At one point or another, it’s likely that you’ve found yourself diligently cleaning every square inch of your apartment home. During these times, you probably wished that you had some advice to make the process a bit easier. You can stress yourself out by disinfecting all surfaces, running several loads of laundry, and dusting every corner of your floor plan.
If you have children, the deep cleaning process can be even more of an energy drain. Children come with extra cleaning responsibilities, as we all well-know – including their toys. Yep, children’s toys are filled with bacteria and other not-so-nice stuff, which is why you should read on for our tips on disinfecting toys.
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 them dry in the air.
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.
Skyline at Kessler Apartments in Dallas, Texas