How To Clean Children's Toys: Efficiently

I have to admit that I am not a 'germaphobe.' In fact I think that exposure to everyday germs is good for our children's immune systems. However, every once in a while, these toys need a good bath and since we have about a bzillion toys in our house this task can be a bit daunting! So turn it into a fun kids activity!


Materials:

• bath tub or children's wading pool
• dish soap 
• water
• toys, toys, toys
• laundry baskets
• towels
• sunny day
• washing machine

About 5 minutes later they were IN the tub:)

Directions:

• Sort through all of the toys keeping only what you and your kids LOVE. Click here for more info on sorting clutter
• Fill your bath tub or wading pool with water and add the soap.
• Add your toys: I do the wooden toys first since they need to be taken out and dried first. Don't let the wooden toys sit in the water for longer than about 30 minutes! 
• Take each toy out and dry with a towel. They don't have to be 100% dry. We will dry them later.
• Place into a laundry basket.
• Once the laundry basket is full take it out to sit in the sun and finish drying. Did you know that the sun is a great disinfectant? Click here for more information on the sun's disinfectant properties! I have always wondered why the kids never get sick after playing outside on a playground but always got sick after playing at an indoor one! The sun!
• Once you have finished the wooden toys, go for the plastic ones!
• Take each one out and dry.
• Place in laundry basket.
• Place in the sun to dry.
• Any stuffed animals or stuffed toys go into the washing machine and then the dryer... easy!

Wooden Toys Drying in the Sun

All in all a great afternoon. Fun kids activity and at the end of it clean kids and clean toys. PERFECT! Now to put the toys away..... Check out this post for tips on Organizing a Playroom!