Bath toys can add fun and learning to bath time but what do you do when you spot that icky black mould lurking inside that rubber ducky?
Momstown Oakville is pleased to have partnered with Walmart Canada to deliver the Every Little Step program as part of our weekly mom and baby events that will lead new moms through all the hot topics that come with baby's first year – bathing, sleep, feeding, safety, etc. The topic this week was bathing.
We chatted a lot about top tips for bathing babies, favourite products and favourite bath toys. But when the bath toy topic came up, many mamas wondered the best way to keep them clean and get rid of mould and mildew that builds up over time. Read on for our top tips for keeping bath toys clean.
1. Be preventative. Do your best to make sure water is drained from all the toys. Turn them upside down, shake them out and put them in something that can help dry them out like this bath corner cubby with a mesh bottom that promotes water drainage.
2. Run them through the dishwasher. Most plastic toys are dishwasher safe on the top rack.
3. Bleach is an option. If you have a child that is known to poop in the bath, bleach may be the way to go to kill the bacteria that comes from those bath time surprises! Just a small capful in a large sink of water should do the trick. Let the toys soak about 10 minutes.
4. There are greener ways to go. Fill the tub so that water will just cover the toys. Add 1 cup of vinegar and soak for about 30 minutes before rinsing.
5. Plug the holes. A lot of bath toys have holes in them to squirt water out or to make noise (like those adorable squeaky rubber duckies). These little holes are prime for squirting out black mouldy water after awhile as its hard for the inside to ever dry out. You can take hot glue and place a drop over the hole, sealing the toy and avoiding water creeping inside.
6. Time to try something new. No matter what, after a while you may notice that some toys are just grimey and slimey. Usually that means its time to throw them out and bring in some new toys. Quick and easy toys (that are super easy to run through the dishwasher) include plastic measuring cups and spoons or storage containers from the kitchen.
So whether you feel like its time to stock up on some new bath toys, need vinegar to do a cleaning or are looking for bath time storage solutions, head over to walmart.ca to order what you need online. Shipping is always free (no minimum required) so place your order and have it come right to your door – so helpful for busy parents!
