Second Hand Pack and Plays...

Depends on two things - how clean it/the family is and how good of a deal I am getting. If a really clean pack n play used at a yard sale is $40 and a new one is $140 of comparable quality, heck yes!

There has to be a way to clean them beyond the simple wipe down with vinegar. (although maybe that is enough?)

Think about it this way - your child will be on "used" stuff all the time at day care and any place other than your own home.

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It all depends on how clean it looks. Mine was barely used and sold it cheap. She was thrilled with geting such a great item so cheap!

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I would totally buy one to save money. If you're worried, buy a can of Lysol and spray the heck out of it. We were given one by a friend and I used it with my newborn twins with no problems.

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I got one from a family friend, but it was pretty dirty when they gave it to me. We took the pad out, scrubbed it with Dr. Bronner's soap (natural, organic soap) and then sprayed it with a hose. I also took a scrub brush to the pad with the same soap and rinsed it well with a hose and put it in the sun to dry. When I was done it looked as good as new. We also always use a sheet with ours.

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I bought used mesh play pens when my kids were little. If they looked filthy and gross I didnt, but even at a garage sale they can be clean and nice. I still took them home and washed with hot soapy water and wiped then down. A couple years ago I bought a pack n play from Craigslist and it was spotless. I washed it down with soapy water too. Was given a play pen by a friend, and it was in good condition and I washed it down too. I resold the pack n play a while back and it looked brand new. I washed it before the gal came and got it anyway. A friends daughter is coming to town to visit for 6 weeks and she has a new baby. I loaned them my other play pen but washed it off first. As long as it hasnt been chewed up from keeping a litter of puppies in it (stupid thing to use for dogs anyway) you can clean up a decent one.

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I did. I got it for free from a coworker, since I knew her I felt better about using it with my baby.

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Of course.

Babies lick the floor, their feet, grocery carts...etc. A used playpen that I cleaned well has GOT to be better than that. lol

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I would and did. I found one that looked barely used at a garage sale for $10. Since I didn't know a thing about the people I bought it from, I took it home and set it up and steam cleaned it with baby laundry soap instead of rug cleaner. I hosed it off to make sure it was rinsed well and then let it dry on my back porch (here in Texas that doesn't take long). I then left it set up for a week or so in the baby room to make sure it was thoroughly dried before I folded it back up. I used that for both of my kids, my SIL used it for one of hers and we kept it for friends to use for a while. Best $10 investment ever!

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If it was clean and in good condition, I would. Whoever got our Pack N Play got a nice one...so .....yes!

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I agree with Denise, if it was as nicely taken as mine! Plus, you can buy new sheets! Even if it looks clean, I would take it home and scrub it down!

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Yes I would. I would just give it a good wipe down with some clorax wipes and it would be just fine.

Updated

Yes I would. I would just give it a good wipe down with some clorax wipes and it would be just fine.

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Ok...us daycare providers do this ALL the TIME! But...we here in MN are required to do a few things, and other things some of us just DO.

Wash the whole thing with a bleach solution. I have had ones in the past that I took outside on the cement driveway, and sprayed with the bleach/water solution...mesh, metal undercarriage, all of it....let it set...hosed it off with the sprayer...let it dry in the sun. But before purchasing ANYTHING, check the Consumer Product Safety Commision website to see if that model has been recalled. DO IT! We are required to do this before using any crib of any kid, new or used, pack N play or otherwise. Then we have to do a monthly physical check of them. If there is even one itty bitty tear in the mesh..I am talking one clipped section of those bitty webbings..its trash. No questions..its trash. Seems a HUGE waste to me, but then its not considered safe. If a child is big enough to stand or pulls at it or puts their foot into it, its more likely to rip and come apart and could trap their leg in it, etc, etc. We have a check list to go over and date each month of all this stuff.

So...check the recall list first, Clean it with bleach..and always use sheets that are snug fitting (easy to make your own..I did from King Size sheet set I got for $5 after Christmas...white background with jewel tone colred "snowflakes" that really just look like stars...and I made them like super tight fitting pillowcases to go over the mattress. Easy and perfect!), and for any cribs...check them over often for rips in the mesh (pack N plays), and for loose screws and what-nots.

It can be a great way to save money. Just don't use anything thats been recalled. Many have been (older ones that still have a "new" unused appearance from not being used much).

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I think that the majority of parents keep baby things in good, clean condition. So, yes, I would buy a used pack & play if I had another child & would sanitize it.

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Yes. In fact, I wish I had done that very thing instead of buying a new one. We sold ours to a young family and it was the bassinet at the top type and it was in PERFECT condition. They commented that it looked like it had never been used. I'm a neat freak so it did look brand new. When we first had our child 6 years ago, I'd never heard of Craigslist. If I had, I would have certainly bought much of our big ticket baby items from Craigslist.

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I would inspect it for safety and cleanliness. I always clean things that I get used anyway. With pack n plays you can lay water proof pads down, the stiff kind so they won't budge and cut it to fit the entire area. If you're afraid it'll move you can attach the corners down. You can spray them with Odo-ban which works much better on odors than regular Febreeze fabric spray.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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My biggest concern would be the pad. You cant really wash that - well not washing machine wash it and I know my DD, when she was a newborn had a lot of leaking diapers because lets face it for the first months everything going in is liquid so.... That is something that you could never fully wash and would never know if it was there or not.
Good Luck

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No, I have bought a new one for all 3 kids. The pad could never be cleaned properly. Its basically padding over a board. After watching each kid, puke, poop, and pee on it I had to buy a new one for each.

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I just sold on eon there for $50, basinett changing table, mobile massager the lot. It was very clean, and had been used only for about 2 months with one of my children - bought new before that, so I didn't have any qualms (great word qualm aint it?) about selling it

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