How to care for a baby's soft toys

Soft toys come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, and are comforting to babies. These include toy baby, soft bears, and cuddle toys. During these early years, touch is one of the most pleasurable sensations, and so soft toys are special to young children. Additionally, soft toys, like other toys help babies to learn about their world. This article outlines some steps on how to care for baby soft toys.

Machine washing

Machine washing is the most convenient way to clean soft toys. The simple steps could begin with pre-treating soft toys with laundry stain remover in order to remove stains. A rag or sponge can then be used to gently clean stains. To machine wash soft toys, it might be necessary to place toys in a
light-coloured pillow case, or mesh bag. This should be tied or pinned securely so as to protect small parts such as plastic eyes. Soft toys should be washed in cold to warm water in gentle cycles. A small amount of fabric softener may be added to the rinse cycle. Soft toys may be left to air dry overnight, or a dryer on air may be used. However, a heated dryer should never be used.

Washing by hand

Some soft toys cannot be machine washed. These include battery-operated toys with moving parts, toys with metals or those with cardboard inserts, and those stuffed with styrene foam. It is therefore important to read labels of toys to get details of their contents. To clean soft toys by hand, the first step is to sprinkle baking soda on the toy. After about thirty minutes, a brush or a vacuum may be used to remove baking soda and dust particles that accumulated in the toy. Dirty and stained areas may be cleaned using an all-purpose cleaner and scrub brush.

Maintaining soft toys

Set aside specific times to clean baby soft toys. Ensure that you do not wait until toys look dirty, as certain fabrics that make up soft toys hold a great deal of dust. Dust particles can worsen asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems. Soft toys are comforting and also educational for young children, but due care must be taken to ensure that the health of babies is not compromised with dirt toys. The use of chemicals, such as bleach, should also be avoided in the cleaning of toys. In summary
Familiar objects such as soft toys are comforting to babies, and can also serve as sleep aids. However, parents and caregivers need to ensure that these toys are kept clean. Sources - Made Safe Toys (2011). “How to Clean Toys and Keep Children Healthy!” (Downloaded from Madesafetoys.org and accessed on August 2011).