Cleaning Tips from a Pro and a Mom

by Autumn Ryan, CEO, SoRite

As past owner of a large janitorial company I was often asked by teachers and daycare directors how to sanitize baby toys safely. Proper cleaning is especially important where teething infants share literally everything, but it's equally important to clean, sanitize and disinfect older children's toys at school and at home as germs can survive on surfaces for days.

I'm not only a cleaning professional and developer of SoRite Disinfectant, I'm also a mom of two girls who are close in age. When my girls were little, they loved to play with wooden puzzles, and you can't just put them in the top rack of the dishwasher to sanitize them. Each piece needs to be wiped with a sanitizing solution and then dried completely to prevent mold from growing on the wood.

It's important for parents, grandparents and other caregivers to know how and when to clean each type of toy, whether plastic, wooden or plush. Below I'll discuss some best practices for cleaning, storing and maintaining children's playthings starting with the differences in cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting and how to accomplish each step.

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing vs. Disinfecting

People use the words cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting interchangeably, but they are not the same. Cleaning is necessary to remove dirt, grime and and can easily be accomplished with soap and water and a good rinse.

Sanitizing—whether using a homemade sanitizing solution, a purchased product or the sanitizing cycle in a dishwasher or washing machine—means you are removing the number of germs on the surface to a safe level.

Disinfecting is more complete as it eliminates almost all pathogens on a surface. Commercial disinfectants are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The reason for EPA regulations is disinfectants kill living pathogens—bacteria, viruses and mold—and are considered to be "pesticides." That may sound scary where disinfecting around children is concerned, but according to EPA toxicity levels, some disinfectants are categorized as safe as water. On the other hand some disinfectants are very toxic. I'll discuss the best types of disinfectants to use in childcare settings in the next section along with kill times and why it's important to read the label on cleaners, sanitizers and disinfectants to make sure the disinfectant remains on the surface the appropriate amount of time.

The 3 Types of Disinfectants

All EPA-registered disinfectants can sanitize, however, not all sanitizers are capable of disinfecting. Disinfectants are responsible for killing bacteria, viruses and mold. There are three types of disinfectants:

Limited – found mostly in household use and will kill either Salmonella choleraesuis (a significant foodborne pathogen) or Staphlococcus aureus (bacteria found on the skin and in the upper respiratory system).

General – found in commercial use and kills both Salmonella and Staph as defined above.

Hospital – found in residential and commercial use and is effective at killing Salmonella, Staph and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which hides behind biofilm and is difficult to eliminate. P. aeruginosa is also increasingly antibiotic resistant.

SoRite is a Hospital Disinfectant that can be used in residential and commercial spaces as well as in hospitals and health care settings where P. aeruginosa targets individuals with weakened immune systems.

Disinfectants are either oxidizers or non-oxidizers. Oxidizers readily release oxygen or another oxidizing compound. Oxiders can include halogens, chlorine, iodine, bromine and chlorine dioxide or sodium chlorite, with chlorine dioxide and sodium chlorite being among the safest.

The main ingredient in SoRite is sodium chlorite. It is the only sodium chlorite disinfectant available as a ready-to-use product—no mixing required—in low concentrations for safety and efficacy. SoRite's unique formula kills germs faster while offering additional benefits. It can also be diluted 20:1 for use as a cleaner. SoRite is also a degreaser, odor eliminator and hard and soft surface sanitizer.

The Cleaning Solution(s) 

When I have a chance to speak with directors of daycares, I always ask what they use to sanitize teething rings, pacifiers and bath toys. A majority say they use bleach in a solution of one tablespoon of unscented bleach to one gallon of water in which the items are soaked for five minutes then rinsed thoroughly and dried. So I ask to see their bottle of chlorine bleach, and five times out of 10 the bottle is seriously out-of-date. Yes, bleach has a shelf life. And if you're using one tablespoon per day, it's going to take a long time to go through a gallon of bleach. Besides, bleach is toxic. It can cause skin, eye and lung irritation, and if accidentally mixed with other cleaning products can kill you. It's just not a safe solution to have around children.

I spent years cleaning homes and offices using toxic products like bleach. I wasn't one to wear gloves because it's difficult to scrub into cracks and crevices wearing gloves. My hands have paid the price as toxic cleaning products are irritating to the skin. My first inclination toward creating SoRite is that it would be non-corrosive and non-irritating as well as being safe to use without ventilation.

Another popular homemade sanitizer‚ and a natural one—is a solution of one part distilled vinegar to one part water. Items need to soak in the solution for 10 minutes at least to achieve sanitization. And for electronics or toys that cannot be submerged, the surface needs to stay wet, reapplying the solution as necessary, for at least 10 minutes. This can be very time consuming, and again, when creating SoRite, I wanted the chemical composition to work as fast as possible without introducing toxicity at an extremely high or low pH. SoRite has a pH of 9.2 which is neither highly acidic nor highly base.

Hydrogen peroxide can also be used to as a sanitizer. Mix equal parts of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle. Toys that can be submerged need to soak for about one hour then rinsed and dried thoroughly to achieve sanitization.

Natural Sanitize Solution Guides

Vinegar & Water Recipe

• Mix equal parts distilled white vinegar and water. Allow to dwell on toy for 10 minutes.
• Hydrogen Peroxide & Water Recipe
• Mix equal parts 3% Hydrogen Peroxide and water. Allow to dwell on toy for one hour (60 minutes).

Castille Soap Recipe

• Combine 1 Tablespoon liquid Castille soap with 1 cup of water and 10-15 drops of essential oils like tea tree or lemon. Let dwell for about 10 minutes.

Sanitizing Baby Toys Takes Time

Depending on your choice of homemade sanitizing solution or commercial preparation, you must let the solution dwell for the recommended time in order to eliminate germs. As discussed, five minutes for a bleach solution, 10 minutes for a vinegar solution and an hour if using hydrogen peroxide and water.

When I created SoRite Disinfectant, my goal was to use a chemical composition that was as safe as water but so effective that it would eliminate bacteria and viruses in a matter of seconds. Our chemical formula cleans and disinfects bacteria* and viruses%† in 15 seconds.

*Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Streptococcal pneumoniae †SARS-CoV-2

When To Sanitize Baby Toys

It doesn't take a new parent long to realize babies are going to create messes. Feeding spills and dribbles, diaper accidents, teething drool, and grabbing and touching everything. It's a normal part of a child's development. For the most part, regular cleaning of playthings is all that is necessary. Most toy manufacturers provide recommendations for when and how often to clean. But during illness outbreaks parents and caregivers should sanitize more often, and regular disinfecting can even prevent illness from spreading in daycares.

A 2019 study of "Bacterial Contamination of Children’s Toys in Rural Day Care Centers and Households in South Africa" was reported in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/16/2900). In conclusion the study determined that hygiene plays an important role in the well-being of young children. Children, especially under the age of 5 years, are at risk of transmitting pathogens as they have not yet mastered good sanitation and hygiene behavior. In the rural settings where the study took place (the Vhembe district of South Africa) there is lack of access to improved water quality, sanitation and hygiene behavior. Many residing in these settings rely mostly on open water sources which are contaminated with various diarrheal pathogens. The study introduced total coliform and pathogenic E. coli strains and concluded that washing toys regularly with soap does play a major role in the well-being of children and that more educational messages should be advocated to show mothers and caretakers of young children the importance of washing in households and daycare centers.

The Best Method For Cleaning Each Type Of Toy

The most difficult toys to sanitize are porous ones such as stuffed animals, toys with batteries that cannot be submerged and toys with intricate parts where moisture and germs can become trapped and where mold can grow. Let's look at the different categories of toys and discuss best cleaning methods for each type.

Plastic and Silicone Toys

Most plastic and silicone baby toys need simply to be cleaned of dirt, food particles and oils with soap and water, then rinsed and dried thoroughly before reintroducing the toys to the nursery. If the items are dishwasher safe, running them through the sanitizing cycle of the dishwasher in the top rack is an easy solution. Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on a surface to a safe level. This is especially desirable during cold and flu season. If plastic and silicone items are not marked dishwasher safe, but can be submerged in one of the homemade sanitizing solutions previously discussed, make sure they are submerged for the recommended time then rinsed and thoroughly dried to prevent mold growth. Alternately use a commercial sanitizing or disinfecting spray such as SoRite Disinfectant. Place the toys on a towel. Spray all sides and allow to remain wet for the recommended time on the label (15 seconds for SoRite).

Wooden Toys

Wood is porous and should not be submerged or soaked. To clean wood toys, use a mild soap and damp cloth, then dry the toy immediately. Use a hair dryer to dry the toy quickly. Notice if there are any splinters or gouges. Use a #0000 steel wool pad or light sandpaper and then clean as described above. Occasional disinfecting can best be performed on wooden toys with a commercial disinfecting wipe. The toy must stay wet for the amount of time recommended on the label and then dried quickly.

Plush and Fabric Toys

Many stuffed animals can be machine washed on a gentle cycle using mild detergent then allowed to air dry. Be sure to remove music boxes or batteries if any and make certain small buttons and beads are secure before washing. Using one cup of SoRite Disinfectant in the laundry sanitizes stuffed animals and also eliminates odors. If toys cannot be washed, place on a towel and spray SoRite Disinfectant on the item, alternating sides. Allow to dwell on each side for up to 10 minutes then allow to air dry thoroughly.

Soft Surface Sanitization — A Study On Hospital Curtains

In a private survey published by the American Journal of Infection Control, hospital infection preventionists were asked how often their facility’s privacy curtains were cleaned. Most respondents (37%) answered “when visibly soiled.” Additional answers ranged from “once per month” to “once per year.” Yet it’s estimated by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology that it takes only two days for a standard privacy curtain to become infected.

New resources, like the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America’s guidance on Healthcare Personnel Attire in Non-Operating-Room Settings are helping to inform healthcare personnel on contamination of soft surfaces (white coats). But much additional research and identification of patterns of pathogen transmission will be helpful to the industry.

All soft surfaces have the potential to be infected with germs: cotton, canvas, polyester, nylon, carpet, drapes and curtains, upholstered chairs, sofas, mattresses, pillows, etc. Pathogens on soft surfaces can survive for long periods of time and can be transferred to the hands or items worn by those who touch the contaminated surfaces.

• Pathogen:   Lives On Soft Surface
• Influenza Virus:   Several hours
• MRSA:   2 to 3 months
• VRE:   2 to 3 months
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa:   Several months
• Candida albicans:   Up to 4 months

Electronic and Battery-Operated Toys

Avoid submerging electronic toys. Remove batteries and use a cloth or towel soaked with sanitizing or disinfecting solution or use a disinfecting wipe to thoroughly clean the toy. Use a Q-tip soaked in your solution to clean inside crevices and buttons. You can also use a toothbrush to clean where your fingers can't reach. Use a clean wet cloth to wipe the toy again, then allow the toy to air dry completely before replacing the batteries and giving the toy back to the child.

Remember, don't leave dead batteries sitting in the battery compartment. Battery acid is corrosive and will ruin the battery contacts inside of the toy (and is also dangerous to touch)!

Teething Rings, Pacifiers and Small Bath Toys

Drying teething rings, pacifiers and small bath toys is as important as cleaning them. When these items aren't allowed to dry properly after use, mold can start to grow in and on them. The simplest way to clean or sanitize these toys is in the top rack of the dishwasher loaded with detergent and placed on the sanitizing cycle. (The normal cycle does not get hot enough to sanitize.) You can also boil pacifiers and most teething rings and bath toys for five minutes. If using disinfecting wipes rinse thoroughly and dry before giving back to the child.

Bath toys do not necessarily need to be sanitized after each use, but they do need to be rinsed thoroughly and squeezed to remove any water, then dried thoroughly. Store bath toys in a mesh bag or a bin with holes so that light and air can circulate around the items while not in use. It's even a good idea to rotate the toys to make sure than any moisture can escape.

Weekly deep cleaning of bath toys using a sanitizer solution or disinfectant should suffice for healthy play, and it's also a good time to inspect the toy for wear and tear. If damaged, throw it away as cracks in the toy can welcome germs and mold growth.

Crayons, Markers and Legos

When cleaning daycare centers and schools I would use a commercial fogger, such as Fogmaster Junior filled with SoRite Disinfectant solution to clean and sanitize crayons, markers and small items like legos. I would spread out a clean towel and arrange the markers or crayons in a single layer. Then fog according to manufacturer's directions in a sweeping zig zag motion. Turn the markers over and spray again. Then allow the items to dry completely.

With Legos and other small items that are used by multiple children at any given time, the best way to avoid spreading germs is to ensure that the children's hands are well-washed after bathroom breaks and playing outside. See my prevention tips below.

Extending the Life of Toys

Drying, Storage and Maintenance

To prevent mold from growing in and on baby toys, make sure they are thoroughly dry after cleaning, sanitizing or disinfecting. In daycares or home nurseries, I recommend having a lidded storage bin or bins for clean toys and a cinch bag or container that the child can't access for dirty toys awaiting cleaning and inspecting. I like the The Montessori Toy Rotation Method that limits the number of toys that are available to the child at any one time. The theory suggests that limiting choices encourages more focused play and avoids overstimulation which leads to frustration in the child. Not to mention frustration in the caregiver having to pick up multiple items before bedtime.

Prevention Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

Teaching your child the importance of washing their hands before eating, after using the bathroom, blowing their nose or playing outside is one of the best defenses against childhood illness. You can begin as early as age two. Provide a step stool if the child can't yet reach the faucet. Teach the child to wet their hands, apply soap, and scrub the front and back of their hands, between fingers and under fingernails. Make it fun. Sing a 15 to 20 second song in order to encourage washing the appropriate amount of time to kill germs.

Clean hands in the nursery will go a long way toward maintaining toys as will frequent cleaning by caregivers. If your child attends a daycare, find out their cleaning policy. Encourage them to use a product like SoRite Disinfectant which is safe to use around people and plants. It cleans and disinfects in one. And it kills germs in 15 seconds, not 15 minutes.

Following are some of the questions we are asked most frequently.

1. Does SoRite contain bleach? The answer is no. It contains Sodium Clorite which shares a few letters with the word chlorine, but does not contain chlorine. Sodium chlorite has been used for decades in water purification. It is an excellent oxidizer which strips electrons of essential molecules of the bacteria, and results in the cell's death. Unlike bleach, SoRite is non-reactive.

2. Can I use essential oils like orange or tea tree oil for cleaning? There are recipes for using essential oils and many commercial degreasers use citrus oils. Fragrance is one more way SoRite is different from other commercial cleaning products. SoRite is fragrance and non-irritating to the skin.

3. Is SoRite safe if my baby chews on the toy afterward? After using SoRite Disinfectant on teething rings, pacifiers, plates and cutting boards we recommend a thorough rinse and allow to air dry. Then the toy can be reintroduced into the nursery.

4. Is the dishwasher hot enough to sanitize? If the dishwasher has a "sanitizing" setting, it is hot enough to reduce germs on plastic and silicone baby toys to a safe level. You will need to include detergent. Make sure the items are dishwasher safe. Alternately you can boil the items for five minutes.

5. How often should I use SoRite to disinfect? SoRite Disinfectant eliminates bacteria and viruses on surfaces until new germs are introduced to the surface. For example, after a child chews on a toy it needs to be disinfected or sanitized before another child picks up that toy.

6. Should I sanitize new toys before giving them to my child? Yes, I always used a disinfecting wipe on new toys even those that were shrink wrapped or packaged. New baby toys should especially be cleaned because the first place that toy is going is in your child's mouth. I would even wipe down stuffed animals and fabric dolls with a disinfecting wipe and then allow to air dry before giving them to my girls.

7. Can I use SoRite to clean carpets and rugs in the nursery? Yes, SoRite Disinfectant is approved by the Carpet and Rug Institute. It is also safe to use on Stainless Steel 316 and 304, fiberglass, chrome, quartz, rubber, nylon, vinyl and HDPE and PVC plastics.

Keeping baby toys clean, sanitized and disinfected is a little more than child's play. But SoRite hopes our tips based on scientific research and development makes your job easier. More information on SoRite Disinfectant and Disinfecting Wipes can be found at Sorite.com.