How To Clean Your Kids’ Toys

Being a parent means lots and lots of cleaning and being vigilant about killing germs daily. Especially during flu season or when many of us have our kids at home, learning the best-known strategies for effectively cleaning your child’s toys is essential. As a mama, teacher, childcare provider, and school administrator, I’ve seen and tried different ways to keep the toys and objects that children use most often clean and free of germs. It’s a struggle, but it’s worth it! And when we halt the spread of germs in our homes, we do our part to keep our communities healthy, too.

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing vs. Disinfecting

Before diving in, it’s important to know that cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting all technically mean different things. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cleaning involves removing substances like dust and dirt with water, soap, or detergent.^1,3 Meanwhile, sanitizing is a cleaning method that uses chemicals to reduce the number of germs or bacteria, and it usually takes less time than disinfecting.^1,3 Finally, the process of disinfecting kills germs and viruses and can take 10 minutes or more minutes.^1,4,5 It often requires leaving a surface wet with chemicals for 30 seconds or more while the disinfection occurs.^1,6

What Kills the Cold and Flu on Surfaces?

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), general household surface cleaners can remove most viruses and bacteria from surfaces. Then, you can use disinfectants to kill any remaining bacteria and viruses on those surfaces. Just make sure to let the disinfectant sit for however long the directions state to ensure it kills the germs.¹⁷

To disinfect surfaces, you can use a bleach solution or an EPA-registered disinfectant.¹⁷ Common, suitable EPA-registered disinfectants include Lysol Disinfectant Wipes and Clorox Multi-Surface Cleaner and Bleach Spray.¹⁵

DIY Disinfectants

Buying cleaning products isn’t necessarily essential if you’re willing to make your own diluted bleach solutions at home! According to the CDC, you can combine chlorine bleach with water to create effective solutions.^2,7 For large quantities, try ⅓ cup of bleach per gallon of water (at room temperature). For smaller batches, use 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water (room temperature).²

You can use hydrogen peroxide as-is, typically sold in 3% solutions. It can be effective when sprayed on non-porous surfaces. Follow the instructions on the bottle for how long to let it sit before drying with a cloth. The Cleveland Clinic also notes that you can spray home surfaces “with a 50/50 mix of peroxide and water.” ⁸ Likewise, isopropyl alcohol at 70% can work when wiped or sprayed onto a surface and left to remain wet for 30 seconds or more.⁹

The Best Way To Clean Kids’ Toys

Follow these steps to clean your kids’ toys properly:

Hard Plastic Toys

Here’s the best way to sanitize and disinfect hard plastic toys (such as pretend food and kitchen items, Legos, tiles, figurines, hard plastic dolls, trains, plastic trucks and cars, etc.):^10,11,12,13

1. Remove dirt and stains by placing the toys in a bucket or tub with hot, soapy water.
2. Scrub the toys with a brush to get any debris off entirely.
3. Rinse the toys in clean water and let them air dry.
4. Rinse and air-dry them in the tub, then refill it with a disinfectant solution. Be sure to read product directions regarding the amount of product mixed in a given amount of water.
5. Soak the toys in a disinfectant solution, then rinse and air-dry them on a clean surface.

Porous and Battery-Operated/Electronic Toys

Here’s the best way to sanitize and disinfect porous and battery-operated toys (such as books, plushies or stuffed animals, puzzles, wooden blocks, tablets, toddler cell phones, talking dolls, etc.):^10,11,12,13

1. Wipe the toy down with a cloth that’s been soaked in hot water, then try to remove dirt and debris. A toothbrush or scrub brush can help remove hard-to-reach dirt. Rinse the toy and allow it to air dry completely.
2. Soak a new cloth in a disinfectant solution. Be sure to read product directions regarding the amount of product mixed in a given amount of water.
3. Wipe the toy with the disinfectant cloth, and allow the solution to stay on the toy for the time the product states is necessary to kill germs.
4. Wipe the toy with a third cloth that’s been soaked in clean water to remove any remaining dirt or disinfectant.
5. Air dry the toys spread out on a clean cloth or surface.

Bath Toys

Here’s the best way to sanitize and disinfect bath toys (such as rubber ducks and other floating water toys, toy bath spouts or tubes that stick to the tub wall, etc.):¹⁶

1. Place the bath toys in a bucket or tub filled with 1 gallon of water and ½ cup of bleach.
2. While wearing gloves, submerge and squeeze the bath toys in the water/bleach mixture.
3. Let the bath toys soak in the mixture for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the bath toys from the mixture, squeeze them to remove any of the mixture, and rinse the toys thoroughly (as many times as needed) with warm tap water.
5. Air dry the bath toys on a clean, disinfected surface.

Remember To Clean Frequently Used Hard Surfaces

While you’re busy working to clean the kids’ toys, don’t forget to disinfect commonly used surfaces in your home as well. These can include:¹⁴

• Faucet handles
• Phones
• Remote controls
• Doorknobs
• Kitchen counters
• Tables
• Child gates
• Light switches

How Often Should Toys and Surfaces Be Cleaned?

Although there are no set guidelines for how often you should clean toys and hard surfaces, the CDC recommends doing so regularly. In particular, you should clean toys and surfaces when they’re visibly dirty and when people within the home are sick or more likely to become sick (such as during cold and flu season, when kids are exposed to sickness at daycare or school, or after a visit from a sick person).¹⁷ It can be helpful to create a weekly cleaning schedule to stay on top of keeping toys and surfaces clean — and keep cold and flu germs at bay.

Products We Recommend for Cleaning

Choosing the right products for cleaning your children’s toys can be overwhelming. There are many options on the market, and you’ll want to make sure the products you choose are baby and child-safe and effective. Here are some products we recommend for cleaning toys:

• Dapple Baby All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
• Attitude Toy and Surface Cleaner
• Babyganics Toy and Highchair Cleaner Spray
• Seventh Generation Disinfecting Multi-Surface Wipes
• Branch Basics All-Purpose Cleaner

These cleaning products use baby-safe ingredients and are proven to disinfect, kill germs, and clean toys and surfaces.

Always Use Caution When Cleaning

Whether you choose to purchase a product online or make a cleaning solution yourself at home, be sure to read the directions carefully! Never mix two different types of cleaners. Keep children away from cleaning products, and make sure your space is well-ventilated to protect you and your family from fumes.

FAQ: How to Clean Your Kids’ Toys