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How do you properly sterilize wooden childrens toys?

My child was given some wooden blocks and etc. second hand. How would I properly clean/disinfect these toys without using harsh chemicals? Also, I heard that if wooden toys were kept in a place like a damp basement (which some of these were) that they should by thrown away since things like mold can stay in the wood, is this true? My child is still at the age in which he puts everything in his mouth...and yes they appear to be dirty. It would put my mind at ease if they were clean though...

Public Comments

1. I wipe mine down with a vinegar and hot water solution (1 Tbsp white vinegar to 2 quarts hot water). If you think they're particularly dirty then you can wash them in a sink full of hot water and some dish soap, but don't leave them in the sink long and dry them immediately, otherwise the grain swells to the surface and makes them rough. I don't know if that's true or not as far as the mold goes, but if there's surface mold and you wipe it off and it leaves no mark, I'd call it good. If it does leave a sort of stain on it then consider recycling the toys.
2. You're over reacting. Unless a wooden toy actually looks filthy then it's probably perfectly safe. just wipe it down with a damp cloth and a little of whatever it is that you use to sterilize bottles. A little dilute sterilizing fluid is generally sufficient for anything. don't listen to the scare stories in the media. Your child is more resilient than you give them credit for. When you breast feed it passes antibodies to the baby which means that they can resist illness to an impressive level even if they are only a few months old. It's also important to remember that toy's rarely carry disease, and you only really need to worry if they come from a home where there has been a disease outbreak within the last month, or if they look filthy. And even then it's only diseases that cause vomiting/diarrhea that you really need to worry about. Even bird flu won't survive on a child's toy for more than a week. It could be sneezed on by a sufferer and after a few days it will die off on its own. Remember, the people who warn you about all of these so called dangers are usually linked to companies trying to sell you stuff like sterilizing fluid or wipes. It's mostly only to get you to buy more of their products.
3. I would Lysol the hell out of them.. Wooden blocks freak me out. Babies chew and suck on everything, and wood is very absorbent, probably why you don't see too many wooden cutting boards anymore. Wood can get mildew and mold, and just yucky in general. Now if they have a coating like paint or polyurethane you're probably okay just wiping them down, but if they're unfinished wood I have to say I would toss them, and I'm not normally picky about germs and things.