Safe Cleaning Products for Toys?

There is a spray called "chlorox anywhere" you can use and safe immediately for babies or food etc. Or, go green with Shaklee (at Shaklee.com)

hydogen peroxide will disinfect many things and is basically harmless.I just got an e-mail about all the different things it can disinfect, replacing bleach, and cleaners. I also use it as a mouthwash . Barring alergies, I think anyone, even children would be safer with this than with bleach and other strong cleaners.
Also I put everything from floor vents, toothbrushes, toys, bottle brushes, planters,caps, sponges, most anything , into the dishwasher on the sani cycle and have been for years.

When in doubt I use alcohol. It is sterile, safe and you can pick up a bottle in the pharmacy section.

Hi A.,
There is a totally natural disinfectant, the first completely botanical disinfectant to be approved by the EPA for use in Daycares/ Hospitals/ Dentist Offices, etc., called "Soluguard". It's main disinfecting ingredient is Thymol (derived from Thyme), and is completely safe for use around children. It is non-poisonous, and it kills TB germs, Staph, athlete's foot fungus, and tons more. A friend of mine recommended it to me when I was on the search to get all bleach products out of my home (studies have shown that bleach contributes to the hardening of the arteries; it absorbs through your skin very easily, and doesn't completely rinse out of clothing in the wash!). If you'd like to ask her about Soluguard, you can e-mail her at ____@____.com

Hope that helps, I've really enjoyed using it for years now, and it smells really nice.

Hi A.,
Depending on where the toys have been and what you are looking to accomplish, you can just use soapy water. Many believe that keeping kids in an overly clean environment can lead to increased allergies. At the same time, if another kid just coughed all over or puked on your child's toy, I would personally want to disinfect them too! A disclaimer here -- I worked at Clorox, though left almost a decade ago. The disinfecting craze was going strong at the time. From the science I read while there, all disinfecting products, except pure bleach, leave a residue. The residue is not only something I would not want my kid around, but it potentially creates an environment for germs to mutate and adapt to these products, growing even stronger. Most scientists believe that overuse of antibiotics, not antibacterial cleaning products, is what is leading to the emergence of super bugs, but why leave a residue if you do not have to? Clorox sells products that leave a residue just like any others, but bleach (Clorox or not) does not leave a residue. A few cautions though: dilute the bleach according to the instructions on the bottle and wear gloves; test the product in a small area to make sure the color will not be affected; use in a well ventilated area; and, most importantly, do not use bleach where any other cleaning products have been used and do not use other cleaning products in the same area of your house for at least a couple of hours. Bleach and ammonia, if combined, create toxic fumes. Other cleaning products might contain ammonia, and you do not want to take a chance. Hope this helps.
K.

Hi A.,

I too was looking for cleaners that are better for my family and I recently found a wonderful company that you order from over the internet. They make products that are eco-friendly, safer for your family without using toxic chemicals and the products actually work great!! I don't want to seem like a 'sales person' in my response, so if this is something you think you'd be interested learning more about, let me know and we could talk. Good luck!!

You should check out the www.healthychild.org website. They have tons of advice on not toxic cleaning products for your home. I personally use vinegar and water for most of my cleaning and 7th Generation and Biokleen products in my home. There are lots of alternatives to toxic and unhealthy clorox and bleach products. Hope this helps!

Hi A.. I use Shaklee cleaning products for pretty much everything. All their products are eco-friendly and non-poisonous. I have used the wipes on toys and also the Basic H cleaner. I got turned on to them by my brother-in-law. He is a firefighter with a specialty in hazardous waste. After his training, he got our whole family to get rid of most of the household cleaners we had. I have never sold the products but signed up as a distributor just to be able to buy the products myself. I would check out their website and see for yourself. Their products have gotten a lot of press lately and were recently featured on Oprah's Favorite products for the year. If you want to try anything, let me know.

Hi, A.! I would say use the hottest water from the faucet you have, or if the toy can stand up to it, boil them occasionally. Water is the safest, cheapest, and most natural. Also, if you think about it, the kids find a lot of stuff to chew on and eat (!) that we have not sanitized...so I would say water is good. Have a good day! J.

We use Simple Green. Gymboree also uses Simple Green. It's non-toxic.

http://www.simplegreen.com/

If your son is like my daughter when she was his age, she put everything in her mouth. I wouldn't want her to put the chemicals from the Lysol or Clorox wipes in her mouth.

Good luck!

Hi A.,

This is B..

CONGATULATIONS! I can sense that you are happily married and reallly love your baby so much.

I will suggest to call the no at the back of the product and ask for MSDS Material Safety Date Sheet. That will give you an idea if the product is safe or not. I have a home base business and our products are 100% guaranteed SAFE. You can check our MSDS and compare it to other products. In addition our products are all natural, safer and cheaper. You can call me ###-###-#### and I will show you how to check if your products store in your house are SAFE. You can visit my company at MELALEUCA.COM

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR SEARCH FOR SAFER AND ECONOMICAL PRODUCTS B.. www.bv1712.myopportunity.net

I am also a Director of a pre-school center and I am wondering why you are even cleaning your son's toys after he plays with them. If he is the only child playing with the toy, it doesn't need cleaning...It's only after ANOTHER child plays with/mouths the toy that it needs cleaning. Of course I understand the need to clean them if they are dirty, fall on the floor etc., but I believe there is such a thing as TOO much cleaning. If you keep your baby in a sterile little bubble, one day when he goes outside and interacts with other people and children he will get even sicker b/c he's never met a germ in his life. If you are breastfeeding rt now, it's actually the best time for him to be exposed to some germs b/c you pass your immune system to him through the breast. When he's that little he doesn't feel the symptoms of sickness as much. In fact, a nurse who does health and safety trainings said it's BETTER for children to get sick when they are younger, more resilient and feel the symptoms less, than when they are older. As much as we, as mothers may not want our children to get sick, they will eventually get sick. Our paranoia over germs will not help the situation any, rather it will stress us out and make being a mother even harder than it needs to be, lowering our immune system and we will get sick, then what good are we to our children?

But, if you must clean the toys, do what Revonda said, she's right.

For hard plastic toys use one gallon hot water with 1 tsp ordinary bleach in it(no perfums). Soak the toys for about 45 seconds and then let air dry

Cheaper than the wipes, safer for your kids, and better for the environment since your not throwing the wipe into a landfill. I know a lot of people worry about using bleach around their kids but it is safe you just have to let it dry. The drying denatures the bleach and turns it back into salt. Exposure to light also denatures bleach (that's why it doesn't come in clear bottles.)

Hi A.,
I throw a lot of my son's toys in the dishwasher. It works!

Greetings - I am a former infant/toddler preschool director.

If the toys are plastic or can stand water without damage, use 1 part clorox to 10 parts water in a pray bottle to clean, rinse and then let dry until you baby can use again.

If it is a stuffed animal/pillow, you wash it in the washing machine.

Good luck

Most of the acceptable options have already been mentioned, but the one I haven't seen is that if a toy will withstand the heat and water, simply putting it in the dishwasher will work. For small items, put them into a zippered mesh laundry bag to keep them together and from falling into the heat element.
I do agree that sometimes we overly worry about cleaning and therefore keep our kids from developing immunity. Probably a combination of several of the suggestions that have been made would be the best option. Just wipe toys off with a safe solution most of the time, but if you feel they need more on occasion, use one of the other alternatives.

Pampers has put out a "safe" cleanser for toys, tables etc. I found it at Toys R' Us. But I agree with the other responses. Don't clean them all of the time. They need to build up resistance. I only clean toys after we have had a bunch of other kids playing with them.

Hi A.,
Clorox makes an Anywhere Spray that is safe for kids toys or for just about any surface. It comes in a light blue bottle and you can buy it at Target, Walmart, etc. Also, I bought a bottle of cleaning spray at Babies R' Us that was designed especially for kids toys too. I don't remember the name off hand, but it worked great and I am happy with both products.
Take care and enjoy your beautiful 6 month old!!!
C. :)

I was concerned about this over a year ago. I agree with others that you can wash them with soap and water. If you are concern about using toxic cleaners around your little one there are other options. I found Shaklee last year when I was looking for an alternative to the toxic cleaners I was using. If you are interested in learning more about Shaklee's Safe, Powerful, and green cleaners just let me know.

Hi,
I just used baby wipes or more recently the flushable wipes. I figure if they are safer for diaper changing etc. it should be safe for toys and they clean pretty well.
Good luck
S.

Clorox actually makes a spray cleanser that is called Clorox Anywhere spray. It is completely safe for all childrens toys and kills 99% of bacterias. I use it for all of my daughters toys, changing table, pretty much anything that has a hard non-porous surface. It also doesnt have any smell to it which I absolutely love! You can buy then in travel size also so you can take it anywhere! Best of luck! Also, just fyi in regards to the simple green being a good one... I wouldnt recommend it. We use that to clean our boat after it has been sitting all winter (cleans like a champ) but it has the strongest smell ever. I tried using it in our bathroom once and it made my eyes water because it was in such a confined place. I wouldn't want to have my kid put that in their mouth. Hope I dont offend anyone thats just my two cents.

A.,

Try Clorox Everywhere (or anywhere) it is supposed to be safe and effective.

K.

Hi A.,

My name is D., I read your request, and I wanted to share with you that I worked in a pre-school center for many years as a qualified pre-school teacher.

We simply used bleach water on children's toys, table tops, chairs, and cots. 1 part bleach and 3 parts water, this solution works really well, and it kept down germs in the center.

Best regards,

D.

No way! Please go to a health food store and purchase organic/natural products. The chemicals used in common items are SOOOOOO dangerous for your children and you! The natural products are just as effective, a little elbow grease never hurt anyone! I only use soap and hot water. It is good for children (and adults) to build up an immunity to germs otherwise they will be affected by Supergerms. Congratulations on your baby!

Only use: Hot water with vinegar for smells
Hot water with Hydrogen Peroxide for disenfecting
Hot water with baking soda as a scrubbing agent

Please don't use anything other than those four ingredients for children and yourselves. I am a professional Green Cleaner and most chemicles give children health problems, mainly asthma. Organic Suburbanite IS AN AWESOME BOOK that gives measurments to mixes to all household situations from clogged drains to pool care!
Dont put plastic toys in dishwasher because that will release the toxic PVC unless it's a plastic without the PVC.

Fresh air and hand washing is the BEST way to stay healthy.
Actually since I've stopped using chemicle cleaners I've been healthier and I also work in a kindergarten!

I'm a mom of a 10 yr old and an 11 month old, have worked in a Kindergarten for three years and handle Accounting and human resourcing for my husbands bussiness of 25 years. Love to all and keep up the good work.

There are some great non-toxic and biodegradable dish soaps at Whole Foods and other natural food stores, and lavender essential oil is a natural anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and it smells wonderful and soothes the nervous system too. You could mix a few drops in a spray bottle with some dish soap and wipe things down.

Try Clorox Anywhere. It's nontoxic and should be safe for kids' toys.

Hi A.,
I have used a product called Basic H2, it was on Oprah's favorite list last December. Use 1/2 teaspoon to 16 oz of water in a spray bottle. It's organic and safe for cleaning toys, table tops and everything else in the home.
Get more info. at www.shaklee.net/natural_family_products/getclean

Good Luck!

Soap and water followed by Clorox Hard Surface Spary. I swear by it. I will spray a whole room it after I clean.

I fully agree with the moms about over cleaning not being a good thing....

I wanted to add a natural option.... bleach is not "green" or healthy for anyone including the earth.

But you can use water and tea tree oil as a nice alternative, tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant, so safe you can use it to clean wounds. You can find it at any health food store or apothacary.

Hi there,

I get pretty grossed out at how filthy toys can get, but I try not to use harsh cleaners. I am of the same philosophy as some of the other moms here - if you keep a completely sterile house, your child will never build an immune system to fight off simple colds and anything else they might pick up playing with other kids.

I have used water and vinegar 50/50 mix. I've also used the Pampers toy cleaner that comes in a spray - no harsh chemicals. You just spray it on the toys and wipe with a clean cloth or paper towel. No residue left on the toys and it smells clean too.

All the best to you and your little baby boy!

If the toys are small enough you might consider putting them in a lingerie bag on the top shelf of your dishwasher. We have a toy closet under the stairs for grandchildren and one day after the smell was intolerable found two sippy cups of sour milk in one of the toy bins. One cup had spilled and it was all over the toys. I didn't know what to do so I asked a friend who works in a day care. She told they pack up all the small toys every day and wash them in the dishwasher. It worked great for us.

I just throw them in the dishwasher or spray them with bleach water and let them air dry. I think the correct measurement is 1/8 tsp. to one quart of water...I think. I just measure by sight now so I don't really know how much I am putting in there :-)

Hi lucky mom! After much research and looking at actual data and statistics, I decided to go with LOC, the first "liquid organic compound" recognized by the United Nations. LOC is highly concentrated and completely "green" (safe, non-toxic, biodegradable/environmentally friendly in biodegradable bottles) and has the scientific backing and over 50 years of testing, which totally impressed me. I make wipes and use it with Pursue disinfectant (also proven more effective than other well known products - which I totally love too). I've had the same two bottles since last June and they are still half full! I clean every surface, including my kids rooms with the wipes or spray or mixture for my floors and walls. You can read all about LOC and Pursue and other family and environmentally friendly products and packaging (all made in the USA too) at www.bbu4u.com. I'm totally hooked on all the products and love how economical and long lasting and effective they are too. You might also appreciate SA8 (I read in Consumer Reports that it's their #1 recommended laundry detergent), I especially like the gentle formula for delicates and baby clothing. My honey cleans his hands and tools with SA8! He loves it on the boat too and our box we bought in June we just now replaced too.

You have some really great suggestions here, I hope this one helps too.

Hi A.!

I work for the Clorox Co. and we have a wonderful product that I use all the time called Clorox Anywhere. It is a totally safe disinfectant. It is so safe, you can even spray their high chair before they eat off of it. It's great for spraying counter surfaces after handling raw meat and I use it all the time for 2nd. hand toys.

I've been concerned with the same type of things lately, and am in the process of switching out almost all of my cleaning products. Everything I have read lately says that you can use really basic things like vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide to clean almost everything in your house (vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are strongly antibacterial). So far I've tried it out in the bathroom and it worked great. (I didn't have any problem with lingering smell, as I was worried about -- I've read that you can also add essential oils or scented liquid castile soap if it is a problem.)

My son is in Gymboree and they use simple green to clean everything. Hope that helps.

how about good old fashioned soap and water? I'd avoid anything that is potentially toxic.

Vinegar kills most germies, so you can put some in a spray bottle and wipe it down. Rinse with water. Safe to ingest.

There is a product called "Clean Well". It is a hand sanitizing spray made with thyme. It's supposed to be as effective as Purell, but safer for kids because it is not alcohol based. Purell is not safe if ingested, and since people use it a lot, it's better to find an alternative.

A good ol' dunk in soap and hot water should be fine too.

Don't be so so concerned about erradicating germs. Germ exposure is good for strengthing the immune system.

A.,
I have noticed recently several commercials for new cleaners on the market which are "safe as water". I do not know how true that statement is.
I have used a cleaner called "holy cow" that states it is as safe as water with no harmful chemicals...It works GREAT ! I have purchaed it at Wal-Mart for under $2.00 per bottle. I was so happy after the first time I purchased it. First cuz it was so much less than other cleaners such as Lysol & 409 and worked BETTER.
As always read the label in regards to using it for kids toys etc but it has been a wonderful cleaner.
Hope this helps......Have a great day

There is some stuff by Clorox I think called Anywhere Spray. It is in a blue spray bottle. I use it all the time to clean my daughter's toys and even her tray for her highchair. After I use it though, I wipe down the surface with water. Even though this stuff is gentle and harmless, I don't want it on her toys. Hope this helps...good luck!

If you haven't heard of Shaklee's Get Clean line on the Oprah Show, then you need to know about them! They're a company that manufactures a cleaning line that is TOTALLY safe for your home. ALl their products are non-toxic, biodegradable, eco-friendly, economical and very effective. Because I fell in love with this product line I decided to become a distributor for Shaklee.

They have wipes, both disenfecting and regular cleaning wipes, plus an entire line of cleaning products from the kitchen to laundry to the bathtub.

Visit www.shaklee.net/andrea_reak to learn more or e-mail me at ____@____.com and I'd be happy to send anyone more information.

Shaklee is safe for you, your home and the planet!
A.

I put my 6 month old sons toys in either the dishwasher or in the washer with his clothes. I figure they are both safe since that is how we clean his cups, spoons and clothes. The hot water helps with the sterilizing!!! I hope that helps!

I used to be a preschool teacher and this is what we do. Once a week, more if he's sick, fill a bucket or your sink with a bleach & water solution. Like 1 cup bleach to 1 gallon warm water. Put all the toys you can in it and let it soak for about an hour. Then rinse them off and let them dry. For the ones you can't bleach, just wash them with hot water and soap. Wash what you can in the washing machine (blankets, stuffed items) 1x week too. I wouldnt use the lysol or the wipes on anything he will be touching!

I run an in home daycare and disinfect my toys in the bathtub. Run a full tub of the hottest water and then pour in 3 cups of white vinegar. Let soak for an hour or so, stirring occasionally (I use my swiffer mop head),then drain and wipe dry. Be sure to keep the bathroom door closed so your little one doesn't get in and burn himself in the bathtub! If you don't want to dininfect that way, I would suggest the wipes, I have read articles in Parents mag. that state that the spray cleaners can be harmufl to children b/c the aerosol particles can get into their lungs and be harmful. Better safe than sorry! Best of luck to you!

~A

Mommy to Ryleigh 3 1/2y, and Teagan 19m, wife of David for 7y, and a Day Care Momma!

vinegar in water.....baking soda for scrubbing....safe, organic cleaners....

I agree, don't overclean/disinfect - it creates superbugs & doesn't allow your child a chance to strengthen his immune system in this way. Did you know bleach was first created for use in the first World War to be used in toxic gas warfare? Enough said! I use white vinegar and water 50/50. Nontoxic & cheap too! Also deodorizes - great for the highchair & the vinegar smell evaporates.

A Music Together teacher once said she used Listerine on all her instruments between toddler classes. It has an anticiptic, but is safe to put in your mouth right after use.

And if you use a washable, reusable cloth, you could be keeping all those extra "wipes" out of the landfill.

I thought it was brilliant!

-T.

I use hot water, mixed with a little white vinegar and dish soap to clean my son's plastic toys about once a month. I am not a fan of bleach or other "toxic" cleaning products. I use vinegar and water to clean my tile floors and it does a great job! A very natural and inexpensive way to clean.

Try "Holy Cow" they are perfectly safe and available.

Vinegar kills bacteria and is 100% all natural;-P. I know that Heloise of "Helpful Hints from Heloise" has a full pamphlet on vinegar. I'm sure you could google this and find more information on how useful vinegar is.

If objects are small and portable, and water proof,I just rinse in the sink and dry with a towel. Otherwise, wet wipes work amazingly well. I often use wet wipes while house cleaning, such as cleaning the outside of the blender, espresso maker, microwave, etc.

I have seven children and the twins just turned 18 and i'm at just about to end the high school run.....when my kids were smaller, it was easy to just throw all of those toys through the dish washer as long as they didn't have little holes to absorb any water....they came out very clean and actually lasted longer...*good luck* T.

I would recommend the Method wipe brand. they can be found at target and most grocery stores, they are non-toxic.