A step towards sustainability
First off, congrats on choosing wooden toys over plastic ones for your little cherub. You have played a significant role in saving this planet even while entertaining your curious little kiddo.
Wooden toys are timeless treasures that can even be passed down across generations. In addition to being eco-friendly and durable, wooden toys are also an excellent means of developing fine motor skills in children.
Why is it necessary to clean wooden toys?
Toys can be carriers of germs and can easily spread communicable diseases, if you are not careful. It is recommended that your baby’s favourite toys are washed at least once a week.
Naturally anti-bacterial material
The best part about building a wooden toy collection is that wood is naturally anti-microbial. So gifting kids a wooden train set or wooden blocks is a great deal safer and a lot more fun. There are no harmful substances produced or used in the crafting of wooden toys. Cleaning wooden toys is therefore a pretty simple process.
How to clean wooden toys?
Dusting
Just using a soft, dry cloth to wipe off grime ensures that wooden toys are clean and free of dust particles. Regular
dusting of wooden toy blocks and other wooden toys will also help identify splinters and other potentially hazardous loose parts. In cases where wooden toys have become rather rough to touch, it is important to sand the affected area gently. This guarantees that the wooden toy remains safe to play with.
Polishing
Babies often use their mouth to hold toys and wooden toys are no exception. Wooden toys may look worn out after a while but the good news is that wooden toys can look as good as new with a simple polishing routine. Replenish the natural moisture of wood by wiping down wooden toys with olive oil or coconut oil or food grade, non-toxic beeswax.
How to disinfect wooden toys?
Gentle cleaning
If you would like to deep clean your baby’s wood toys, please avoid using harsh chemicals or other popular disinfectants. Wooden toys should never be left to soak in soap mixes or even water.
The easiest way for thoroughly cleaning wooden toys is to wipe down toys using a washcloth that has been dipped in a mild solution of soap and water (preferably in a 1:4 ratio). Using dish soap or castile soap is a great idea for cleaning wooden toys.
If the toys are large in size, use a spray bottle that is filled with the cleaning solution.
If there are too many wooden toys to be cleaned, it would be better to fill the kitchen sink with the cleaning solution for a quick dip. However, do not leave the wooden toys inside the sink for more than one minute. Dip all the wooden toys together and drain immediately.
How to clean wooden rat toys and wooden hamster toys?
If your little one has carried her favourite wooden rat toy or wooden hamster toy during a visit to the hospital, it is imperative that the wooden rat toy or the wooden hamster toy is disinfected to avoid spread of germs. Thankfully there are simple, natural ways to disinfect wooden toys. Cleaning wooden toys with vinegar is safe and effective for disinfecting wooden toys organically. Use a solution of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar diluted in water, preferably in a 1:4 ratio.
Sun drying
It is extremely important to ensure that wooden toys are completely dried after being cleaned. Moisture content not only damages the colours of wood toys, it also causes formation of mould on the wood. Dampness leads to warping as well. The best way to dry wooden toys would be to depend on good old solar energy. However, wooden toy train sets and Melissa and Doug wooden toys must not be exposed to harsh sunlight. Just dry the wooden toys in a well-lit area of your play room or home.
If sun drying is not an option, make sure to wipe your wooden toys dry with an absorptive cloth immediately
after disinfecting wooden toys. Alternatively, you could dry the cleaned toys under the fan.
How to clean wooden train sets?
As popular YouTuber, John the Toy Shop Guy suggests, there is a simple trick to clean grimy wooden train sets. Instead of using diluted soap solution, one could use an eraser quite effectively to get rid of the stains and grime. Rub the buildup using the eraser and watch it disappear completely. Blow it dry and your wooden train set is good to play with again.
How to store wooden toys?
Safe storage
Always store wooden toys in well-ventilated, cool places to avoid decay due to humidity and moisture. Wooden toys must not be exposed to direct sunlight. Neither should wooden toys be kept near radiators or fireplaces. You can prevent warping and cracking of wooden toys by storing them in an aerated toy chest or on shelves where there is ample circulation of air.
How to clean painted wooden toys?
Restoring wooden toys
It is a great idea to inspect your collection of wooden toys regularly to ensure that your baby has attractive toys to play with. After dusting the toys, use a sandpaper to gently smoothen rough edges or surface imperfections if there are any. If there are any cracks in your toy, apply a generous amount of wood filler within the cracks. Smooth the wood filler down with a spatula before allowing it to
dry. Sand the treated area lightly to achieve an even texture.
Repainting wood toys
You could apply a coat of natural oil or an eco-friendly varnish to restore the fresh look of wooden toys. You could also include your older kids in the fun by getting them to repaint the wooden toys with child-friendly acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry completely and now you have a brand-new toy ready to keep your little ones absorbed in healthy play.
Repairing wood toys
If there are loose parts in your wooden toys, use a good quality wood glue to fix the parts. Spread the glue evenly and affix the loose part. Wipe away excess glue. Allow it to dry for at least 24 hours before taking the wooden toy out to play.
Strict no-no’s
Do not attempt to dry wooden toys quickly using heaters or hair dryers. This could lead to splitting of the wood. Air drying is always the safest option. Avoid using harsh chemicals for cleaning toys as they are not only toxic for babies, but they could also cause cracking and discolouration of wooden toys. Do not use sanitisers to clean wooden toys.
How to clean second hand wooden toys?
Unlike plastic toys, wooden toy blocks, wooden toy animals and wooden toy train sets are more than mere playthings. They can be part of your family legacy if
maintained properly. Wooden toys that were played with by one generation of kids can easily be used by the following generation as well. One can also opt to buy preloved wooden toys as part of the initiative to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Treasuring wooden toys
Having been crafted with attention to detail, wooden toys are special and can become precious heirlooms, if handled carefully. Forget about scratches though because a well-used toy is a sign of a happy childhood!
