Cleaning Toys

We've talked a lot about cleaning in the past and I wanted to share some little things I've found to work great in regards to cleaning toys. I remember when my toddler was born and I asked the pediatrician what he recommended I clean my son's toys with and he said, "I don't" - I was a little shocked, ha! Now that I have two children I understand where he was coming from - nobody has a ton of time to clean all of their kids toys. Here are some quick and easy ways to make sure your play room isn't turning itself into a science project.

1) Use the top rack of your dishwasher for plastic toys that are not electronic
Both Cascade and 7th Generation make all natural dish tablets you can use to wash them. If you are concerned about small pieces falling down in the bottom of your dishwasher, take advantage of one of these baskets - I bet you have that under your cabinet somewhere :)
2) Use your washing machine to wash stuffed animals and soft books and then run them through the dryer - they will look good as new!

3) Use 7th Generation Products. As you all know I'm a huge 7th generation fan. For things you need to wipe down, you just can't beat their wipes and spray that will kill 99.99% of germs botanically!
4) Last - use mouthwash! I saw this once on a "How Clean is Your House" episode. The same ingredients that will kill the germs in your mouth will kill the germs on your kids toys. Simply spray on (you can buy all purpose spray bottles for $1 at Target or Walmart) and either leave to dry or wipe off excess. Either way the minty aftertaste is safe for children when they inevitably put their toys back in their mouth :)

5) Use Vinegar. Just plain white vinegar kills mold and bacteria growing on bath toys and humidifiers. Once every 2 weeks, fill the bottom of your bathtub with hot water and add 1/2 - 1 cup of vinegar, let toys soak for about 5 minutes and rinse clean. You can also spray with a spray bottle but make sure to empty and rinse out the bottle when finished, the vinegar will eat away the inside of the nozzle. With your humidifier, run 1/2 cup through it once every 3 days of use to prevent mold from growing and spreading spores into the air when in use.
Share your tips with us!