How to Clean Baby Toys

Keep your baby’s toys clean and fresh with these simple toy cleaning tips from us at Pottery Barn Kids. Sometimes, it seems like babies put everything they touch into their mouths, especially toys. Plus, even when the toys don’t end up in your baby’s mouth, the little hands that held the toys usually do. That’s why cleaning and disinfecting toys care so important. Keeping your baby’s toys clean helps keep unwanted germs away and gives you peace of mind during playtime.

Toy-Cleaning Basics

Care tags and labels are the best place to check when you need to know how to clean baby toys. However, when that information isn’t handy, refer to these directions. Consider what materials were used to make the toy and if those materials are safe to get wet. For example, some toys are fine to toss into the washing machine with delicate linens or bath towels. Toys with electronics and batteries inside, on the other hand, might be surface washable, but not safe to submerge in water. Other toys are okay to wipe off with a damp cloth but last longer if you don’t put them in water.

Keep Plush Toys Cuddle-Fresh

Your baby’s favorite plush toys get cuddled a lot. That means they need to be cleaned from time to time. For surface washable plush toys that have electronics inside, like noisemakers or any kind of lights, spot clean the surface with a damp cloth. Don’t put the toy into a basin of water, and don’t get it dripping wet. Use a second cloth to wipe it off and blot off excess wetness. Then, let the toy air dry. If it seems to take too long to dry, put the damp toy in front of a fan to speed up the process.

For a plain plush toy that’s safe to get wet, hand wash it in warm soapy water. Then, rinse the toy in clean water. Gently squeeze out excess water and let it air dry. If this type of plush toy is deeply soiled and hand washing doesn’t deliver the level of cleanliness you want, put the toy in a laundry or pillow case bag before running it through the washer on the gentle setting.

Wooden Toy Cleaning Tips

Wood absorbs moisture, so you don’t want to get toys with wooden surfaces too wet when cleaning them. If the surface is deeply soiled or there’s a stubborn spot on it, a bit of dampness usually helps break it loose. This applies to things like blocks and rockers that feature a combination of plush and wood surfaces. To clean wood toys, spot clean the wood finish with a clean, damp cloth. For the ones that have a plush portion, use a damp cloth on it, too. Then, blot out moisture with a thick towel. This is also the best way to clean a soiled wooden toy box. If any textured surfaces seem a bit dusty, use the upholstery brush attachment on your vacuum to pull the dust off. Wipe the surface with a soft cloth to be sure it’s free of dust.

Plastic and Rubber Toy Cleaning

For rubber toys like bath toys, wipe the surface off with a soapy cloth. Rinse the toy and let it air dry. Put harder plastic toys in a hot, soapy dishwater to wash them. Some plastic toys are labeled as dishwasher safe. You can run those through the dishwasher on the top rack. Let these toys air dry or gently blot them dry with a kitchen towel.

Spotless Books and Board Books

You want each book to be ready to read when you or your baby grab a book from the bookshelf. For books with paper pages, simply dust off the cover and gently wipe off dirt that gets on the pages. For soiled board books, use a damp cloth to wipe off the outside and each inner page that seems dirty. Then, prop the pages open until they’re completely dry. If a more delicate paper book happens to get wet, you can place individual paper towels between the pages that need to dry out. Close the book and set something heavy in top of it to help the towels soak up the moisture. Letting the pages dry completely before closing and shelving the book makes sure the pages don’t stick together later.