How often do you wash your baby's toys?

[SurpriseBub]

(And how old is your baby?)

Just curious as people around us seem to run the full length of the spectrum: ie. one has never washed anything, and one washes everything every night!

...just ordering what the 'normal' approach is!

 

[SoupDragon]

When something begins to look like it could do with a bit of a wash, so before it's 'dirty' as such, but not every day. Or when I realise it's been a while since something was last washed properly even if it's not visibly grubby at all. If we take a toy out with us and it ends up on the floor/ground, I don't give it back to her until it's been washed.

My DD is 8.5 months and everything still goes in her mouth and then gets dropped on the floor, so things do still need washing fairly frequently (every few days, generally) or they start to look and feel really gross.

 

[Cattia]

Once in a blue moon! So far DD2 is too young for toys really but with my older two I would only wash toys that we got second hand, other than that only if they got sick or food on them. When they go to playgroups they put all sorts of toys in their mouths that have probably got germs all over them, not to mention crawling around floors the whole time so I figure a few of their own germs on their own toys won't be an issue. The only thing I really useed to wash often was Sophie the giraffe as it always seemed to get covered in grime.

 

[Perplexed]

Er, are we supposed to wash toys?? lol.

dd is 18+ months and ds is 2 months but he doesn't use toys. I washed dd's teethers after they've been on the floor but I never thought of washing that other things that obviously went on the floor sometimes and in her mouth other times...lol.

 

[Amalee]

Pretty much any toys that are small enough and the right material, I just toss in the dishwasher (top rack) when there is some free room. I haven't washed any of his toys that can't go in the dishwasher... Is that bad?!

 

[Hippiemomlife]

About once a week I'll go through all of LOs toys, teethers, etc. and sterilize them with a handheld steam cleaner. If something falls on the floor in between I'll give it a rinse in hot water. And whenever I notice things getting gross I'll wash them with some baby dish soap. Most toys are made in China (I try to avoid buying them but it's almost impossible) so I always wipe down new toys a couple of times before LO plays with them. We have cats also, so stuff tends to get dirtier when on the floor.

 

[Iren_iren]

I used to wash/wipe with wet cloth or antiseptic about every month when LO was baby, but now when he is almost 3, i clean anything if i see its really dirty/dusty or if we been given mew tots from someone else

 

[hanni]

When washing his bottles I wash them in scalding hot soapy water before sterelizing them (with rubber gloves on!) So before I do his bottles ill throw any teething toys and stuff in before hand and give them a good scrub.

 

[x__amour]

Erm... I don't think I have!

 

[MrsKChicago]

I wash if they're looking dirty or if he spits up on them or something. Teethers get rinsed off before they go back into the freezer. I'm just not a sterilizer, in general.

 

[CaptainMummy]

Emmm never unless they are clearly dirty.

 

[stripeycat5]

Erm... I don't think I have!

This!!😜

 

[hayz_baby]

I once washed a car that drove through speghetti bolognese..

If I wash all their toys it would take hours!

 

[MommyJogger]

Erm... ::blushes, covers face, and simply walks away in shame::

 

[Rach79]

Only if puked on/dropped in a puddle/covered in food or my smokey neighbour has touched them. I also wash him if she touches him, she stinks but is hard to avoid

 

[RosieRosieP]

DD is 9 months and I have cleaned toys when needed i.e dropped on the floor whilst out etc.

Teethers I tend to stick in hot soapy water once a week sometimes sooner if needed x

 

[MindUtopia]

I have literally never washed a single toy. Well, that's not true. The only time I've washed anything is when it ended up crusted in vomit. And I washed my daughter's ball the other day because we left it outside and a bird pooped on it. Otherwise, no, I've never washed a toy just to keep it clean, if it wasn't in a vomit/poo crusted state that meant I would have had to chuck it out otherwise. She's 2 now. I also never sterilised dummies either. I'm just not particularly inclined to worry about germs.

 

[Beanonorder]

Oh I'm so happy to read I'm not the only one who doesn't religiously clean toys! I have a friend who does it regularly with special wash and everything! I was feeling like a bad mom because I only clean things if they're dirty, been dropped outside (I live in China so that's a definite!) or something like that.

 

[Scout]

DD is 2 and I don't think I've ever washed a toy. Never sterilized either. Everything still goes into her mouth and she licks EVERYTHING. So gross. But she's never been sick so I suppose she's built up a fairly good immune system from all those germs LOL