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Squeaky Clean
photographed by ian macpherson
text by jenny lacey
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Bacteria and mildew build-up commonly seen on bath toys.
It’s tempting to throw out a perfectly good bath toy because it’s covered in bacteria and mildew. Using harmful chemical cleansers is not an option, but there is a safe solution you can make at home that will keep your little one’s tub toys sparkling for a long time. And surprisingly, the main ingredient you’ll require is probably already in your kitchen cupboard.
Fill a bucket or your laundry sink with 4 litres of warm water, then add 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Soak toys for 10-15 minutes, then rub gently with a soft sponge or kitchen cloth until you’ve removed all the mildew. An old toothbrush will help you clean hard to reach corners. The acetic acid in the vinegar acts as a natural disinfectant and you’ll be amazed at how well it cuts through mould build-up.
And here’s an extra tip: heated bathroom floors quick dry all types of bath toys in a jiffy and help prevent mould. Make sure you shake off any excess water before placing the toys on the floor to halve the drying time.
abbie says:
Use vinegar on everything else in this house, can’t believe I hadn’t thought to use it on the bath toys! Great idea, thanks for sharing.
carly says:
Same here, I use vinegar on almost everything but hadn’t thought to use it on bath toys; what a nice idea. Most of our toys are squirters – I will be interested to see if the buildup inside them can be shifted, especially as they are pretty much impossible to get dry inside.
Amanda C says:
Would this work on mildew on the inside of toys? As a preventative maybe?
LMNOP says:
It’s pretty difficult to get the moisture out of those ‘squirters’ at the best of times! Probably best to replace these type of bath toys regularly if you want to be on the safe side.