiled.
Step 2
Put the toys in the dryer on the highest setting, unless the manufacturer recommends air drying. Don't add a dryer sheet, because some babies are allergic to the fragrances they contain.
Step 3
Clean stuffed toys that cannot go in the washing machine by hand, with dish soap and hot water. If the toy cannot be immersed, give it a surface cleaning with a damp, cloth and let it air dry. Michele Bender at "Parents" magazine recommends that you place clean, dry plush toys in a plastic bag, seal it and let it sit in the freezer overnight to kill dust mites.
Tips and Warnings
- Gather up all of your baby's toys once a week and clean them all at once.
- Never hand down toys from an older child to a new baby without sanitizing them first.
Things You'll Need
- Bucket or basin
- Hot water
- Dish soap
- Clean sponge
- Clean toothbrush (optional)
- Dishwasher (optional)
- Washable mesh bag (optional)
- Bleach
- Plastic trash bags
- Washing machine
- Dryer
