Sanitizing Toys

[heyhun77]

How often do you sanitize your toys and what do you use?
I just hate to use bleach on the toys since my little ones put everything in their mouths.

Bleach actually breaks down to salt water so really they aren't getting bleach if there is any residue left on toys.

As for Clorox wipes, someone already mentioned that they have to be rinsed after if you use them but they also have a very long contact time which is unrealistic. It's like 15 minutes that they have to stay wet with the solution in the wipes to perform as they say they will. As much as it ****s to use bleach (which I don't want to do use, either) it is the most effective and easiest to use.

[Pestle]

Most of my toys are wooden so I can't soak them. But, sitting and wiping a roomful of toys down justifies a Netflix binge!

[Luke25]

As others have said, when mixed properly it's one of the safest sanitizers out there.
I actually had a bad experience with a "natural" sanitizer when I worked in a group home years ago. Another staff member wound up with severe chemical burns after coming into contact with it. They switched back to bleach after. And a lot of alternative sanitizers haven't been tested to see if they actually work - I'd much rather use something that's proven to work.

Ok good! Bleach it is!!
Oh that's terrible!! I read you could use hydrogen peroxide on toys and that it was the safest thing but had a bad experience. When I went to put the toys back the next day if they were still wet at all it made my hands burn so bad and left white on them �� I was very thankful I was the one to touch it first!!

I'm new to this and license exempt and haven't done training on cleaning and such so I'm learning as I go! I was a kindergarten teacher so i know a lot about the kid part but the cleaning and business side is all new to me. Sooo thankful for this group.

[Luke25]

Most of my toys are wooden so I can't soak them. But, sitting and wiping a roomful of toys down justifies a Netflix binge!

Haha! Yes for sure!!

[MarinaVanessa]

Question - How do you clean art supplies? Do you? Markers? Crayons? Also - books? I wiped down te outside of all my books yesterday and the pages of the board books. I am eyeing the art supplies though...they were coughed on A TON yesterday

Same ratio of bleach/water as already mentioned and then poured into a spray bottle. Spray the supplies, let air dry.
Technically you can dunk most things into bleach water as well. I do. Things like crayons, colored pencils, paint brushes etc. Markers I spray because I don't want water to get into the caps and onto the felt tips.

Watercolor pants can be sprayed with alcohol which will evaporate completely and won't change the consistency of the paint. Chalk too.

[MarinaVanessa]

Please do not use only Clorox wipes to sanitize toys. Clorox wipes may disinfect (they meet 2/3 of the requirements here so we can't use them) but they are not recommended for sanitizing.

The label says that if you use it on a food prep/eating surface or on anything that will be put in mouth, a water rinse is required.

So unless you use the wipe and then rinse, it's dangerous.

THIS! Also good to keep in mind that another reason not to use "disinfectant" wipes is that in order to properly sanitize/disinfect the solution has to be left on the surface for a minimum of 2 minutes. Otherwise you might not kill everything. When you wipe something with it most of the solution dries up before then.

[renodeb]

My sister in law is dead set against bleach and uses vinegar for a lot of her cleaning. I read that vinegar does not always kill all the germs. I dont know, lots of debate about that I guess.
I use the dishwasher for as much as I can, I rotate the toys through (but not every day) the wash machine for everything that can go in there and I use clorox wipes on whatever needs wiped down on a nightly basis. On the weekend everything gets it! I really think that at least the makers/lids should be cleaned. My kids always chew on the lids. I honestly hate bleach because I have ruined outfits spilling it. I always thought that air drying was the way to evaporate the residue?
Oh I use lysol spray to on the gates and stuff and clorox anywhere spray. I can use whatever kills 99.5% of house germs.
I think the key to bleach solution is proper mixture.
Deb

[Pepperth]

Bathtub. Fill with bleach and hot water and dunk toys. Let sit for a bit. Drain. Toys are dry the next morning and ready to go.

A few months back, I had illness going around the daycare so I bleached all the toys in one day. (Usually I do a section a day and then just redo the toys that were mouthed.) I did it all in the kitchen sink and spent way too long doing so. Then my mom suggested I use the bathtub next time. I was so mad that I didn't think of that.::

[Mike]

A few months back, I had illness going around the daycare so I bleached all the toys in one day. (Usually I do a section a day and then just redo the toys that were mouthed.) I did it all in the kitchen sink and spent way too long doing so. Then my mom suggested I use the bathtub next time. I was so mad that I didn't think of that.::

Or a laundry tub if you have one. I use my laundry tub for a lot of things, sometimes even laundry. ::

[Play Care]

I often think there is confusion between sanitizing and cleaning. It sounds as if a lot of people do one or the other, but not both. When I have a lot of "mouthers" I keep a "yuck" bucket on my counter (out of reach of all little hands) filled with the appropriate bleach to water ratio for TOY sanitizing (one gallon of cool water and 1 *teaspoon* bleach) as soon as the mouther is done with that toy, it goes into the yuck bucket. After its left to air dry and put back in circulation. Sanitized, but it's not *clean*
Once a week or so, toys are washed, either run through the dishwasher, washing machine, or scrubbed by hand with water and vinegar. This is what cleans off grubby hand prints and keeps the toys looking their best.

[LostMyMarbles]

I put toys in laundry baskets, and set them in the tub with bleach water. I use lots of Lysol spray and wipes during the day.

[LysesKids]

How often do you sanitize your toys and what do you use?
I just hate to use bleach on the toys since my little ones put everything in their mouths.

For sanitizing I use an EPA approved, Hospital grade sanitizer called Benefect; it's spendy but I can spray it on toys, counters etc and walk away, it's a no rinse, non toxic, plant based solution (Thymol). - it's less toxic than vinegar & water & perfect for a group of mouthing babies

[Controlled Chaos]

I often think there is confusion between sanitizing and cleaning. It sounds as if a lot of people do one or the other, but not both. When I have a lot of "mouthers" I keep a "yuck" bucket on my counter (out of reach of all little hands) filled with the appropriate bleach to water ratio for TOY sanitizing (one gallon of cool water and 1 *teaspoon* bleach) as soon as the mouther is done with that toy, it goes into the yuck bucket. After its left to air dry and put back in circulation. Sanitized, but it's not *clean*
Once a week or so, toys are washed, either run through the dishwasher, washing machine, or scrubbed by hand with water and vinegar. This is what cleans off grubby hand prints and keeps the toys looking their best.

Doesn't the dishwasher also sanitize due to the temp of the water? And how is not clean after being sanitized? Not being snarky (for once ), I learned something new about Clorox wipes on this thread and am feeling like I am cleaning wrong all of a sudden

[Play Care]

Doesn't the dishwasher also sanitize due to the temp of the water? And how is not clean after being sanitized? Not being snarky (for once ), I learned something new about Clorox wipes on this thread and am feeling like I am cleaning wrong all of a sudden

The dishwasher on sanitize would clean and sanitize.
I was talking more about quick sanitizing of toys with bleach or bleach alternatives.

[Blackcat31]

Good info here;

https://www.cscinc.org/wp-content/resource_pdfs/Sanitizing%20and%20Disinfecting%20Tip%20Sheet.pdf

Also:

CLEANING

Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and debris.
Cleaning works by using soap and water to physically remove germs from surfaces.
Cleaning does not necessarily kill germs, but lowers their numbers by removing them. This, in turn, reduces the risk of spreading infection.

DISINFECTING:

Disinfecting kills germs.
Disinfecting uses chemicals to kill germs.
Disinfecting does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces.
By killing germs on a surface after cleaning, disinfecting can further reduce the risk of spreading infection.

SANITIZING:

Sanitizing lowers the number of germs to a safe level (as determined by public health standards or requirements.)
Sanitizing works by either cleaning or disinfecting to lower the risk of spreading infection.