You might think that bath tub toys automatically get clean practically every night when you bath your child, but they could actually be harboring mold, bacteria and other harmful elements. To ensure that the bath toys don’t become a health hazard, or even just grimy and covered in soap scum, it is important to wash these toys on a regular basis.
For regular cleaning, aim for at least once a week. Use the sink, get out a bucket or even use the tub. Mix up one part of hot water with one part of distilled vinegar and just a couple of drops of regular dishwashing liquid. Allow the toys to soak for 10 minutes.
If there are any stubborn spots on the toys, you can use a utility brush or an old toothbrush to get in the cracks and crevices.
If you find that some toys have gotten a little moldy, you’ll have to kill the mold and disinfect the toys. To do this, mix up a bleach solution of 3/4 cup of bleach per one gallon of hot water. Makes sure that the toys are free of the vinegar solution, if you have previously used it! You never want to mix bleach with other cleaners, including vinegar.
Whether you wash or bleach, make sure to rinse the toys completely and then allow them to dry on a couple of towels. Don’t put the toys away wet. Wet toys will definitely promote mold and mildew.
There are times when you will need to discard some toys, if they are too far gone. For example, many squeeze toys, such as rubber ducks will develop a black sludge inside of them if they haven’t been properly dried and cleaned. If that happens, there really isn’t much you can do other than replace those toys.