Does anyone know fast, safe ways to clean plush, cloth teething toys? My 5 month old needs something to chew on and has a couple of water teethers in the fridge; however, he prefers to chew on his bunny with rubber paws but it is hard to keep clean. I can't put it in the washing machine because it will fill the interior rattle with water, but I want to keep them clean without having the baby eat soap. Anyone have any suggestions?
Well, I want to say Thanks for all of the great advice! After reading the responses, I placed the toys he likes to chew on best in the pillow case in the washer with the gentle cycle on and double rinse. Then I placed them out to dry. They were much cleaner, he could chew on them happily and I wasn't worried (as much) as to what he could pick up on them. The rattles did not fill with water and they are fine. Thanks so much for the great advice!
Two things you can try... Put it out in the hot sun for a few hours. The sun naturally disinfects and fights stains. The other is to try one of those steam cleaners. Steam will clean and disinfect without completely immersing the toy in water. HTH!
Hi,
I used to dilute mouth wash in a spray bottle to disinfect my twins' chew toys. I would keep a small bottle in my purse to disinfect anything they dropped. Hope this helps.
L. B
My baby girl loved chewing a dragonfly that played 'twinkle twinkle' and had lights in its face, and had crinkly wings, I washed it in the washing machine in a pillow case let it air dry and it was just fine. And much cleaner, I did this several times and never had any problem with it.
Hi there B.:
I use a solution of peroxide and water to clean a lot of things in my house that can't stand soap and water. Also you might try backing soda and water. Make a paste and brush away the "dirt"
You can try and put it in the washing machine anyway. I did that with my almost 2 1/2 yr old's toys and Still do.
I put them in a pillow case (if they fit) then take them out-No fabric softner and put them out of sight to air dry-for you the out of sight part is yet to come :-).
For BIG ones that the pillow case won't knot around, I put in and just wash on gentle cycle.
She has a chick w/ bunny ears she likes to run around with she got for her first Easter which has a rattle in it's tummy I thought the same thing you are thinking the first time I washed it and it works exactly the same as when new.
My Mom was shocked when I told her I washed ALL her plush to make sure it was clean she likes to drag them around and has always thrown them and they end up on the floor.
I Still do this as a couple of times she has pulled off her "poopy" and residuals have gotten on her bedding/plush in her bed. I put all her "bed babies" in the wash with her sheet/blanket and pillowcase with Bleach and I have only had one problem-Nemo's 'gimpy fin' came off and had to be repaired, but she didn't even notice my questionable sewing skills. :-)
I would rather have toys that don't "rattle" than I would have them stay dirty. I also told the Granparents to please not get her ANY plush that has "sounds" press a paw/tummy etc... b/c I Can't Wash those.
I hope this helps.
Good Luck with your Lovely Boys,
C.
I have that toy for my little guy and I wash it in the washing machine. It came out fine and the rattle still works the same. This is how I wash all of his cloth toys. I do an extra rinse cycle to make sure all of the soap is out.
Cleaning more than teething toys
I've learned quite a bit in the last four years that makes me incredibly thankful to God that my kids survived my ignorance. Maybe chemicals weren't as prevalent 25 years ago, and they definitely weren't 50 years ago. They are getting worse. B., I would be concerned about what you are using to wash with and the residuals still remaining in the washed item even with a double rinse. The danger lies not in what you see and hear but in the unseen - the chemicals that are ingested through taste, touch, and smell. It's truly a scary world today that we are raising the next generation in. I haven't even mentioned the preservatives in processed foods yet. Hopefully, at the very least, your little guy is on a good multi-vitamin that helps his developing immune system fight a lot of the bad stuff.
This is probably way more than you expected, but I'm trying to help teach young moms today about dangers where they least expect to find them.
Please watch the following 30-minute video - it's a real eye opener: Toxic Brew - http://www.theglobalsuccessteam.net/resources/wmv/toxic_B...
To find out what’s lurking on your shelves, go to the National Institutes of Health Library of Medicine Household Products Database. You can search almost any brand of cleaner you use, find out what’s in it, and uncover its links to health effects. Or search by chemical ingredients (see list below for some examples) and discover what brands contain it. The information may shock you. http://www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/ingredients.htm
Chemical ingredients to look out for:
• Sodium hydroxide
• Hydrochloric acid
• Butyl cellosolve (2-Butoxyethanol)
• Formaldehyde
• Bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
• Ammonia
• Sulfamic acid
• Petroleum distillates
• Sulfuric acid
• Lye (potassium hydroxide)
• Morpholine
If you have any questions, please email me back.
I hope this has been of some help,
~V~
