**Not a debate** Need advice on cleaning/sanitizing toys safely.

Keli - posted on 10/20/2012

i use a dish rag,and a bucket with diluted bleach,or mr clean rinse the rag good and wipe them,then dry them off well,battery operated ones survive just fine.as long as their not going under water.

Jessica - posted on 10/11/2012

Hi, I am a producer for Fox 5 News. I am working on a story about how much is the right amount to sanitize things for your kids.



Can you let me know your thoughts on the subject, and if you (and your kids) might be interesting in participating in a story with us.



I can be reached Jessica.Cohen@foxtv.com



Thanks for your help and consideration,



Jessica

Jackie - posted on 04/15/2010

I almost never sanitize anything....but they make those "wet ones" wipes and stuff...i think mine even have antibacterial in them maybe, i'm not sure (that's how often i use them, lol). But you could use those or baby wipes and just wipe stuff done. The extent of what I do is usually lysol spray and i'll do it at nite after she goes to bed so it'll be hours before she touches anything again....but like I said, that's hardly ever so I don't worry about cumulative effect or anything.

Ashley - posted on 04/15/2010

Gillian, I hardly ever clean his toys, only if they are gross. I just didn't want to re-catch this awful cold as it stinks to be sick while pregnant! I am so not anal about sanitizing...check out my house and you'd see, haha!
That is awful about your sister! But, there wasn't much info on "good germs" as my mom did the same thing. BUT, my immune system sucked and I was sick all the time before my mom was cleaning like crazy.

Lady - posted on 04/15/2010

He is over a year old so toys really don't need to be sanatized, I'm sure he's outside touching things and putting his hands in his mouth, so don't panic about runinning aroung inside bleaching everything. A little dirt is good for children and helps build up their immune system. I would use a clean damp cloth to get off the obvious dirt or if they have been somewhere gross then disinfectant wiped then a clean damp cloth to remove the residue. My mum steralized everything my sister touched for the first couple of years of her life and made her wash her hands everytime she touched something slightly dirty, my sister has had terrible throat infections her whole life and has a thing about dirty or sticky hands. Now I'm not saying children shouldn't wash their hands if they've been to the bathroom or outside, they should, but there is such a thing as going over the top. I read an artical once called "Let them eat dirt!" And made a load of sense to me. I think we can sometimes be TOO clean and it's not always benificial to our kids.

Heather - posted on 04/14/2010

I really dont sanitize my sons toys...but at work we do clean the toys, and we use disinfecting wipes at night while he is sleeping so they are dry by the time he wakes up and is ready to play

C. - posted on 04/14/2010

Well, I used things like Lysol spray/wipes, Clorox Cleanup and Clorox Anywhere Sanitizer. What I do, though after I spray them and let the toys sit w/ the cleaner on it for a minute or two, I thoroughly wipe with several damp cloths to pick up all the cleaner (well, I do that w/ whatever I am cleaning, not just toys.. But anyway). If you can still smell the cleaner on the toy, you need to keep wiping with a clean, damp cloth.

Ashley - posted on 04/14/2010

Oh, and I'm sanitizing because my son and I had colds...and I will catch everything and would prefer it if the cold crud would leave my house after running it's course! I'm not a super-cleaning person, but sicky germs don't need to stay to get me sick again! Being sick while pregnant SUCKS!!!!

Meghan - posted on 04/14/2010

We wipe everything down with vinegar...it stinks for a bit but it will do the job!

LaCi - posted on 04/14/2010

vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. I only use vinegar myself, and I don't sanitize things often. Thats what I clean my kitchen with though.

September - posted on 04/14/2010

Hydrogen peroxide or even rubbing alcohol should do the trick and are harmless in such small amounts.

Shelley - posted on 04/14/2010

I use my steam cleaner on alot of things maybe something like that might work. Alot of times though with toys that can be washed (like duplo or his brush blocks) I put them in a pillowcase then on the top rack of the dishwasher.