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Written by Sara Lillestol for her blog, Magical Mama Blog.
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Toy Disinfectant Spray & Wash
My little one was diagnosed with Hand Foot and Mouth disease this week. A week off of day care for her, a week at home with baby for me…and a house full of nasty germs continuously coming in contact with my sickly little one.
Though it is not medically necessary to clean, viruses can remain on surfaces of toys and can remain contagious. I would like to give my whole home a clean sweep any time anyone is sick to avoid the others getting sick and to speed up the healing process.
It took about 35 minutes in one evening to clean every single toy of my daughter’s. Let’s get yours sterilized that quickly too!
Hand Foot and Mouth Disease:
For those that don’t know what this is, hand foot and mouth is a highly contagious virus that causes ulcers or sores in the throat, in and around the mouth and bumpy rashes on the hands, feet, arms, legs, and behind.
Though it sounds horrible, it is not serious and is is very common. Anyone can get this “disease” but it is most common in children under 10 who attend day care or school.
There is no cure, but you can ease the symptoms while you let the virus run its course. Early symptoms are a sore throat, spike in fever, and painful blisters in the mouth. The rashes will soon follow. It usually takes about 7-10 days for the virus to work its way in and out of your baby’s body.
The doctor can easily diagnose with a physical exam and will likely suggest lots and lots of liquids, popsicles, Tylenol, and love until the rashes have scabbed over and baby is no longer contagious. Wash those hands, wash those hands, wash those hands! The virus can hang around in baby’s mucus and bowels for weeks!
Toy Disinfectant Spray
Grab a new spray bottle. It doesn’t have to be a big one, just one with a fine mist setting is your best bet. I grabbed mine in the Target travel section for $1.
This spray is great for toys because it disinfects and has no harsh chemicals to leave behind. It may irk your nose when you mix it, but the smell will dissipate as it dries.
2/3 cup clean water
3/4 cup vinegar
20 drops lemon essential oil
20 drops tea tree essential oil
Use this spray for your toys with electronic parts that cannot be submerged. Spray them down with a light mist and let them dry. Or get a paper towel damp with the mixture and wipe down these toys.
For stuffed animals that cannot be put through the washer (Stuffies with plastic pieces, rattle boxes inside, etc.), give them a good mist bath and allow them to dry.
Toy Disinfectant Wash
For all of those completely plastic toys that can be full submerged.
Plug sink and fill with hot water
2-3 cups of vinegar
20 drops lemon essential oil
20 drops tea tree oil
Soak for 30 minutes
Lay out to dry on a fluffy towel
Because we live far from our families, we spend a lot of time on FaceTime so people can see our little one grow. Because my daughter is accustomed to being around phones, they end up in her mouth quite often. We took our Otter Box cases off, wiped down our phones with the spray and threw the otter box case pieces in to soak as well.
Game plan:
- Put the kids to bed
- Round up the all-plastic toys and get them soaking in the sink
- Get the stuffed toys on a fluffy towel and spray down
- Spray or wipe electronic toys
- Drain sink and lay plastic toys out on fluffy towel
- Allow to dry overnight
There you have it! Around 35 minutes and all the toys have been disinfected and will be ready to be played with first thing in the morning!
If your baby is affected with hand, foot and mouth and you’re giving them oatmeal baths every day to help ease their rashes, be sure to check out how to clean and disinfect your bath toys or throw them in the sink with the toy disinfectant wash!
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