Kids toys can get grubby. Being smushed around in the sand, left out in the rain and dragged on the ground can take its toll on poor plush bunnies and plastic trains, leaving them dirty, mouldy and tarnished. Finding the time to clean toys can be tough, having to scour through the toy box and find what needs to be cleaned. Clean toys may seem impossible, but TikTok Cleaning Guru Chantel Ibbotson says it doesn’t have to be.
Mum’s quick and cheap ways to clean toys
Chantel Ibbotson loves a good home hack. Here she shares her most-requested cleaning hacks to deep clean children’s toys. Not only does she show us how to clean Lego but she has a few clever hacks on how to clean soft toys,
Known on TikTok as @mama_mila_, Chantel loves to share her tips on how to style, organise and clean your home. As a busy mum of two, her cleaning hacks and DIY tips have helped mums take charge of their houses and family lives. In one of her latest posts, Chantel has shared five of her cheap and easy hacks to clean toys on her TikTok channel to deep clean your kids’ grimy playthings.
1. How to Clean Lego and other Small toys
It’s genius, really! Simply place Lego and other small toys in a premium laundry bag and wash them on a cold wash in the washing machine. For the time-savvy mammas, you can even use a dustpan and broom to sweep them up quickly. Now we’re talking!
The clever folk at Sabco have an excellent mesh laundry bag, which you can grab for $5 at Bunnings. Not only is it double-lined to keep everything inside safe and protected, but you can also use it for underwear, delicate clothing and the like. So not only will you end up with clean Lego, you’ll also keep your delicates nice and pretty.
2. How to Clean Soft Toys
Soften and deodorise plush toys with one cup of bi-carb soda added to a gentle cycle in the washing machine. Our soft toys have seen better days, and washing them in the machine could stick their soft fibres together. Adding one cup of bi-carb soda will keep them feeling soft and fresh all year round.
3. How to Clean Plush Toys Using Steam
A quick and clever way to refresh plush toys without getting them too wet is with a handheld steam cleaner. Not only will it remove hidden germs and dust mites between cleans, but it will also mean that they don’t go through the washing machine, which is especially helpful if they have inbuilt electronics.
Soft toys can sometimes get the harshest treatment from kids – especially when it’s their favourite snuggly. Freshening plush toys regularly will keep the smells at bay. This tip is perfect for those pesky toys that are not meant to be washed in the washing machine – I’m looking at you, Jellycat Bunny!
4. How to Clean Toy Cars, Trains and Accessories
Cleaning non-electronic toy cars in the dishwasher on a short cycle will easily clean hard-to-reach areas. This doesn’t just have to be for cars, either. Non-electronic trains, Little People, plastic dinosaurs and more can get the dishwasher treatment. Just remember to put them all up on the top shelf and pop them in a mesh bag if they’re small for safekeeping. Just think of it as a trip to the car wash!
5. How to Clean Larger Toys
Just because it’s big doesn’t mean we can’t clean it quickly and easily. This clever mix will remove daily stubborn stains and kill any pesky germs. Mix 1/2 a cup of water and 1/2 a cup of white cleaning vinegar in a spray bottle and wipe down with a microfibre cloth.
@mama_mila_ Share your best toy cleaning hacks below 🧸 here’s a top request! Make cleaning your kids toys easy using items from @Bunnings 🧸 1. Place small toys, like legos, in a premium laundry wash bag + place them into a cold wash to clean them! I used the Sabco premium laundry wash bag which is double lined, so toys can’t fall out but still come out sparkling clean from the wash 2. You can also place plush toys in a premium wash bag and place it into a gentle wash cycle. Add 1/2 cup Glitz Bi-Carb soda to the drum to help soften and deodorise the plushes too 3. You guys know how much I love my Mistral garment steamer, and I use it to steam clean Mila’s stuffed toys to help rid germs and dust mites between deep cleans 4. Non-electronic toys, like cars, can be placed in the dishwasher on a short cycle to clean inside hard to reach areas easily 5. Mix 1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup Glitz cleaning vinegar to wipe down larger toys Which tip will you try first? #bunningsinspo #cleaninghacks #cleaningtips #cleanhome #cleaningmotivation #toycleaning #howto #tipsandtricks ♬ Not Afraid to Love – Flux Vortex
As we’ve mentioned before, TikTok is the home of cleaning hacks. Simply search #cleantok and #cleaninghacks to find videos on how to clean EVERYTHING in your home, from removing grime from your wood vinyl floors to scrubbing the gaps in your window sills (hint: it involves using your empty loo rolls!).
Who knew cleaning could be so popular? BRB, I’m going to tell my kids.
