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Who sterilizes their kid's toys?

Shannon - posted on 08/30/2009 ( 4 moms have responded )

I used to work in a daycare center with toddlers, and a big part of the day when the kids went home was sterilizing the toys... you know, all those little germy hands putting things into little mouths...

The thing was, those toys were mostly plastic. Now with my one-year-old, I have lots of plush and wooden toys, and these go into her mouth - plus we have 4 cats, so fur is everywhere!! I try to keep the floor cleaned without going overboard, I know kids can handle a little dirt, but I'm starting to wonder if I should try to get her toys clean at some point? She has some plush blocks which are filled with little crinkles and bells that she loves, and always mouths, and I don't think these can go in the washer...

So I'm wondering: how often do you clean your kids' toys, and how do you do the tricky, non-plastic ones? Thanks for any help or input!!

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Adriana - posted on 09/02/2009

I wash the plastic toys & teething toys with hot water & soap, wipe down her activity center with Lysol wipes and throw her plush toys in the washing machine on delicate cycle.

Rebecca "RL' - posted on 08/30/2009

FYI - Unless you send your toys to a hospital or lab, you won't get them sterilized - it requires intense heat and would melt/destroy your toys. Therefore, I use alot of Lysol spray disinfectant spray on platics and fabric toys. Anything that can stand a lysol wet towel, I use that also. Hope that helps. My kid rarely gets sick and he does go to daycare 2 days a week.

Charleen - posted on 08/30/2009

You can wash many things that say "do not wash". Use your judgment, but generally most things will wash just fine in cold water on delicate. I wouldn't suggest putting anything with crinkles or plastic bits in the dryer though.

Melissa - posted on 08/30/2009

262

Well, I still wash the pluch ones even if they say you can' because they get gross. I don't wash them very often though. Even the plastic ones I don't wash often but we don't have any animals so I don't have the fur problem. Usually if friends come over i keep an eye on what they have chewed on and then wash those. We don't have many wood toys but I ise the Clorox kid's cleaner for cleaning their toys if you can't wash them.