The Easy Way To Clean & Sanitize All The Plastic Toys In Your Home (No Extra Work Required)

Have you ever come home to find your kids' and pets' toys all over the place, covered in hair, dirt, food, and who knows what else? While it can be overwhelming, don't just toss them back in their toy box. Instead, give them a quick clean. Children and animals are germ magnets, touching everything and anything. Keep the little ones you care about safe by giving these play pieces a wash. The easiest way to clean and sanitize all the plastic toys in your home without doing extra work is to put them in the dishwasher.

But don't place just any play items in there. Instead, this method of cleaning is best used for hard plastic or rubber toys. Cleaning your kids' stuffed animals or metal toys may involve more detailed cleaning steps, like hand washing or using specific cleaners. While the dishwasher will make sanitizing plastic toys seamless, you must remember that cleanliness and maintenance go hand-in-hand. The moment you forego maintenance, the opportunities for messiness and bacteria increase, potentially leading to health issues like skin irritations and respiratory problems. Therefore, in addition to sanitizing toys regularly, it is crucial to keep all of the toys in your home clean for longer periods of time by incorporating prompt storage and timely disposal when necessary.

This clever dishwasher hack will actually make your life easier and make those toys sparkle. Smaller items that can fall through your dish racks should be placed in the silverware basket. For those tiny bits, accessories, and building blocks, stash them away in a mesh bag. On the top section, strategically place medium-sized toys for optimal drying, leaving the bottom rack for your larger ones. Throw in some detergent, and set your washer to gentle wash with hot water and air dry. To stay on the safe side, toys need to dry without a heat source, usually by towel drying or leaving them in the dishwasher to dry overnight.

However, before you give your kiddos' and pets' toys a good bubble bath, you must know that not all plastic can go into the dishwasher. Any play items made from thin, flimsy plastics may warp from melting. Also, be cautious of acrylic versions since they look like plastic. They should be hand-washed to avoid fading colors and cracks. If you have plastic or rubber toys with fine details, smaller attached pieces, stickers attached to them, or other materials that you fear may break or get damaged through a cycle, manually scrub them instead. Once these entertaining objects are squeaky clean, maintain their cleanliness by storing them away and knowing when it's time to toss them for good.

Don't just toss the sanitized plastic toys back into the pile. Instead, you need to preserve their overall condition by storing them away properly and knowing when it is time to say goodbye. Baskets, bins, and toy boxes are just some of the numerous simple toy storage ideas that will help keep a playroom tidy. There are many creative floor, ceiling, and wall storage features you can implement to hold these items as well. Some people even go the extra mile and add labels. Putting away toys not only keeps things tidy but prolongs each object's lifespan while lowering its chances of getting dirty or stepped on.

If you have children and pets, you know the difficulties that come with throwing away a toy they enjoy. But there comes a point where you have to toss the item away. It's not worth keeping toys that have rips, holes, rust, mold, missing pieces, broken batteries, strong odors, damage, or other issues. Bath toys, especially, should be tossed as often as every six months due to the constant moisture exposure. Create a cleaning schedule that includes going through and tossing out old play trinkets. This is also an ideal time to go through perfectly good toys that your little ones don't use anymore to sell or donate.