Sterlising toys.

[shellbell3]

Hi all,
My DD was playing with another baby today who just was diagnosed with Hand Foot Mouth disease. So the toys I had taken over there I want to sterlise/ clean really well to prevent my DD getting it. Am unsure how to do this, one is wooden, couple furry toys and one plastic.
TIA.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Plastic ones can go in a steriliser, cloth ones can be machine washed. Wooden ones and some cloth ones can only be surface cleaned, don't know if you'll want to dump those.

HTH.

[widdly]

For the wooden toys you could possibly use a natural disinfectant like tea tree oil or lavender...don't just take my word for it though, but its an idea, i know when i used cloth nappies i used tea tree and lavender oils as disinfectants. Goodluck hope bubs doesn't get sick

[AnyDream]

I would wash the furry ones in hot soapy water and even the plastic ones too though I guess if you were really worried a bath in Milton wouldn't hurt!

[MaryP]

Hi,

I don't have anything to offer in regards to sterilising, but don't stress too much about the hand foot and mouth virus. My first two have contracted it when they were toddlers and it was a very mild virus - no problems, really, other than they had to stay home from creche. My kids didn't get it bad in the mouth - I hear if they do they go off their food for a few days. I think it is one of those viruses that sound much worse than they are.

Cheers, Mary

[Anna**]

Plastic can usually go in the top shelf of your dishwasher! Fabric in the machine - even the ones that say do not machine wash survive if you use cold water. The wood, I'd just wipe as best as you can and then pop out into the sunlight for a good dose of UV light. Most bugs can't handle UV for very long!

ETA: I'd probably just put everything out in the sunlight on the line for some fresh air after washing/cleaning.

[{sarah}]

I agree with Anna, plastic ones in the dishwasher & the furry ones in the machine. The would one I'd disinfect & then put all of them out in the sun for a while.

[Lilly-Pilly]

We always sterilised the toys in milton at the day care centre. Hot water in the machine for the material toys and for the wooden ones you could try using the dininfectant wipes like pine-o-clean to wipe them over. I know a lot of people that use the wipes on trolleys before putting their kids in there so it should be okay??

[shellbell3]

Thanks everyone for the replies, given me some good ideas to get them clean.

[ShootingStar]

Yep.. do what everyone else said and then go put them out in the sun for a while. UV rays kill alot of nasties.