Grubby Toys

[sharlan]

Can anyone tell me how toys get soooooooooo grubby and gross when kids' hands are washed 100 times a day?

I swear I must have the dirtiest little hands in town.

[Rockgirl]

I was just thinking the same thing while organizing my playroom! And my walls need frequent scrubbing from about 3' high and under.

[mamamanda]

Hahaha Have you seen the show "Gilmore Girls?" This make me think of the episode where Luke was talking about having kids and he kept saying he didn't like them around b/c they always have "jam hands." Even if there is no jam in the house they have jam hands he says. Working in daycare I often find this is true.::

[Josiegirl]

Couldn't agree more. Funny and discouraging at the same time. Cannot keep up!!

[Unregistered]

Children mostly play with the toys sitting on floor, so there is every chance for it to get dirty, especially if the

floor is not clean.

[Silly Songs]

Does anyone remember when we used bars of soap instead of liquid ? Those used to get really dirty, esp in public restrooms. How does soap get dirty ?

[Josiegirl]

Does anyone remember when we used bars of soap instead of liquid ? Those used to get really dirty, esp in public restrooms. How does soap get dirty ?

Some questions we probably don't really want to know the answers to.
My dcks' favorite thing to do is play with our babies. We have 12 babies, and I noticed the other day they all need a bath desperately. Maybe that'll be our activity today.

I would love to have a dishwasher, if only for being able to throw the dirty plastic toys in it. Does anyone have a good method for cleaning a bunch of plastic(think FP and Little People)toys all at once? Throw them all in the shower and spray with bleach water, then rinse after a few minutes?

[mamamanda]

Some questions we probably don't really want to know the answers to.
My dcks' favorite thing to do is play with our babies. We have 12 babies, and I noticed the other day they all need a bath desperately. Maybe that'll be our activity today.

I would love to have a dishwasher, if only for being able to throw the dirty plastic toys in it. Does anyone have a good method for cleaning a bunch of plastic(think FP and Little People)toys all at once? Throw them all in the shower and spray with bleach water, then rinse after a few minutes?

I fill the tub with bleach water solution. Then put all toys into a plastic laundry basket (one of the lower, wider ones.) Then dip the whole basket in the tub, swish toys around, and lift basket out to let them drain like a colander. Works pretty well with little people, mega blocks, etc.

[racemom]

Some questions we probably don't really want to know the answers to.
My dcks' favorite thing to do is play with our babies. We have 12 babies, and I noticed the other day they all need a bath desperately. Maybe that'll be our activity today.

I would love to have a dishwasher, if only for being able to throw the dirty plastic toys in it. Does anyone have a good method for cleaning a bunch of plastic(think FP and Little People)toys all at once? Throw them all in the shower and spray with bleach water, then rinse after a few minutes?

The shower idea sounds good to me! We soak ours in a bucket of mild bleach water, and then air dry. If really dirty wipe them off after the soak.

[Miss A]

Hahaha Have you seen the show "Gilmore Girls?" This make me think of the episode where Luke was talking about having kids and he kept saying he didn't like them around b/c they always have "jam hands." Even if there is no jam in the house they have jam hands he says. Working in daycare I often find this is true.::

It is! Kids also ALWAYS smell like Maple Syrup too, even if we haven't had anything with syrup in days! This one always surprises me, and I have been working in childcare for 3 years now.

[Unregistered]

I fill the tub with bleach water solution. Then put all toys into a plastic laundry basket (one of the lower, wider ones.) Then dip the whole basket in the tub, swish toys around, and lift basket out to let them drain like a colander. Works pretty well with little people, mega blocks, etc.

Or try a laundry mesh bag.

[Unregistered]

Mesh bag, hang to dry. Shake around sometimes to get water out of crevices.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I am older than you all and remember "Thirtysomething" - "their house is sticky, tell me our house won't be sticky." yup sticky that is what happens when kids enter houses.

[laundrymom]

Mesh bag, hang to dry. Shake around sometimes to get water out of crevices.

I used to take ours in mesh bags to my moms hot tub.
Then she moved so we just soak in bleach a couple times a year.
One provider I know uses the rinse and soak setting on her washer, then dips the toys out before the spin.

[AmyKidsCo]

I do it in the sink - swish in hot soapy water, dump in other sink to drain, then move to towels to dry.

My kiddos love cleaning with baby wipes so I "let" them wipe down the walls, shelves, chairs, table, etc. They're actually disappointed if I tell them they can't clean! ::