Bath toys spend most of their time in clean, soapy water, so they must be pretty clean too, right?
Although it seems a reasonable assumption to make, it turns out the opposite is actually true.
Many bath toys are designed with a hole in the base, which allows water into and out of the cavity inside. This creates a warm, moist environment - the perfect conditions for germs to live and multiply.
The conditions are so ideal, in fact, that if you were to cut your children's bath toys open, it wouldn't be particularly uncommon to find a growth of mould inside. This is a worrying thought, especially if your little ones are prone to nibbling on their Peppa Pig bath toy - yikes.
Thankfully, Expert Home TiPs have several easy methods to help clean bath toys and make them nice and safe for your children.
How to clean bath toys with vinegar
All natural and safe to use around the home, vinegar is the preferred method by most when it comes to cleaning bath toys. Here's how:
- Squeeze as much water as possible out of the bath toys and leave to dry fully.
- Fill a tray/large container with 2-parts warm water to 1-part white vinegar.
- Soak the bath toys in the solution for 10-15 minutes, squeezing the toy to flood the vinegar into the toy. Give the toys a good shake to ensure the water reaches all crevices.
- Use a toothbrush to clean the exterior of the toy.
- Squeeze the solution out of the toy, rinse with water and set aside to dry.
How to clean bath toys in the dishwasher
The easiest and least hands-on way to get bath toys clean is using your trusty dishwasher. Although simple, there are still a few essential steps to follow:
- Squeeze the toys out thoroughly to remove excess water and set aside to dry.
- Place toys on a dishwasher rack on the top shelf of the machine.
- Add your usual dishwasher powder or tablet.
- Choose the 'warm cycle' setting and turn on your washing machine.
- Once the cycle has finished, remove the toys, squeeze out excess water and set to dry.
There's a surprising amount of things you can clean in your dishwasher you may not know about. Check out Anushka's article, 21 things you didn’t know you could clean in the dishwasher for more!
Seal the hole to prevent future mould growth
If you'd rather not have to deal with this problem again - and who can blame you - you can block up bath toy holes to prevent mould from growing again.
All you need to do this is a hot glue gun and clean, dry bath toys. Heat the gun and dab a small amount of hot glue over the bath toy hole, ensuring the whole area is covered.
Leave the glue to dry, and the bath toy will now be airtight, preventing warm water from entering the toy in future.
Make sure your kids are safe by cleaning your bath toys regularly. Have you ever found mould inside your child's bath toys?
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