Chemical Free Cleaning of Childrens Toys

Chemical Free Cleaning of Childrens Toys

Any parent knows that one of the first things your child will do when you had them a toy is to stick it in their mouths.  Because of that you should always keep your child’s toys clean, but beware.  Most parents are not aware of the health risks they run by using a cleaner full of toxic chemicals.  When your child puts this “clean” toy into their mouth they will ingest some of these cleaners.  What can you do about this?

One approach could be to clean the toys ‘normally’, and then try to remove chemical residue.  This is laborious and may not remove enough of the residue.  Another is to purchase chemical free cleansers.  You have to be careful however, a lot of cleaners labeled as natural or chemical free aren’t still have contents that could be toxic, just not synthetic.  A third option is at home remedies that you can be sure are safe for your child.  The methods will vary, depending on the material from which the toy is made.

Textile and Stuffed Toys

• If the toy is machine washable, it can be washed in a washing machine, set on a gentle cycle.  Toys can be place in a cloth bag or pillowcase for protection.  A non-toxic detergent should be used.  The toy should either be air dried or dried on the lowest dryer setting.
• The toy can be frozen for 48 hours or more to kill bacteria and dust mites.  This may not work for virus agents.
• Dirt can be removed from toys that cannot be washed by using baking soda.  Put one half cup of backing soda in an appropriately sized trash bag, shake vigorously, express the air out of the bag, and then let sit for twenty minutes.  Remove and vacuum the baking soda from the toy.

Wooden Toys

• Wash the toy with a damp cloth and dry quickly.
• Prepare an anti-bacterial solution of white distilled vinegar and water.  Cleaning vinegar is stronger and is available at large discount stores.  Mix half and half with water.  This will kill 99% of bacteria,
• Fill a spray bottle – use a bottle that has not held chemicals in the past – with the mixture and spray the surfaces.  Wooden toys need to be dried quickly.

Plastic and Metal Toys

• Small toys can be cleaned in warm, soapy water.  Larger toys can be scrubbed with warm and soapy water in a bucket.  This is best done outside – rinse with a garden hose.
• Use the afore-mentioned vinegar mixture to disinfect after washing.

A scented water mixture can be used to reduce the vinegar small.  This is easily prepared using something like lemon peels soaked in distilled water.

Bio

Deana Clawson is a mother of 2 and a nurse with 15 years of experience.  When not at her day job she runs Purtrition.com which supplies organic and all-natural products for the family.