Cleaning Question for those with experience with children

[Rose]

Pretty basic question but I'm trying to figure out the best way to get these plastic toys cleaned. For those with experience with small children, specifically infants and teething babies, how do you sanitize their teething toys before letting them have the toys?

My dilemma is that I was gifted this adorable car seat mobile thingy that's made of hard plastic, but it has buttons, lights up, makes noise and CANNOT be washed in the dishwasher or sink because of the electrical parts. I'm iffy about wiping it down with one of those multi surface cleaning wipes because it has parts that are meant for teething and I know diddly squat about the safety of the chemicals in those wipes working with baby toys. I also have a few other plastic noise maker or light up toys that are meant for teething and/or playing too so they can't be washed in the dishwasher or sink.

What would be the best way to properly sanitize these toys so they'll be safe for baby to play with?

Note: I'm not paranoid about germs but I won't give baby a pacifier that's fallen on the floor, though I won't freak out if baby licks the dog or a dog toy when I've blinked. Kids get into dirt sometimes, it happens.

 

[JerryBoBerry]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

When in doubt, Bleach! (obviously diluted down for general cleaning purposes)
As long as it doesn't get on fabric that could turn white bleach is probably the best all around germ killer in any household. Not only toys but it's great for kitchen countertops, cutting boards...everything.
Also great for water purification in case the power ever goes out and you're forced to drink water from a questionable source. :geek:

 

[KaterinaPryde]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

The easiest way to clean plastic toys that don't have batteries is to run them through the dishwasher. If you don't have a dishwasher, wash the toys with soap and water, then dip them in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach to 1 quart of water) and let them air dry in a rack. For toys with batteries, just clean the outside with soap and water, then wipe with the bleach solution. You can clean fabric toys in the laundry.

 

[Rose]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

When in doubt, Bleach! (obviously diluted down for general cleaning purposes)
As long as it doesn't get on fabric that could turn white bleach is probably the best all around germ killer in any household. Not only toys but it's great for kitchen countertops, cutting boards...everything.
Also great for water purification in case the power ever goes out and you're forced to drink water from a questionable source. :geek:

Yes but, I can't exactly get these toys wet because of the electrical parts. It's hard to explain how it works.

Normally a bleach solution is my go to for any cleaning problem, but I don't want to damage the toy before it's ever been used. Maybe wetting a rag and wiping the toy down with my go to bleach solution? I'm not sure if that's any safer than just spritzing it with my spray bottle though.

Let me clarify, these toys CANNOT GET WET OR THEY WILL BE RUINED. They CANNOT SAFELY BE WASHED IN THE DISHWASHER OR THE SINK. Otherwise, they'd already be cleaned and put away. :thumbleft: All of my fabric toys are already cleaned and good to go. It's the hard plastic toys with electrical parts that still need to be cleaned and put away.

 

[AshleyMarks]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

You could use vinegar and it won't harm baby.. I know what you are thinking. No way! How does it sanitize? I know this article is old.....
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vinega ... germs.html

Vinegar is a mainstay of the old folk recipes for cleaning, and with good reason. The vim of the vinegar is that it kills bacteria, mold and germs.

Heinz company spokesperson Michael Mullen references numerous studies to show that a straight 5 percent solution of vinegar—the kind you can buy in the supermarket—kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses). He noted that Heinz can’t claim on their packaging that vinegar is a disinfectant since the company has not registered it as a pesticide with the Environmental Protection Agency. However, it seems to be common knowledge in the industry that vinegar is powerfully antibacterial. Even the CBS news show “48 Hours” had a special years ago with Heloise reporting on tests from The Good Housekeeping Institute that showed this.

Just like antibiotics, common disinfectants found in sponges and household sprays may contribute to drug resistant bacteria, according to researchers of drug resistance at Tufts New England Medical Center. Furthermore, research at the Government Accounting Office shows that many commercial disinfectants are ineffective to begin with, just like antibiotics.

Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed at night, and don’t even rinse, but let it set overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off.



Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vinega ... z2QyAlErkH

Bleach is kind of toxic especially if the toys are going into the baby's mouth. Vinegar is harmless and will not hurt at all.
Using bleach is ok, but use a damp cloth and make sure it's only damp enough to wipe if you don't want to ruin the toys. The same goes with the vinegar as well.

 

[JerryBoBerry]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

Let me clarify, these toys CANNOT GET WET OR THEY WILL BE RUINED. They CANNOT SAFELY BE WASHED IN THE DISHWASHER OR THE SINK. Otherwise, they'd already be cleaned and put away. :thumbleft: All of my fabric toys are already cleaned and good to go. It's the hard plastic toys with electrical parts that still need to be cleaned and put away.

Okay, evidently getting a washcloth in bleach water and wringing it out so it's only damp will still ruin the item? If that's the case the only thing I can think is the dry foam hand disinfectant like those used in hospitals and clinics.

like this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KAFIEY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1AOKA2QDMJMMD

 

[Jessi]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

http://methodhome.com/
http://www.naturecleanliving.com/

Both of these companies make cleaners which are non toxic or which will are safe for kids & pets. You can also use diluted bleach if you make sure to let it air dry.

http://m.clorox.com/clorox-cleaning-and ... aning/toys

 

[MsAllyCat]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

I think I'd wipe it down with a cloth damp with vinegar too. Or a eucalyptus oil and water combo, tea tree oil and water combo? Those two oils (and many many others) are antibacterials too. I'd wipe them over with water only damp cloth once finished though.

I was like you on the germs thing - very relaxed, but when they are tiny babes its a little different. That said, they aren't going to be able to mouth it for a few months anyway. But all that aside it's good to know whatever the object it starts off clean in your possession.

 

[Rose]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

Let me clarify, these toys CANNOT GET WET OR THEY WILL BE RUINED. They CANNOT SAFELY BE WASHED IN THE DISHWASHER OR THE SINK. Otherwise, they'd already be cleaned and put away. :thumbleft: All of my fabric toys are already cleaned and good to go. It's the hard plastic toys with electrical parts that still need to be cleaned and put away.

Okay, evidently getting a washcloth in bleach water and wringing it out so it's only damp will still ruin the item? If that's the case the only thing I can think is the dry foam hand disinfectant like those used in hospitals and clinics.

like this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KAFIEY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1AOKA2QDMJMMD

If it's just a damp wash cloth and I don't let it get in the speaker holes or the light up parts then it shouldn't ruin it, but putting it in the sink and running water over it or putting it in the dishwasher like Katerina suggested would ruin it.

Most of the toy is splash proof, but the rest is not. I read somewhere that wiping it down with a standard baby wipe would be fine, but we all know that everything you read on the internet is true. Lol.

Mostly I was just curious if anyone else had had direct experience cleaning toys like this. There's loads of them in toy stores and I figured since it's all adults on this forum, chances are at least one person here has had experience cleaning a toy like this.

Re vinegar: I have had experience cleaning with vinegar but right now I can't deal with the smell at all or I end up really sick. :? Damn super smell needs to scat pronto.

 

[MsAllyCat]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

Yeah, it's crazy how many toys are really impractical like this for cleaning. People don't thi k of all this when they are gifted I know. I reckon I'd do the bleach solution on cloth thing over a baby wipe. You know that Miltons sterilising solution for bottles etc? That's just bleach stuff and those direction don't even have you rinse it afterward.

Off topic, but another tip - when all those tinny music playing annoying things get too annoying, sticky tape over where the sound comes out will muffle it exactly to mum acceptable levels. Even better, do this before the kid even uses it for the first time - and they are non the wiser. Hahaha. Oh yeah I was mean when my babes were little.

 

[Rose]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

Off topic, but another tip - when all those tinny music playing annoying things get too annoying, sticky tape over where the sound comes out will muffle it exactly to mum acceptable levels. Even better, do this before the kid even uses it for the first time - and they are non the wiser. Hahaha. Oh yeah I was mean when my babes were little.

I was just going to take the batteries out.... :whistle:

And yes! They are EXTREMELY impractical to clean! It's ridiculous. The cloth noise maker toys are actually easier to clean than the dang plastic ones. Nerdgasmgirl got us the cutest giggling stuffed doll and the electrical parts come completely out so you can just toss the doll in the washer. Incredibly easy to clean! Lol. It's dumb how kids' toys work. :lol:

 

[MsAllyCat]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

Off topic, but another tip - when all those tinny music playing annoying things get too annoying, sticky tape over where the sound comes out will muffle it exactly to mum acceptable levels. Even better, do this before the kid even uses it for the first time - and they are non the wiser. Hahaha. Oh yeah I was mean when my babes were little.

I was just going to take the batteries out.... :whistle:

And yes! They are EXTREMELY impractical to clean! It's ridiculous. The cloth noise maker toys are actually easier to clean than the dang plastic ones. Nerdgasmgirl got us the cutest giggling stuffed doll and the electrical parts come completely out so you can just toss the doll in the washer. Incredibly easy to clean! Lol. It's dumb how kids' toys work. :lol:

Even better! Like your style. Oh, I remembered a other thing - when babe is actually teething, damp cold face washers for them to chew on are the best! I used to keep em in the freezer ready to go.

Edited - oh I just noticed this is in the general board area. I just outed myself as a mum huh!! :shock: Hahaha. Ah well. (Older kids, preteens now for those curious).

 

[Rose]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

Here's a picture of the toy giving me the most difficulty. The lion part lights up, sings and spins when you press the right buttons. It's nose is the button to make the most annoying song and red lights go. :roll: According to the box, the lion is the only electrical part though but it's all connected and none of the parts come off. The box has a big warning on the bottom saying, "DO NOT SUBMERGE IN WATER, PUT IN THE DISHWASHER OR WASH IN THE SINK. TOY IS NOT WATERPROOF AND CONTAINS ELECTRICAL PARTS."

 

[JerryBoBerry]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

Here's a picture of the toy giving me the most difficulty. The lion part lights up, sings and spins when you press the right buttons. It's nose is the button to make the most annoying song and red lights go. :roll: According to the box, the lion is the only electrical part though but it's all connected and none of the parts come off. The box has a big warning on the bottom saying, "DO NOT SUBMERGE IN WATER, PUT IN THE DISHWASHER OR WASH IN THE SINK. TOY IS NOT WATERPROOF AND CONTAINS ELECTRICAL PARTS."

I'd have to guess you'd be okay with just a damp washcloth (really wrung out so it doesn't drip) with a diluted bleach solution. As long as it's not running water it should just give a surface application without any liquid getting down into any electronics.

 

[southsamurai]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

yay! i can help!

my sister has the exact same toy for my niece. she asked her pediatrician what to use for that kind of cleaning (stuff that would go into the mouth specifically). plus she worked in a day care for a few years.

the clorox wipes and other cleaning wipes are safe enough. once theyre dry the chemical has evaporated supposedly.
if you still feel weird about that and want a germ free surface there are two other options that should be easily available. a 1 to 10 bleach solution, applied with any cloth or paper towels or whatever, very wrung out is completely safe after the surface has dried (the bleach once in water converts to non - toxic chemicals after a few hours anyway). this is what day cares and hospitals use on just about everything
the other option is good ol isopropyl alcohol. evaporates quickly, and once dry there is nothing left that could harm a baby. with that though i would test the plastic in a small corner to make sure it doesnt discolor it or harm the plastic itself... alcohol is a solvent after all.

my sis uses regular baby wipes for just dirt, and the clorox wipes for disinfecting. and the little dingleberry is just fine.

 

[Rose]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

Thank you! I knew there had to be someone who's had the same toy or a similar one. Silly things should come with cleaning instructions! :lol:

From my stint in nannying I know that soaking *some* toys in a bleach solution and then letting air dry is safe and kills any harmful cooties, but that obviously wasn't an option for this booger. Once I get the initial cleaning done, I'll probably just wipe down with baby wipes in the future.

Good to know the Clorox wipes really are safe after all. I wasn't sure about the chemicals with kids toys, but kiddo won't be able to play with these for a bit and he's not here yet anyways so that should give me at least 2 months to let them all air dry. :lol: I'll probably avoid alcohol because the smell bothers me too much and we have to use it regularly to get rid of Sadie's ear infections anyways. Bleach is cheaper to buy than alcohol and we don't keep plain vodka stocked in the house unless it's for my seasonal deep cleaning so I'll just stick with regular bleach then.

 

[AllisonWilder]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

I use baby wipes for everything. Tables, chairs, toys, hands, face, everything. They are so freakin' handy. If I need to sanitize something new I go the route of Clorox wipes.

2 1/2 years and I've managed to keep my kiddo alive and healthy, so I guess it's working. :lol:

 

[driverxtc]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

I use baby wipes for everything. Tables, chairs, toys, hands, face, everything. They are so freakin' handy. If I need to sanitize something new I go the route of Clorox wipes.

2 1/2 years and I've managed to keep my kiddo alive and healthy, so I guess it's working. :lol:

BEST ANSWER!!!! I was going to say this. Baby wipes aren't just for bums.

 

[KaterinaPryde]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

If it's just a damp wash cloth and I don't let it get in the speaker holes or the light up parts then it shouldn't ruin it, but putting it in the sink and running water over it or putting it in the dishwasher like Katerina suggested would ruin it.

Ummm ok...

"The easiest way to clean plastic toys that don't have batteries is to run them through the dishwasher. If you don't have a dishwasher, wash the toys with soap and water, then dip them in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach to 1 quart of water) and let them air dry in a rack. For toys with batteries, just clean the outside with soap and water, then wipe with the bleach solution. You can clean fabric toys in the laundry."

Sorry if I "upset" you by posting some help? But kinda figured the part bolded would be assumed that it would be done with a damp rag not a soaking wet one? I was just trying to help....since I have a 4 year old. But I will make sure to keep my mouth shut in the future or clarify my point better.

 

[Rose]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

If it's just a damp wash cloth and I don't let it get in the speaker holes or the light up parts then it shouldn't ruin it, but putting it in the sink and running water over it or putting it in the dishwasher like Katerina suggested would ruin it.

Ummm ok...

"The easiest way to clean plastic toys that don't have batteries is to run them through the dishwasher. If you don't have a dishwasher, wash the toys with soap and water, then dip them in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach to 1 quart of water) and let them air dry in a rack. For toys with batteries, just clean the outside with soap and water, then wipe with the bleach solution. You can clean fabric toys in the laundry."

Sorry if I "upset" you by posting some help? But kinda figured the part bolded would be assumed that it would be done with a damp rag not a soaking wet one? I was just trying to help....since I have a 4 year old. But I will make sure to keep my mouth shut in the future or clarify my point better.

Oh I'm not upset at all. It just seemed like you hadn't read my post or that you ignored that the toy isn't waterproof. I was a bit confused because I thought maybe I hadn't been clear when writing about what type of toy it was and the issue I was having.

Now that you've clarified what you meant, it makes a lot more sense. It's easy for things to get misinterpreted on the internet.

 

[Just Me]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

A 70% isopropyl alcohol solution is another alternative. Let it dry after wiping something down, that is needed for the full antimicrobial action to happen.

 

[trotskyleon]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

:lol:

Wipe it with damp cloth with lil detergent and leave out in the sun to dry. Dont leave it out too long though!

Dont need bleach, alcohol etc unless it has some stains or someone vomited on it etc. From memory dont think my mum ever washed any of my toys (definetly didnt wash any of my brothers lol) :lol:. Dirt builds up your immune system!

Give that baby a RUSK!

 

[Rose]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

:lol:

Wipe it with damp cloth with lil detergent and leave out in the sun to dry. Dont leave it out too long though!

Dont need bleach, alcohol etc unless it has some stains or someone vomited on it etc. From memory dont think my mum ever washed any toys :lol:. Dirt builds up your immune system!

When kiddo gets older this is probably what I'll do. A bit of dish soap, a good wipe down and let it air dry.

For now, it's been a risky enough process just trying to get him here so we're probably going to be a bit more cautious about cooties until we've caught him chewing on the dogs or their toys a few times. :lol: After that it's fair game for playing in the/with dirt.

 

[trotskyleon]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

oh i wouldnt worry so much

bleach, vinegar etc whilst natural are not great for babies. they might kill germs but the chemicals themselves (chlorine in bleach and acid in vinegar) are not good for babies unless you wash it well with water.

Once you clean it, next day or so it will be infected with germs again :lol:. SO I wouldnt worry tooo much. Plastics are great in that they are smooth, so dirt doesnt really settle. A simple wipe will get rid of most germs.

1st tooth?

 

[Jillybean]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

I'm no parent or anything. I don't even really like kids all that much. But I'm willing to bet that any toy with speaker holes is going to annoy you at some point, and if it's hard to clean too... Yikes. I would just say screw it, and put the toy away and get the munchkin toys that are quiet and easily cleanable. Don't kids get fascinated with everything any way? I mean, my nieces are always trying to play with candles and car keys instead of their noisy expensive toys any way. :/

 

[Rose]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

oh i wouldnt worry so much

bleach, vinegar etc whilst natural are not great for babies. they might kill germs but the chemicals themselves (chlorine in bleach and acid in vinegar) are not good for babies unless you wash it well with water.

Once you clean it, next day or so it will be infected with germs again :lol:. SO I wouldnt worry tooo much. Plastics are great in that they are smooth, so dirt doesnt really settle. A simple wipe will get rid of most germs.

1st tooth?

Since you're new to the forums, I'm going to assume that you don't know my back story. :thumbleft: Quick run down: this has been a very complicated pregnancy and kiddo isn't here yet though due any day now. I started this thread to help me get the rest of the difficult to clean toys ready for the impending arrival even though said toys won't be used for quite a few months.

When dry, toys/surfaces that have been cleaned with bleach are perfectly safe. I used to nanny full time before I ever became a camgirl so I have plenty of experience getting rid of kid cooties and keeping kids from getting each other sick. As such, I'm very attached to my bleach and spray bottle and they'll always be staples in my cleaning cabinet. We won't be able to have any more children after this so we're not taking any risks until kiddo is past the squishy, floppy head, can't sit up, super breakable stage. Once we get to toddling, slobbering and crawling around with the dogs, it's fair game.

I'm no parent or anything. I don't even really like kids all that much. But I'm willing to bet that any toy with speaker holes is going to annoy you at some point, and if it's hard to clean too... Yikes. I would just say screw it, and put the toy away and get the munchkin toys that are quiet and easily cleanable. Don't kids get fascinated with everything any way? I mean, my nieces are always trying to play with candles and car keys instead of their noisy expensive toys any way. :/

It hasn't even been played with and it's already annoying me. :lol: It's also why we don't let the dogs have squeaky toys except on special occasions too. Granted, that's what my parents are for. When the toys annoy me too much, I send the toys home with Grammaw and then they become grandparents' toys so Spawn only gets to play with them when we go visit them at their house. If he wants a noisy toy that much, he can go wrestle with the dogs since they're so vocal. :lol: Luckily all of our friends and family respected our wishes and this is one of only three toys we have that make noise. One is at my parents' house and will stay there permanently because it has frogs on it and the other is the plush, giggling doll that Nerdgasmgirl got for us. The doll stays at our house because I can tolerate giggling.

 

[JerryBoBerry]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

It hasn't even been played with and it's already annoying me. :lol: It's also why we don't let the dogs have squeaky toys except on special occasions too. Granted, that's what my parents are for. When the toys annoy me too much, I send the toys home with Grammaw and then they become grandparents' toys so Spawn only gets to play with them when we go visit them at their house. If he wants a noisy toy that much, he can go wrestle with the dogs since they're so vocal.

When my older brothers had kids our mother made it a point of always getting 'noise maker' toys for the grand-kids. Like fire trucks that have buttons to push to make sirens go off; her specialty. :lol:
She felt it was her duty to get as many noisy toys for them as she could.

Eventually they got smart and every time their kids went to her house for babysitting those toys would always go with. So she kind of stopped buying them. But it was funny while it lasted.

 

[JerryBoBerry]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

When dry, toys/surfaces that have been cleaned with bleach are perfectly safe. I used to nanny full time before I ever became a camgirl so I have plenty of experience getting rid of kid cooties and keeping kids from getting each other sick. As such, I'm very attached to my bleach and spray bottle and they'll always be staples in my cleaning cabinet.

Oh good, you already know that without me posting a long response to his reply. Funny thing is I always keep a quart on hand (I buy fresh every 6 months so I don't store a lot at one time since it degrades over time). Not only do I use it for cleaning but also for possible emergency drinking water and long term storage of water in containers now. It's a very effective method for purifying water when a safe alternative can't be gotten. If i remember right a gallon of regular household bleach will make 3800 gallons of water safe for drinking.

 

[Rose]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

Oh good, you already know that without me posting a long response to his reply. Funny thing is I always keep a quart on hand (I buy fresh every 6 months so I don't store a lot at one time since it degrades over time). Not only do I use it for cleaning but also for possible emergency drinking water and long term storage of water in containers now. It's a very effective method for purifying water when a safe alternative can't be gotten. If i remember right a gallon of regular household bleach will make 3800 gallons of water safe for drinking.

I do the same though I'm not sure how big my container is. I buy the small-ish size of store brand bleach from Kroger for $2 and use it for everything. My bath tub/shower is super crappy and most cleaners scratch/stain it so I just spray/soak it with bleach for about half an hour or so and then give it a good rinse. While I'm at it, might as well spritz down the toilet and then wipe down all hard surfaces with a moist bleach rag too. BJ wears a lot of white shirts to work so might as well spritz those to get the stains out while I'm cleaning the bathroom. :lol: It's cheaper than buying multiple types of cleaner and stain remover.

When my older brothers had kids our mother made it a point of always getting 'noise maker' toys for the grand-kids. Like fire trucks that have buttons to push to make sirens go off; her specialty. :lol:
She felt it was her duty to get as many noisy toys for them as she could.

Eventually they got smart and every time their kids went to her house for babysitting those toys would always go with. So she kind of stopped buying them. But it was funny while it lasted.

Both sets of parents have already been warned. :lol: Some not so nice threats about where BJ would shove the noisy toys were made and all grandparents have agreed on penalty of their house being made full of noisy toys and stinky diapers that they wouldn't buy noisy toys unless they were kept at their houses. So far all have cooperated. I don't mind if Spawn wants to make his own sound effects, but I do mind if the toys don't let him use his imagination and already make their own sound effects. Kids are noisy enough without noise makers, add in two large dogs.... We may need to buy stock in ear plugs.

 

[Jessi]

Re: Cleaning Question for those with experience with childre

I'm really sleepy but rose, I live alone and I just want to say that bleach and ear plugs are two of my favourite things. :lol: