How to Clean Baby Toys and How Often You Should Do It

Are you wondering if you need to clean your baby’s toys? The simple answer is yes. 

This guide will show you why it matters and what cleaning steps to take based on the toy’s materials. You’ll also learn how often to wash baby toys and what cleaning agents to use.

Cleaning Baby Toys by Material

Baby toy cleaning methods vary based on what they’re made of. Plush toys can’t be cleaned like wooden ones and vice versa.

Plastic and Silicone Toys

These are probably the most common baby toys today. Fortunately, they’re also among the easiest to clean.

Wash them in warm water and a mild dishwashing liquid. You can place some dishwasher-safe ones on the top rack for a cycle as well.

Toys that require a deeper clean can be submerged in boiling water if they’re heat-safe. Some can also be submerged in baby-safe sterilising solutions. Just remember to rinse the latter thoroughly before returning them to your little one.

Wooden Toys

Wood is porous and absorbs moisture, so wooden toys can easily crack or grow mouldy if you don’t treat them right. Fortunately, most of them can be wiped down with a damp cloth.

Dampen the cloth with a 50/50 mixture of water and white vinegar, which can help disinfect the wood. Never soak or submerge them, however, and air-dry them without direct sunlight. 

Direct sunlight can hasten the speed of drying for the areas directly touched by it, causing irregular drying. This can lead to warping or cracking.

Plush and Soft Toys

Stuffed animals and fabric toys collect dust and drool over time. Fortunately, most can go into the washing machine!

Use a gentle and cool cycle, and pop them in a pillowcase or mesh laundry bag. The latter can help them keep their shape and prevent sewn-on parts from coming off.

But remember: you need to dry them completely before returning them to your baby. Residual moisture can lead to mould and bacterial growth.

Electronic Toys

Any electronic or battery-operated toy shouldn’t be washed. Wipe these down with a lightly dampened cloth or a baby-safe disinfecting wipe. When in doubt, refer to the manufacturer’s care instructions.

Keep the electrical or battery compartments dry at all times, even when batteries aren’t installed. Residual moisture can cause corrosion.

Choosing Your Cleaning Agents

If you want to know how to sterilise baby toys, the products to use for the task actually diverge quite a bit from the usual household cleaning agents that might spring to mind. 

What to Avoid

Steer clear of the following:

• Bleach

• Strong disinfectants

• Products with ammonia

These are common household cleaning staples, but they’re not advised for use with baby items. Some can leave behind chemical residues that end up on your baby’s hands and in their mouth.

Bleach in particular is dangerous. It can irritate a baby’s delicate skin and airways, and is best kept away from anything your little one comes into contact with.

What to Use

For most toys, warm water and a mild dishwashing liquid is all you need for daily cleaning. White vinegar diluted with equal parts water is also an easy-to-make natural disinfectant, as noted earlier.

Some baby-safe sterilising solutions and wipes are also available on the market if you need a quick clean-up. Most of the solutions come as liquid products, but there are also some that come as effervescent tablets to be combined with water.

Alternatively, you can use steam or UV (ultraviolet) sterilisers for some toys. The latter use UV-C light to kill 99.9% of bacteria on the toys, although they come with caveats.

Specifically, some cheaper plastics or latex toys may not tolerate sustained UV-C light exposure. They may start to break down, which can be a concern for your baby.

Hard, non-porous materials are usually safe for UV sterilisation. Think of baby toys Singapore products like those made of metal, glass, or hard plastic as examples.

How Often Should You Clean Baby Toys?

Knowing how often to wash baby toys is just as important as knowing how. Use the following guide as your baseline schedule:

Clean Daily

Teething toys, rattles, and any toy that goes into your baby’s mouth should be cleaned at least once daily. Even better if you can clean the toy before and after each use.

Once a toy has been visibly soiled or used during mealtime, you should wash it right away.

Clean Weekly

Bath toys, frequently used plastic toys, and plush toys in daily rotation should get a thorough clean every week. This is also a good time to check inside bath toys for signs of mould.

Deep-Clean Occasionally

Toys rotated in and out of use can be deep-cleaned occasionally. The same is true for soft toys not played with daily and larger items like play mats.

If a toy is used by a sick child, however, it should be cleaned immediately.

Get More Practical Tips via Our Blog

Staying on top of toy hygiene is easy enough, and it can help you keep your baby healthy. Just remember our notes on frequency and remember that different toys need different care.

If you want more tips to help with your baby, check out our other articles. You can even start with our guide of the best toys for infants, to get started!