Remove Mold from Children's Bath Toys

However clean you are, children's toys are prone to finding dirt in many locations. Bath toys are particularly prone to mold, which can be dangerous for a child to ingest. It's important to clean this off in a safe, environmentally friendly way.

Ingredients

 * 2 cups apple cider vinegar (can substitute white vinegar if needed)
 * .5L warm water (filtered is best)
 * 2 foaming denture cleansing tablets

Steps

 * 1) Mix vinegar and water in a plastic bucket.
 * 2) Add toys. If they are not covered, add more vinegar and warm water.
 * 3)  Weight down floating toys if possible.
 * 4) Soak toys overnight.
 * 5)  After toys have soaked, scrub with a bristle cleaning brush.
 * 6)  Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
 * 7)  If the vinegar soak does not remove all the mold, use another step.
 * 8)  Put the toys in another bucket, and cover with warm water.
 * 9)  Add denture tablets. Allow to soak overnight.

Tips

 * This is also an excellent way to clean mold off of bird feeders or pet dishes.
 * Don't wash all the toys at once, or the child will have no bath time entertainment. Do the cleaning in two or more shifts.
 * Clean a less-favored toy first to show the child that they toys will be okay after the process. Seeing for themselves is more comforting than seeing a favorite toy disappear.
 * Clean toys periodically, even if they don't look dirty, to prevent mold and dirt buildup.
 * Dry toys as thoroughly as possible after bath time, and store in a location with good air circulation to prevent a re-infestation of mold.

Warnings

 * If you can't remove the mold with these methods, consider replacing the toys.
 * Keep children away from vinegar mixture, and from the denture tablets. Both are not meant to be ingested, and could harm the eyes.
 * This cleaning method works best on rubber or plastic toys. Wood, foam, or cloth toys will be more difficult to clean.

Things You'll Need

 * Scrub brush
 * Buckets
 * Moldy toys

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Stimulate Children's Self Confidence
 * How to Help Your Child Believe in the Tooth Fairy
 * How to Teach Your Child Good Manners