You love your little munchkin and you know they love their toys. There are the ones they have to have with them at all times, the ones they have to have at bedtime, and those they like only when someone else is showing interest in them. Unfortunately, kids are not always the best at taking care of their beloved toys. There are many reasons toys can quickly become well worn and it is important to know solutions to these problems. Below you will find some common toy mishaps and what you can do to be the parent of day and save their precious toys.
Drawing on Toys
One common occurrence in the world of toys involves a child vandalizing the surface of their toys – or in their minds, making the toys prettier. If your child has decided to mark up their toys, you may be looking for ways to remove their drawings. Here are some proven ways to clean up some of these creative moments.
Crayon: When it comes to crayon, you will want to be careful with how you remove it depending on the material it has been drawn on.
- Vinyl Dolls: Baking soda and water
- Wood: WD-40
- Any: Liquid Detergent
Pen: hairspray; rubbing alcohol; nail polish remover
Permanent Marker: For smooth surfaces, the following are options for removing the marker. Note that some of these may leave residue or may need to be washed off before you give it back to your child to play with:
- dry erase marker,
- whiteboard marker
- pencil eraser
- rubbing alcohol
- toothpaste
- aftershave
- hairspray
- sunscreen
- nail polish remover
- coffee
- windex
- WD-40
Toys in the Toilet
Toys, pens, phones and other objects often find their way into a child’s favorite place: the toilet. If you are lucky, the object they decide to send for a swim is big enough you can reach in and take out on your own. However, if the toy is small enough to go down further you now have two problems: a sad child who has lost their toy and a clogged toilet.
Your first order of business will be to purchase a tool called a closet auger. You can find detailed directions online on how to use it. However, it can be a little tricky, especially depending on the toy, so don’t hesitate to call a plumber to help you out if needed. As toilets are not usually something you can allow to be out of commission for very long, make sure you have the number handy for a plumber available 24 hours a day.
Disinfecting
If there is one thing moms and dads know, it is that kids get messy really quick. Whether it is food, paint, makeup, bodily fluids or mysterious, unknown sticky-ness, you can count on your kid getting it all over themselves and their toys. Here are some great ways to clean and disinfect your child’s toys.
Dishwasher: The dishwasher is a great tool for cleaning your kid’s toys! This works well for toys that do not have batteries or electronic parts and are not plastic, as these could potentially melt. Be sure to keep the toys on the top shelf.
Hand Washing: If you are concerned about toys melting or they can quickly be cleaned up, there is nothing like good old fashion hand washing. A little warm water, soap, and a rag should do the trick!
White Vinegar: A little white vinegar is a great way to clean and disinfect toys that have batteries and other electrical components. Spray the white vinegar onto the toy and then wipe off with a paper towel or cloth.
Washing Machine: For plush toys, your washing machine works great to clean those guys up. They may retain a lot of water, so it could take an extra spinning cycle to get the water out. Be careful of putting these into the dryer, as they may have plastic pieces or synthetic filling that could melt.
A day in the life of a kid means some toys will be going on many adventures and sometimes that is going to require some special clean up. These tips will help your kid’s toys get back to their former glory.
Do you have any other tips that you’d like to share with us?
