It goes without saying that kids are messy. They are dirty, gross and sometimes... eww! Haha. So when it comes to keeping you child's thing "clean" how do you do it?
As a non-vaxing mom, I know I worry about germs and things. I know that some germs are good, thats what helps build immunity. But, I also know that there are bad germs and sometimes they can be crawling all over my kiddos toys. So I want to know what your routine is?
Here is mine (with pics):
I really try to get my 4 year old involved in cleaning his own stuff. I think it helps build independece and he learns that mommy isn't the only one who cleans.
Once a month I take kiddo and for a few hours we "deep clean" his toy area, toys, and bedroom.I start with having him gather all his toys in a laundry basket that aren't electronic or would be ruined by water. We take those toys and dump them in the bath tub. I them take hot water and a cup and a half of bleach and I let them soak for an hour maybe more depending on how many there are.
Then we go out and using a mild cleaner we wash down all his elecrtonic and big toys with washclothes.We also clean down all the shelves and buckets that hld his toys. After that he helps me sweep and mop the area and we put everything back. Sometime we rearrage his stuff to make it more fun.
Then I lay a dry towel on the ground, empty the bath tub, take all the toys out (putting them back in the laundry basket, this time with a towel at the bottom) and I dump them all out on the towel. I will then give him a small towel and he'll dry them off (to the best of his ability) and then we put them where they go. I am a bit OCD and his toys are all organzied by buckets as to what they are.
Then we head to his room. We pick up, and then he vaccums (with minimul help actually) I will usually wash his bedding on this day, as well as his stuffed animals, and then we make his bed together.
Its a bit of a pain at times, and I have to sternly remind him it isn't play time, but clean time and that usually works fine. I will always do this whole thing a few hours before bed. That way his toys have some "air dry" time before being played with.
What do you do to protect your little one?
I use TTO to sanitize toys. My kids are both babies still so everything goes into their mouths. I soak our toys in hot water and TTO every week. I use 2 tsp to a large bucket of water.
Quoting Char07:
Eh... we clean things when they need it, we don't do bleach or other cleaners. I use heat, sun, steam, vinegar, baking soda, and TTO to clean/sanitize.
LOL, okay, I'm glad I'm not the only one.... I don't clean his toys like that unless there is something actually on them visibly dirty and that is usually just dust. I also would not use bleach because it's toxic. Vinegar and then hydrogen peroxide sprayed on a surface will kill more bacteria than bleach and it's safer.
What is TTO???
I did recently throw out all of his bath toys that take in water and only have a tiny squirt hole because of the disgusting black stuff growing inside.
Don't do massive cleaning of his toys. Only clean the ones that look dirty. If washable I throw them in the dishwasher, stuffed animals int he laundry. Anything else if looks terrible gets wiped down with water and vinegar. Never had a problem with him getting sick from his toys.
Quoting Bluebell43:Don't do massive cleaning of his toys. Only clean the ones that look dirty. If washable I throw them in the dishwasher, stuffed animals int he laundry. Anything else if looks terrible gets wiped down with water and vinegar. Never had a problem with him getting sick from his toys.
this
We dont use bleach here either...Too harsh and toxic. I clean almost everything in my house with vinegar, baking soda & borax if needed!!
We dont deep clean her toys. If they get super gross I will soak them in the sink with vinegar & water or toss them in the dishwasher...or in the summer we soak her outside toys in her kiddie pool with water & dish soap.
Adorable Boy-Girl Moment, or Too Close for Comfort?
Head Start turned us away. Question
- eykelley
on Sep. 30, 2011 at 5:34 AM