Cleaning Tips
CLEANING THE TOYS
Toys, puzzles and games are so much more appealing if they are clean. No one likes to borrow a dirty toy. We would therefore like all members to read through the following information and special tips. Try to set aside time to clean toys before returning them to the Toy Library. Many parents do this the night before and then put the toys away so that the children cannot get to them. CLEANING KIT A great cleaning kit, may consist of - A cleaning formula which removes grease and kitchen/household smells - Something like Spray and Wipe (for grease) - Bicarb and vinegar (environmentally friendly and non-toxic) - Some disinfectant, like Pine-O-Cleen or Dettol - An old toothbrush - A wettex - A clean tea towel HOW TO DO IT If it is appropriate, wash the toy well in a laundry tub full of hot soapy water. Don’t soak the toy, though. Use the old toothbrush to get into nooks and crannies. Rinse with hot water and drain or dry with a clean tea towel. Now that the toy is perfectly clean, hide it! 
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SPECIAL TIPS
• Wooden toys, like Brio train sets, need to be washed well with a toothbrush and hot soapy water, but please don’t soak any wooden toys in water. • Baby Toys and Rattles: Rattles and other toys that may not be fully sealed should not be immersed in water as sometimes water gets into the toy. For toys that may go into babies’ mouths, using bicarb soda and vinegar to clean them is a good option (see below). Otherwise wipe baby toys clean of all detergents after cleaning. • Duplo needs washing as above. The problem with Duplo is the drying. Rinsing it in very hot water and leaving it to drain overnight does the trick. Duplo can also be put into the top rack of a dishwasher. • Outdoor and Sandpit Toys: These need to be cleaned as they may be used inside by the next borrower. It’s a good idea to check outside toys for spiders prior to use and when cleaning. • Games and Puzzles: Wipe over puzzles and game boards with a hot, soapy, but not too wet, cloth. Clean all pieces of games. • Bath Toys: These do need cleaning and even more than other toys, as they often get left to dry with the dirty bath water on them. Use detergent and preferably a little disinfectant in the water as well. • Larger Toys: The bath can be good for washing large toys. If too awkward to fit into the tub, simply scrub the toy clean using a spray cleaner and cloth. Use a toothbrush to clean difficult areas and where the toy has indentations, such as brand logos, which trap dirt. • Fancy Dress: Most costumes can be either washed in the washing machine on gentle cycle or hand washed. If you are not sure about washing an item please contact a committee member or ask about it when you return the costume. Some accessories are not washable. • Battery Operated Toys: Please do not submerge these in water, but clean well with a spray cleaner. • If your child has been ill, add some disinfectant to the cleaning water, but be aware that soaking in disinfectant can remove the colour from some plastics. Rinse well. • An environmentally friendly and child-safe option for cleaning is to use vinegar and bicarb soda. Vinegar will remove grease. It can be wiped on or sprayed from a spray bottle. You can add a few drops of lemon oil to vinegar to make it smell a bit nicer if you wish. Use it in place of any of the commercial spray cleaners. When using bicarb soda, rinse well with vinegar or water afterwards as it can leave a powdery film. • Get the kids to help! |