Sterilizing toys

[PamE]

I was wondering if you daycare guru's could help me. Do you know if there is a good website with info on sterilizing toys and other things in a nursery or daycare? Sort of a protocol (sp?) or something?

I'm concerned about our church nursery's proceedures and would like to make sure things are as healthy as possible in there.

[Diane]

Sorry... I don't know of any sites. I wash/wipe all of my washable toys as much as possible... but with so many children I've found that it's next to impossible to keep up with. My kids are constantly sticking toys in their mouths and coughing into their hands... and I can't wash/wipe each and every toy after they're done playing with it or before another child picks it up and puts it in their mouth too. If you find a good way, please let me know... LOL

Diane...

[bizymum]

I will put lots of the washable toys in the dishwasher. When I worked and was president of teh Parnet participating Preschool we would do a "toy" wash about every three months(three times a year).

What we would do was make a big tub of hot soapy water and dump the toys in it and scrub, then next to that was another tub of hot water with bleach and we would dunk the toys in there and let them sit for about 2/3 minutes, then take them out and put them on a big towel to air dry( shake off the excess water).

This process takes a long time but it sure get the toys clean, we would have to change the waters at least three times.

We made an afternoon of it, and had a bit of a pot luck or snacks and used the time to chat....

Hope this helps

Diane-I know some family Daycares here that do the same thing they just enlist in family and friends to help and sometimes they ask if some the parents could help too, since it is there children playing with the toys.

[vea29]

Sorry I don't know of any websites to help...but I'll share my experiences.

My current boss has a list of all washable toys and throughout the week she washes them all in the dishwasher. she checks off each one so she knows it was washed. Other then that as we think of it we try to spay the rooms at night with lysol before we go home.

Another job I was at kept a bucket of soapy water that they threw any toys that were in a childs mouth.At night they did the bleach wash of all washable toys.

Hope it helps!

[Ryleigh S.]

At the Nursery, we wash all washable toys at least once every two weeks but always have a bit bucket on water/disifectant in the back where we through toys that we notice in a childs mouth in between.
When I was in the day-care washing frequency depended on the age group you were working with.
Infants ( 0 - 18 months) daily.
Toddlers (18 - 30months) weekly
Preschoolers (2 1/2 - 5) every other week
School age (6+) monthly

We usually used a mixture of Detol or Mr Clean and water to wash the toys, then rinsed well in clear water. We had used the dishwasher originally, but found it didn't do well on little spaces like the inside of mega blocks, the holes in tinker toys etc. a good old scrub brush does much better.
For all toys that could not be washed - cardboard domino games, books etc. we wiped them with a damp cloth and gave them a quick spray with lysol.

[Diane]

Originally posted by bizymum
Diane-I know some family Daycares here that do the same thing they just enlist in family and friends to help and sometimes they ask if some the parents could help too, since it is there children playing with the toys.

I know what you mean but... during the day during play time, the kids are constantly passing germs back and forth to each other just by playing with the same toys. I don't think there is any way to keep a day care totally germ free... (unless you grab/wash the toy each/every time the child who's goobered all over it throws it down) and before another child picks it up. There is never a problem washing everything at the end of the day... but it's while they are sitting there playing and sharing. (also sneezing/touching each other)

[PamE]

We're definitely working on keeping the toys cleaner, but it makes sense that there will be germs passed, regardless. I think maybe a good deal of our problem lies in allowing babies in the nursery even if they are sick. Maybe it's time for some new rules!

Thanks so much for all of your input. It really helped. I like the idea of having the parents come in once in a while to really get the stuff cleaned well.

[vea29]

Originally posted by PamE
We're definitely working on keeping the toys cleaner, but it makes sense that there will be germs passed, regardless. I think maybe a good deal of our problem lies in allowing babies in the nursery even if they are sick. Maybe it's time for some new rules!

Thanks so much for all of your input. It really helped. I like the idea of having the parents come in once in a while to really get the stuff cleaned well.

Depending on the situation...If it's a nursery for during survices and such I think that it may be a good idea to be alittle stricker on the rule. That's really hard tho when the parents pay like in a daycare (unless it's stated in advance and in writing). My boss and all of us still get b**ched at when we sen them home and sat they can't come back for 24 hrs after fever or vomitting.

Good luck!

[PamE]

Sheesh! You know, when my baby is sick the last thing I want to do is take him out! Not only for the sake of the other babies but they just get miserable. You'd think the moms would decide to stay home for a Sunday instead of putting their babes through it. I can understand it to an extent in daycare where the parents have to work, but not in church nursery.