Most parents want to keep their children as healthy as possible. That is why they give them healthy foods and lots of care and attention. Aside from these, parents are now more aware that they must also take care of the children’s toys, because these are things that they hold and play with most of the time. There are toys especially made to play with during bath times, and these toys should still be given the same kind of care – that is cleaning properly and getting rid of the dirt and germs that may harm the children’s health.

• One of the effective ways to clean bath toys is the use of some vinegar. First thing to do is to squeeze out the excess water inside the toys and dry them out completely. Then, place these inside the dishwasher, put one part of vinegar and 3 parts of hot water, and let the washer run normally. Rinse with plain water and dry completely.

• If you have no dishwater, just use the same vinegar solution and let the toys soak in the solution for about 10 minutes. Rinse well with water and dry them out.

• You can also use clean swipes to clean the toys. If not available, use a clean damp cloth to wipe and clean the toys instead.

• You can use one part of bleach solution to 10 parts of water to kill the bacteria, and then rinse them well with soap and water. This can be done as a once a week general cleaning of the toys. However, this practice is discouraged since bleach can be harmful to use, so this is used sparingly as much as possible.

• Another way to clean the bath toys is by the use of an old toothbrush. This can be used to scrub away dew or mold on the plastic toys in hot soapy water every few weeks or as needed.

• It is important to remember to throw out bath toys which have holes in them because these can be harmful to children. Kids have the habit of putting toys in their mouths and sucking them, so it is better to be careful about this.

In cases where the bath toys are sometimes stuffed toys, these can be easily washed in some detergent in the washing machine and completely dried out in the air with the use of hangers or clips.

Make use of a toy bag preferably made of mesh net where the toys can be put in after the bath. The mesh bag is good to let the air circulate while the toys are kept inside it. Besides, the mesh bag is easy to wash if it needs to be cleaned.

Make it a regular routine to take out the bath toys out of the bath tub, clean them and dry them out in the open. Shake them well enough to take out water inside. Don’t leave the toys in the water for prolonged periods of time as this can build up molds or bacteria. The habit of keeping bath toys clean is an effective way to keep the children safe and healthy while bathing and having fun at the same time.

Jonathan Pitts

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