Help: How to clean baby's toys?

[ash101]

You know baby loves to put their toys into their mouth. So that's my questions then:
What do you use to clean baby toys? Dishwasher detergent or laundry detergent? or any special baby toy detergent??
How do you clean it? someone told me to put all plastic ones in the dishwasher. I doubt they are all dishwasher safe?

Help, I need some input. Thanks in advance.

[CSK'sMom]

When our kids were little I used to fill the tub with a weak bleach solution and everything that was plastic went in. I did it at least once a week, more often if one of them was sick. My doctor actually recommended cleaning the kids toys with the bleach solution to disinfect them. I'd let them soak for a bit, giving them a good swish in the water and then rinse them...

[ash101]

Thanks. I never bleach can be used this way. What's the ratio of bleach and water? I know 1:5 for normal stuff. but how about for baby stuffs?

[Whiplash7828]

tub of water is good...not that we really did that...

[jm1]

Mild soap and hot water should be enough in most cases, but if you're really picky or worried about germs, there is an accepted standard that daycares use that's one part bleach, nine parts water. However, that's just for disinfecting. If there's food residue, dirt, etc. on the toys, using the bleach solution just disinfects the dirt. It's still there unless you scrub with some soap.

[Fx45]

Thanks. I never bleach can be used this way. What's the ratio of bleach and water? I know 1:5 for normal stuff. but how about for baby stuffs?

It's 10:1. That's the general rules that daycares use.

[ariell]

Unless the toys are to be shared (as in a daycare), there is absolutely no reason for you to be disinfecting your child's toys. I personally would never use bleach to clean baby toys. If you insist on doing this, make sure that you RINSE the toys again with water to remove all the bleach. If the toys are small enough, just put them in the dishwasher to clean them.

[looniepincher]

holy cow I don't really like the idea of the kid possibly ingesting bleach. What about steam-cleaning the stuff?

[Hangar18]

You know baby loves to put their toys into their mouth. So that's my questions then:
What do you use to clean baby toys? Dishwasher detergent or laundry detergent? or any special baby toy detergent??
How do you clean it? someone told me to put all plastic ones in the dishwasher. I doubt they are all dishwasher safe?

Help, I need some input. Thanks in advance.

We just use dish soap and rinse well.