Ideas For Cleaning Soft Toys
Ideas For Cleaning Soft Toys
Children's toys get grubby if they are used how they are
supposed to be used - played with and loved. Which means
that they will need to be cleaned periodically for health
reasons. This is especially the case if a child has been ill
and kept a favorite toy in bed with them during that
illness. Soft toys can be real breeding grounds for germs.
However, soft toys do not need to suffer the sad fate of the
Velveteen Rabbit in the classic children's story - a good
disinfectant solution and a wash is enough to kill the
germs.
Soft toys should never be dry-cleaned. The solvents used for
dry-cleaning give off toxic fumes, and these are the last
thing that you want a young child to breathe in as they play
or cuddle a soft toy. Admittedly, the washing machine with a
good dollop of fabric softener works very well for getting
soft toys clean, followed by another spin in the dryer, or
even a spell in bright sunshine.
For especially precious soft toys, they can even be hugged
after a fast spin in the washing machine, although they will be
slightly damp.
However, the process of waiting for a "best friend" to come
out from the process of washing and drying can seem like
eternity to a small child.
What is much better is to wash soft toys by hand - children
can join in this job, and they usually enjoy it. Use warm
water the temperature of a comfortable bath and regular hand
soap - this is much gentler on your skin, not to mention your
child's. This job is best done on a sunny day outdoors in a
large bowl or basin, as water will spill and your child will
get wet. Hand washing has another advantage: delicate bits
and pieces won't get damaged, as they may do in a machine.
Fabric softener will also not be necessary.
First of all, dip the toy into the water. Then rub the soap
all over it and scrub with your fingers and work up a good
lather. The lather is what takes the dirt out and is also a
lot of fun for small people. Make sure you work all over the
toy. Any visible dirt should have particular attention paid
to it. At the end of this process, the soft toy you are
cleaning should be like Piglet in the Winnie-the-Pooh story
- quite a different color after having a bath.
Empty out the soapy water and replace with fresh water for
rinsing. Dunk and squeeze the soft toy in this water until
as much soap as possible has come out from the toy. The
water should turn milky. If you need to disinfectant to kill
germs, this is the stage that it should be added.
A third rinse is not strictly necessary, but it is a good
idea. This will make sure that all the soap has come out.
Use a second batch of fresh water. Some fragrant oil can be
added to the final rinse - let the child choose the scent.
After hand washing, the soft toy will be completely
saturated. Line drying takes a very long time, so it is best
to get excess water out by putting it in the washing machine
to finish off. However, never wash plastic dolls
(Barbie(TM) and the like) in this way. If their nylon hair
gets wet, it will tangle hopelessly and permanently, and the
owner of the aforementioned doll will not be able to brush
her hair any more. If these fashion dolls get dirty on the
plastic, just scrub the dirt off with dish washing liquid and
rinse off, just like a plate, but be very careful not to get
the hair wet.
Ideas For Cleaning Soft Toys
By: dandan Kids Halloween Activities – Keep Kids Busy This Halloween Do you remember the candy you ate as a child? Things To Do On A Ship For Your Kids Teens And Fun On A Cruise Ship Childrens Wigwam Childrens Play Tents Using Childrens Entertainers at the Party Parenting Children With Changing Child Behaviour Delta Direct Ship Toddler Crib That Grows With Your Child Keep Your Kids Warm with Toddler Snowsuits Snowmobiling and Your Child San Francisco and Your Teenager Parental Drug Abuse Kids Living in a World of Insecurity