Moms who use vinegar to clean, come in

kleigh926 · September 2013

I haven't cleaned DD's toys in a very long time *insert embarrassed face*. After reading about how some ladies use vinegar to clean in the Tuesday Questions post, I think I'd like to start using that. My question is, can you use the vinegar solution on fabric as well? DD has several toys that are fabric but can't go in the washing machine because of other parts (electronic, rattles, etc.). I'm just worried that the vinegar smell would hang around in the material and wouldn't evaporate. How would you handle this?

moosegal · September 2013

I would just wipe them down add best you can with a vinegar water solution. The vinegar smell should disappear as they dry. If not, sticking them in the sun might help.

wifeofadam · September 2013

I use vinegar on everything, including cleaning kiddie messes out of carpet. My carpet doesn't smell like vinegar. I may be immune to it though because I kind of enjoy the smell. Some people like the smell of bleach because it smells clean to them - that's how vinegar is for me. I'd actually rather smell the vinegar on the toys than know that other toxic cleaning solutions are lingering on the surfaces my kids are putting in their mouths.

Also, I use vinegar in my laundry as a fabric softener and my clothes don't smell like it either.

As far as the toys go, don't be embarrassed. To be honest, I never ever clean the kids' toys unless someone actually spits up or spills something on them, or if they have friends over because I don't like other kids' germs on my kids' stuff. Otherwise, kid stuff around here rarely gets cleaned with the exception of tub toys or teething things that can be thrown in the dishwasher.

jkuhmann · September 2013

I was going to add, I've only cleaned the toys that have been dropped in dirty places - like the floor at the high school or our entryway - or that have been puked on. Manufacturers really don't make them very cleanable, do they?

kleigh926 · September 2013

Thanks for making me feel better about not cleaning the toys

I guess I figured they weren't really getting dirty- she just chews on them and then they get laid on the floor or table, both of which I keep clean. It just struck me yesterday that maybe I should at least wipe them down since I haven't done it in quite awhile, and I liked the idea of using vinegar rather than Clorox or something chemical. I think that will be my go-to disinfectant/cleaner from now on- cheap, easy, and non-toxic!

light52 · September 2013

I rarely ever clean toys except right now we are battling thrush so they are getting cleaned every night. It is getting old very fast. I mix vinegar with water to clean most things. I don't really smell it after it dries. You can always add a few drops of essential oil to the vinegar to help it smell better if it bugs you.

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