Why cleaning toys is important

Like any toy, wooden toys will sooner or later automatically come into contact with dirt, dust or even pets. You might even give them away and they come into contact with other children.

This can create a dangerous environment to grow germs and bacteria.

Your baby and child do not have to grow up in a sterilized environment. That would be counterproductive for the development of his stable immune system. A good degree of cleanliness, as in the rest of your household, plays an important role for your toys. Since they have a tough life everyday. A regular gentle cleaning ensures that not too many bacteria accumulate and that the favorite toys of your baby and child can be used safely.

As mentioned dangerous germs and bacteria can form on wooden toys. It is obvious that these germs and bacteria can endanger your child’s health. Cleaning is especially important for baby toys because their immune systems are not yet well developed and they like to put the toys in their mouths.

Stability and durability are clearly great advantages of wooden toys. To keep these advantages up you must treat the material gently during regular cleaning. 

Better avoid aggressive cleaning agents and strong disinfectants. While cleanliness is important, it can also be counterproductive. Too meticulous cleanliness can favor allergies. A normal cleaning as protection against bacteria is completely sufficient.

Wood is generally a very grateful material for toys, as it has a natural antibacterial effect due to the tannins it contains. Nevertheless, you should clean them from time to time, especially if they are used toys. But it makes a huge difference whether the wooden toys are untreated or colored.

Here are some good tips for quick and uncomplicated cleaning for wooden blocks, cars, grabs etc.

Cleaning colored wooden toys

Since dyed wooden toys are sealed. They are usually quite insensitive to water, as long they are saliva-proof and the surface is intact. Which is why you can simply wash them off under the tap. 

Even with stains, you can safely do without aggressive cleaning agents or disinfectants. It works just well, for the colorful wooden parts when you use a few drops of detergent in combination with the rough side of a kitchen sponge. As a replacement of the detergent solution you can also use warm vinegar or soda solution.

Using hot water, your washing machine or your dishwasher will not work in favour of a longer shelf life of your wooden toys, because some paints cannot withstand this heat and can burst. The result is the paint will crack and the wood below will suck water. 

Cleaning untreated wood

Your untreated wooden toys are not  sealed and they are very sensitive to moisture. They will just swell completely if there was too much water. 

Therefore rinse the wooden toys as briefly as possible with lukewarm water and gently process them with a sponge. A heavily diluted vinegar, soda or detergent solution will be better.

Have a clean towel or rag on hand and wipe thoroughly after the brief cleaning process. 

Let it dry in the air, but avoid the direct sun. The advantage of untreated wood is that you can easily tackle heavy soiling with the dry rough side of a kitchen sponge. If this is not enough use some sand paper.

Cleaning battery operated wooden toys

Some wooden toys, for example wooden trains or cars, are battery operated. This makes the toy more interesting for your child. When cleaning, all you have to do is make sure that the batteries do not get wet. Otherwise, the cleaning does not differ from the procedure described for the colored and untreated wooden toys.

As leaking batteries are a source of danger for your child, you must check them on a regular basis. If you live in a region with high humidity you want to check more frequently during the peak season. Even before you buy a battery operated wooden toy pay attention to electrical and safety certificates. This will help you to avoid interference between toys as well to your radio, computer, TV and other electronic devices at home or on a trip with your car.

Cleaning of used wooden toys

Sometimes your parents or parents in law still have your wooden toys at home. Why not clean them up. So your child has some toys at and you even have not to carry too many toys when you visit them. Or you find some gorgeous wooden toys on a flea market, maybe a rocking horse, or some wonderful 2nd hand wooden toys on Ebay.

• Differentiate whether the wooden toys are untreated or varnished. Look for damages in the paint for the varnished ones. If you see any cracks, hits or dents tread them as untreated wooden toys.
• Use lukewarm water with a few drops of non-aggressive detergent respective a diluted warm vinegar or soda solution
• For heavy soiling use the rough side of a sponge or old toothbrush.
• Dry the toys with a clean towel after wiping them and let them further dry in the air.
• Sand untreated wooden toys in case of heavy dirt. Pay attention to damage and grind bumps at the same time.
• For battery-operated toys use a damp cloth.

Cleaning your baby’s and child’s furniture

Everything you read can apply for your child’s furniture.

A non-aggressive ecological detergent is sufficient to wipe the surfaces daily. Tables and highchairs in particular should always be kept clean. Where food residues remain, nucleation progresses particularly quickly with poor hygiene.

But also in the bed of your child, the furniture in the children’s room or in the playpen, germs collect through prints of dirty hands. It is worth checking in advance whether the materials are easy to clean and can be washed hot.