The Unexpected Toy-Cleaning Trick Hiding in Your Kitchen Cabinet That Parents Are Quietly Swearing By

The cleanliness of toys is one of the aspects that play a vital role in ensuring a hygienic environment at home, but parents struggle to make it a habit due to constant handling, contamination with germs, dirt, and foul smell of toys by children.

Kids tend to put toys in their mouths or move them from place to place, making them prone to bacterial contamination and infection. Therefore, cleaning toys plays a key role not only for hygiene purposes but also for disease prevention within families.

It should be mentioned that experts have always advised using non-toxic cleaning products to ensure the safety and well-being of kids. However, chemical detergents may be harmful and potentially dangerous for a child. In this respect, natural alternatives are gaining more popularity.

Why baking soda works as a cleaner

It is commonly known that baking soda not only removes dirt but also reduces odor without using any harmful chemical substances, and therefore, it can be considered an excellent choice for those people who want their families to use healthier products for cleaning purposes.

As reported by a cleaning tip from Tioga County, baking soda is capable of removing greasy spots and odors from household surfaces. As baking soda cleans surfaces without harming them, it can be used when there is a necessity to clean items such as toys that are regularly used.

The cleaning of plastic toys is considered to be one of the simplest procedures with baking soda, since their non-porous nature does not allow moisture and other impurities to adhere to them. For this purpose, a liquid is prepared by dissolving two to three tablespoons of baking soda in 250 ml of hot water.

As was indicated by Bottle and Mix, a stay on the surface of the liquid for about 15 minutes will be enough to remove all dirt and unpleasant smells; then rinse everything off with hot water.

It should also be noted that the use of a liquid with baking soda on such materials as aluminum or natural stone is undesirable.

Refreshing soft toys without washing

Stuffed toys may demand an alternative procedure, since wetting them might cause molds or damage if they are not left to air dry. Instead of washing with water, it is recommended to use a dry-cleaning solution with baking soda.

As explained by Cysoda, putting a stuffed toy into a plastic bag with some baking soda and shaking it ensures that all oils, dirt, and other particles stored in the fabric get absorbed by the powder. After leaving the toy in there for approximately 30 minutes, excess powder can be vacuumed out.

The described solution works great for fragile toys that cannot be put through the wash cycle.

However, for more stubborn stains and odors, the use of baking soda and white vinegar together might give better results. The reason is that when you mix these two substances, there is a reaction that enables you to eliminate the dirt or stain.

According to an article featured on Brit, one should apply the solution using a soft brush, forming a paste that penetrates the material, and then rinse it with dry baking soda.

Caring for wooden toys carefully

Wooden toys should be handled carefully since they are highly absorbent and prone to damage when too much moisture is involved. Baking soda should not be applied directly; instead, a diluted mixture of water and distilled white vinegar should be used.

Grove Collaborative and KidKraft explain that the solution should be sprayed on the toys and wiped off immediately to effectively clean them without harming their wooden structure. It is crucial to ensure that no soaking occurs.

The use of baking soda in cleaning toys demonstrates that there is no need to use potentially harmful chemicals when natural substances work perfectly fine. Baking soda possesses multiple advantages, including its cleaning, deodorizing, and anti-grime qualities, making it a perfect choice for households looking to maintain hygiene safely and economically.

There is plenty of scientific evidence proving that non-toxic substances can compete with chemicals when it comes to efficiency if used correctly. In particular, toys should be cleaned often since they attract bacteria very quickly.

The conclusion that can be drawn from the research paper is that baking soda proves to be an efficient substance for cleaning various items due to its multiple qualities.

Besides, it is easy to integrate into daily routine because of its affordability and accessibility.