How to clean baby's toys?

Question

My 5mo daughter is finally getting over a serious bacterial illness. Now I'm trying to clean up all her sheets, clothes, toys, etc to get rid of old germs. Her stuffed animal toys say not to machine wash. How can I clean them in a way to ensure they are germ-free? Some are just regular stuffed animals, some are stuffed with squeakers/rattles inside.

Answer 1

u can wash stuffed animals in the washer - put them ( not all at once ) in a pillow case tye the case up and stick it in the washer and do the same in the dryer they will come out clean - smell good and they will be germ free also- they say not machine wash because they think ppl will throw them in there and it will shread them with them in a pillow case they will be safe trust me my mom did it all my life and i do it now with my son

Answer 2

Stuffed animals never say machine wash. They always say, "Wipe with a damp cloth and air dry." Yeah right...like that's going to do ANYTHING! All of my boys' stuffed animals have been put through the washer on many occasions, and the only one that fell apart was some cheap little thing that my husband won for them from one of those claw machines at Wal Mart. The other ones were perfect...and very soft. Especially if you put Downy in the load. :)

My younger son has a set of foam blocks covered with cloth and plastic. One has a rattle, one has a bell, one quacks when you squeeze it, etc. They washed up nice too. The only problem is...the one with the duck that quacks is possessed now. It quacks occasionally for no reason, LOL.

If you don't feel comfortable washing her stuffed animals, you *might* be able to get away with spraying them heavily with Lysol spray and then setting them outside in the sun to dry. I'd call the manufacturer of the Lysol first though...to make sure it won't harm your baby (even when it's dry).

I really think the washer is fine though. My mom bought my older son a stuffed dog from FAO Schwartz and poor Goggie (my 2 year old named him, lol). Goggie has had just about any- and everything you can imagine on him...pee, boogers, spit up (compliments of his little brother), dirt, red clay (we live in GA), etc. Goggie has been through the washer on the hot water setting SO many times it's a wonder he's not more than a string and some stuffing left. But, he's hanging in there and seems to be holding up well. :)

Answer 3

I don't care what the commercials say, I never felt comfortable spraying chemicals on my daughter's toys!!! The stuffed animals that don't have rattles or squeakers can be washed in the washing machine even though they say not to. For the others, and the rest of her toys, take a mixture of bleach and water and wipe them thouroghly. Then let them air dry. This is they way we used to do it at a daycare where I worked.

Answer 4

Hard toys can be cleaned with a vinegar and water solution. Stuffed animals can be washed in the washing machine if you place them on the gentle cycle or in a pillow case. Just hang dry the stuffed animals instead of putting them in the dryer. You can also wash the crib mattress with the vinegar and water solution. If you are really nervous about her sheets and clothes, boil water and put her clothes and sheets in a container with the hot water for 15 minutes and then wash them in the washing machine with bleach (they make a bleach for colored clothes too).

Answer 5

If the label says, Don't machine wash, I used to put them in a pillow case, tie it, then throw in washer in gentle cycle, cold water. It would come out sopping wet and will take a day or two to line dry. The rattles and squeakers will still work, too.

Hard toys can be cleaned by using part water and part bleach and then soak. Wash well afterwards with soap and water.

Answer 6

Even though they say not to machine wash its probably ok to do so on the gentle cycle and then air dry. As for plastic toys I would use lysol.

Answer 7

Put the stuffed animals in a pillowcase and wash them that way, I do it with all of my son's stuffed animals.

Answer 8

I wash the stuffed animals anyway on the gentle cycle, just don't dry thm

Answer 9

relies upon. at the same time as mine were lower than a 12 months previous I`d wash in soapy bleach water. Or, run by the santize cycle of my dishwasher. relied on if the dishwasher or sink develop into loose ;P Now that they are older I merely take those Clorox wipes and wipe them down. at the same time as it isn`t flu season (by March) I merely use a toddler wipe. And, an occassional soapy bath.

Answer 10

I would throw them in the wash anyways or wash them by hand and place them in the dryer with a bunch of clothes