Melissa asked: How do I clean ALL of our toys after we’ve had hand, foot and mouth disease with the kids? We had the icky Coxsackie virus come to our house! How do we clean ALL of the toys that have been played with?
Cleaning toys after exposure to a virus, illness, or contagious disease is more than an excellent idea, it’s a necessity. Still, the task can be an overwhelming one. This multi-step process involves several techniques for dealing with different types of materials, but by the time you finish you’ll have a house full of clean, germ-free toys!
You Will Need:
- Hot water
- Mild detergent
- Scouring sponge
- White vinegar
- Clean spray bottle (2)
- Paper towels
- Clean, thick towels (for drying)
- Washing machine
- Laundry detergent
- Dryer
- Bleach
Steps to Clean the Toys:
- For plastic toys without batteries or electronics, fill a clean sink or bathtub with hot water. Add mild detergent and agitate the water to disperse the soap. Toss the toys in the water and allow them to soak in the hot water. After several minutes (but before the water begins to cool), use the scouring sponge to scrub the entire surface. Rinse with clean hot water (preferably running water) and lay on a towel to dry.
- For toys with battery compartments or electronics, fill a spray bottle with white vinegar. Spray all exterior surfaces with white vinegar, then wipe clean with paper towels. Lay out on clean towels to air dry.
- Toss washable toys in the washing machine. Run a cycle with hot water and your regular detergent. Plan to dry plush toys for at least two full cycles, as they can feel dry on the outside even when the inside is wet (a situation that is a breeding ground for germs). It’s a good idea to separate light and dark colored toys to avoid color bleed problems.
- Once hard-bodied toys have dried, mix ¼ cup bleach with 1 gallon of water. Stir to combine, then pour the diluted solution into the second spray bottle. Spray the exterior of toys with the bleach and allow to air dry. Bleach dissipates rapidly, so once toys dry, they are safe for children to have.
- If the hard-bodied toys have any holes to allow water inside, they will need to be soaked in a bleach solution. Mix 1/4 cup bleach in 1 gallon of water. Squeeze the toy while it is under water to suction the bleach solution into it. Let it soak for a few minutes, then squeeze out the water.
- Wipe down other surfaces, large toys, and board books with a paper towel dampened with white vinegar. Switch to clean paper towels frequently to avoid inadvertently spreading germs.
Additional Tips and Advice
- After a contagious illness, it’s best to clean all toys in the house, whether they’ve been played with or not. Unless they were stored in sealed plastic bins, it’s best to assume that all toys have been exposed to circulating air in the home, even if little fingers haven’t touched them.
- For additional disinfecting products, other than bleach, see our guide How to Clean Disinfect Laundry Without Bleach.
Nettie says
If a child has hand, foot and mouth disease and they play with toys, how long after will the germs still be on the toy? Or do the germs die after a period?
Judy says
I was wondering the same thing. I’ve heard the germs die off within a week or so. Can someone answer?
Melanie says
Judy,
Most sources say that the Hand, Foot and Mouth disease germs live for only several days on surfaces. However, keep in mind that a person who has (or had) the disease can continue to be contagious “for weeks” after the symptoms are gone according to the CDC, and will therefore continue to deposit fresh germs on surfaces as long as they are contagious.
Source: Enterovirus Foundation – About EV
Source: DrGreen.com – Enteroviruses A-to-Z Guide: Overview, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)
Miranda says
Should I wait to clean the toys until after my son is better or clean the toys now while his sick? He’s on day 3.
LG says
Thanks for this great information. It needs to be shared in preschools, day cares, homes, and play groups!
Suzette says
What about books? How do you clean hard and paperback books. This hfm is no joke!
Melanie says
Suzette,
Use the method for Dealing with Mold Growth in the article How to Clean and Sanitize Wet Books. Isopropyl is effective against most viruses.
Source: WinonaDailyNews.com – Dr. Frank Bures: Simple rubbing alcohol reason to be thankful
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008
Sylvia says
Should I wait until the blisters don’t have fluid in them anymore before cleaning the toys?
Williams says
How do u clean extra large stuffed animals with plastic eyes that can’t fit into the washing machine????
Melanie says
Williams,
For large toys, use either step 2 or step 6. You can also put them out in the sun for an hour; sunlight is a natural disinfectant. Don’t leave them out for too long though as the sun can also cause bleaching of some dyes. Just 30 minutes is enough to disinfect surfaces, but be sure to flip the toy so all sides get a full 30 minutes of sun.
If you want to clean the toy more so than disinfecting it (if it is actually dirty), then you can use baking soda. Put the toy in a large trash bag if possible, sprinkle baking soda into the bag and then close the bag and shake it to disperse the baking soda evenly over the toy. Let it sit for a couple hours and the powder will absorb the dirt and oils on the surface of the toy (as well as act as a natural deodorizer). If the toy is too large to fit in a bag, you can just sprinkle the powder over it manually outside. After the powder has sat on the toy for a couple house, simply brush it off. A vacuum hose can also be used to remove the baking soda if needed. For delicate toys, put a sock or other breathable fabric like cheesecloth over the vacuum hose to decrease the suction.
Good luck!
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Clean Stuffed Toys
Ashley says
Thank you! That is extremely helpful! Random question, is it best to clean the toys once child is fully recovered and feeling better?
Melanie says
Ashley,
When a child has a virus, you can safely wait until they have fully recovered to clean things because it will be difficult for them to to reinfect themselves once their body has created the antibodies to the virus. They can still carry the germs to others though, so if there is another child in the house you should clean the toys as soon as the sick child is feeling well enough to leave the room (i.e., touching the germy toys and then going into the rest of the house). However, since the child’s immune system is down as they fight a virus, it wouldn’t hurt to wash the most frequently used toys as soon as possible, even before they start to recover, because there are likely other germs and bacteria on them that could cause problems. Don’t stress them out by taking their favorite stuffy away while they’re sick though of course because that would likely be detrimental to their healing.
For bacterial illnesses, such as strep throat, they CAN be reinfected by the bacteria. Any toys that are the most used (like their favorite stuffed animal that stays in their bed) it would be best to wash that as soon as they start to feel better, then again after they have fully healed.
Good luck!
Source: Slate – Can Your Toothbrush Make You Sick?
Source: Health – Do You Really Need to Toss Your Toothbrush After You’ve Been Sick?
RH says
It sounds like the battle of “evermore“.
Jill says
Dumb question but will Lysol wipes work?
Melanie says
Jill,
Lysol wipes could assist in some instances, but only on non-porous hard surfaces like metal or some types of plastic. They also require the surface to stay wet for a certain amount of time (consult the packaging for specific times) in order for the disinfection to occur, which may be more difficult in dry climates. Plus, some types of wipes would need to have the residue cleaned off of the surface of the toy afterwards, so that wouldn’t save any time or effort from cleaning. The Lysol Daily Cleansing Wipes are advertised as having no residue and not needing to be rinsed, so that would be a better product pick for this situation, but again, they only work on non-porous surfaces. Just like with cleaning hands, washing is better than sanitizing. Good luck!
Source: EWG – Lysol Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes, Crisp Linen
Source: Children’s National – Why Hand Washing is Preferable to Hand Sanitizing