Just like your shower walls, your child's bath toys too, are at risk for mold growth as they come in contact with germs in bathwater. This means your child could potentially be exposed to illnesses. Hence, it is vital that you keep your child's bath toys clean and mold-free. Consider these tips and tricks on how to clean them properly.
1. Squeeze the water out
It is fun for your child to squirt water from the tiny holes in rubber toys, but the inside of the toys is where the mold breeds. Hence, after each bath, squish the bath toys to remove the excess water as much as you can. Place them aside somewhere they can dry quickly. Switch on the exhaust fan to draw the humidity out of the bathroom so the toys can dry even faster. You could also seal the holes with a dab of hot glue to prevent moisture from creeping inside.
2. Wash with bleach
Another trick for a deeper clean is to use bleach; a strong solution to kill bacteria and viruses. But you want to ensure there are no traces of bleach lingering on the bath toys as your child may chew on the toys during bathtime. Therefore, to create a perfect balance, use 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water. Mix this solution in a big bucket and soak the bath toys for about 10 minutes. Then, rinse the toys thoroughly with clean water and allow them to dry.
3. Use a vinegar solution
If you are not a fan of bleach as it stings your eyes and nose, you may also use vinegar. Fill a bucket with equal parts of vinegar and warm water. Then, submerge the bath toys and let them soak for an hour. Rinse each of the toys with tap water and set them aside for air drying.
4. Sanitize with heat
Another method to clean bath toys mold is simply by boiling them in a large pot of water. This works well for hard plastic toys as well as foam alphabets and numbers. All you have to do is just bring water to a boil then add the bath toys using a pair of kitchen tongs. Let the toys soak in the boiling water for a few good minutes before removing them to dry completely.
5. Clean with toy cleaners
Many of the easy-to-clean bath toys with no holes can simply be wiped down with disinfectant wipes or spritzed with toy cleaners and wiped clean in order to prevent mold growth and keep them squeaky clean for your child.
