Use your dishwasher to disinfect your things!
Some things I run through the dishwasher from time to time to kill germs are:
- Toothbrushes
- Binkies
- Retainers
- Hair brushes (once the hair has been removed)
- Dog food/water bowls
- Tub toys
- Various kid and dog toys
Here's how I did it recently with my son's toys:
Before going to bed I filled the dishwasher to the brim with his toys; even the ones he hasn't played with much recently. The criteria I looked for:
- No fabric or soft parts
- Toys where water couldn't seep inside and ruin them (like balls that light up or toys with buttons to push)
- No battery-operated toys
- No wooden toys
- No loose or removable parts
And put it on a gentle cycle. This is my aunt's dishwasher, each washer is a a bit different. Just make sure the heated dry is off - you don't want to melt any toys. I added a bit of all-natural dish soap with my wash.
And that's it! When I woke up in the morning I had a whole batch of spiffy clean toys. No more cold germs in our house!




- abra
on Jan. 29, 2013 at 6:34 PM