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Give the Toys in Your Household New Life with These Easy-to-Follow Disinfecting Tips

Sure, we all want to revamp our lifestyles in certain ways. Perhaps, you decided that you want to get into a more regular cleaning regimen that includes daily, weekly, and even seasonal tasks. When the time rolls around to get down to business, you certainly want to be on your A-game when it comes to your to-do list. Disinfect all surfaces. Check. Run multiple loads of laundry, including all of your blankets. Check. Dust every corner of your apartment home. Check.

But, what about your children’s toys? Should cleaning and disinfecting them make the list, too? The answer is, obviously, yes. Whether you want to believe it or not, children’s toys are filled with bacteria and germs. To nip this issue in the bud, take a look at our tips for disinfecting toys below.

Hard-surface toys that aren’t fluffy, fuzzy, or otherwise porous are very easy to clean with bleach and water. First, wipe toys with a wet sponge and place them aside. Mix ½ cup of regular bleach with 1 gallon of water. Soak washable plastic toys in the solution for five minutes for sanitizing. You can also scrub toys for 5 minutes. Once clean, rinse the toys with warm water and let air dry.

When it’s time to give your child’s favorite teddy bear a bath, you’ll want to take a different approach. Use the gentlest cycle available on your washing machine. Wash plush toys in hot water with regular laundry detergent. You can also consider using a special laundry sanitizing product, which is now available at major retailers like Walmart.

Do your kids prefer electronic toys and games? Follow a simple method to remove grime and germs. With a clean cloth dipped in warm soapy water and well wrung out, wipe the toy to remove any dirt and grime. To kill bacteria, use a disinfecting wipe, an alcohol wipe, or dip a clean cloth in a mix of four teaspoons of chlorine bleach to one quart of water. Wring the cloth well and wipe the toy. Make sure the surface remains wet for five minutes before letting it air dry. If this toy is likely to wind up in your child's mouth, rinse it well with a damp clean cloth and let it air dry again.

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