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How to Clean Toys Naturally


When reviewing our stats to see how people find Eco Child’s Play, I’ve discovered that many parents are looking for ways to clean their children’s toys naturally. I thought I would share a few of my tips with you for soft, wooden, or plastic (ugh) toys. My methods are gentle for the earth and your family, as I don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach water, yet they may not kill viruses such as HIV and RSV.

Should plastic toys have crept into your home from well-meaning relatives, many of them can be cleaned in the top row of the dishwasher. This is the suggested method in a preschool curriculum I used to follow. This is a simple manner of cleaning them, but it may not lighten your impact on the earth. Washing them by hand in a sink full of soapy water may be a better option.

For wooden toys, I usually just wipe them with a damp rag to remove the dust. If other children have been over, and I am concerned about germs, I will wash them in a sink full of warm water and dish soap. I use Ecover Dishwashing Liquid, which I assume if it is safe enough for my children’s dishes, it is safe enough for their toys. Wooden toys should never be soaked in water for long and should be dried immediately, otherwise, the wood can swell and the grain may rise to the surface.

For plush toys, I use the hand wash gentle cycle on my washing machine. We have a Maytag Neptune, which is a front loading machine that uses very little energy and water. Even when our hydro is down, I am able to run the Maytag Neptune off two solar panels. Front loading machines are more gentle on items, and I have yet to have a plush toy fall apart when washed in cold water.

Just like every other aspect of cleaning your home, toys can be cleaned naturally. The best part about using natural cleaning products is you don’t have to worry about your child being harmed while they help you. Have you seen those horrible images of a boy with a terrible rash from a Mr. Clean Eraser Sponge?

 

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« Green Family Values: Silk, the Best Natural Fabric for Your Child's Imagination
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Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    September 27, 2007 at 5:13 pm

    A couple suggestions for parents of children with asthma and allergies (like mine) – wash any stuffed animals that they sleep with (along with all their bedding) in hot water (cold & warm water unfortunately don’t kill dust mites, which is the world’s leading cause of asthma symptoms). I know it isn’t as earth-friendly as a cold water wash, but the kids’ health comes first in this case. If you don’t think they can withstand hot water wash (I wash things in hot water in my front-loader machine even though the label says not to and I haven’t had a problem yet), put them in a plastic bag in the freezer for 24 hours – this will kill dust mites & any other stray bacteria.

    Reply
  2. Jennifer Lance says

    September 27, 2007 at 8:21 pm

    Thanks for the suggestions anonymous! I didn’t know dust mites could be killed in the freezer.

    Reply
  3. meridian says

    October 1, 2007 at 4:17 am

    A cleaning method that wouldn’t kill HIV? I believe exposure to the air should be enough to do that.

    Reply
  4. Plastic Allergies Symptoms says

    December 8, 2007 at 11:01 am

    Thanks for the post. I couldn’t agree with you more.

    Reply
  5. robyn says

    March 20, 2008 at 5:16 am

    I run a small daycare out of my home. I found that using white vinegar to clean toys and my home is as effective as using harsher cemicals. White vinegar will kill bactria and viruses just as well as lysol or clorax but with out hurting anyone.

    Reply
  6. Jennifer says

    March 20, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    I second the vinegar. (I use this as a laundry booster as well to help with stains on my toddler’s clothes.) If you aren’t too keen on the vinegar smell (like my husband), I recommend adding a few drops of an essential oil, such as lavender, lemon or tea tree. These aid the germ-busting, as they are anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. I’ve Switched to Non-Toxic Cleaners: Do I Still Need Poision Control’s Number? : Eco Child’s Play says:
    October 7, 2008 at 11:11 pm

    […] How to Clean Toys Naturally Tags: Ecover, natural cleaning, Natural Cleaning Products, Non-Toxic Cleaning, Seventh Generation […]

    Reply
  2. Simply Neutral: Safe, Smart, Earth Friendly Products for Your Home : Eco Child’s Play says:
    November 17, 2008 at 7:00 am

    […] How to Clean Toys Naturally […]

    Reply
  3. Eco-Friendly Toys by Hosung NY Inc (Review) | 3Ps in a Pod says:
    March 23, 2009 at 7:58 am

    […] might also suggest reading Jennifer Lance’s article on How to Clean Toys Naturally, so that you can keep these wonderful toys spick-and-span and […]

    Reply
  4. Baby Toys Featured » Little Miracles Baby Planning: How to Clean Toys Naturally says:
    May 11, 2010 at 10:50 pm

    […] From Eco Child’s Play […]

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  5. Organic Plushies by miYim at Target says:
    November 13, 2010 at 8:07 am

    […] Organic Sock Monkeys.  I also highly suggest reading Jennifer Lance’s article on How to Clean Toys Naturally, so that you can keep these wonderful toys […]

    Reply
  6. How do you clean your babies plastic toys? Is it safe to wipe toys with clorox disinfecting wipes? | Nannies4hire says:
    June 11, 2011 at 11:35 am

    […] I use white vinegar to clean most things these days. Check out this web page and do a google search for more ideas. http://ecochildsplay.com/2007/09/26/how-… […]

    Reply

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About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

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