First things, first. We have two WINNERS of their choice of a mini bowl or small square dish from my sponsor, Alethia Pottery (email me at clean.mama@yahoo.com and I'll put you in touch with Alethia Pottery to choose your loot!) If you didn't win, Alethia Pottery is having a 15% off Mother's Day sale, so you can still grab some awesomeness. And the two winners as chosen by randomnumbergenerator.com are:
#11
- I am a follower :)
- I am a follower!
Now back to our regular scheduled broadcast - Have you seen the NBC report on the bacteria/slime that can live in bathtub toys? It's enough for a germ-o-phobe like myself to throw out all of the bathtub toys and never buy another one. But kids like bath toys and the toys make bath time more fun, so I have decided to live with the "risk" and make sure that my toys are as clean and cleanable as possible.
First of all, I limit the amount of "squirter" type toys. When bath time is done I make sure that all the water has been squirted out of the squirter toys. I also let all of the toys air dry in the bottom of the tub until the next day and then I put them back in the bath toy storage. We also have some "kitchen" toys - measuring cups, stacking cups, measuring spoons, a mini tea set and a mini colander - these toys have no areas where water and bacteria can be trapped and the kids love to use them in the bathtub. After all these precautions are taken, the bath toys still need to be cleaned, so that's what today's bathroom cleaning task is - bathtub toys.
I use my dishwasher to clean the bath toys - it sanitizes them and I know they are getting CLEAN! My favorite dishwasher detergent?
No chlorine bleach, no phosphates, no chemicals and it CLEANS like crazy! Just two teaspoons and anything that I put in my dishwasher is clean - and spot free! (The picture that I am showing you is of the dispenser, the Dish Wash comes in a bag and you can buy the container for easy dispensing and counter-cuteness.)
Because I'm doing bath toys, I'm going to start with an empty dishwasher (no dishes/food related items)- I'm going to toss in some other things to clean with the toys - Crocs shoes (did you know you can wash these in the dishwasher on the top rack?) and the shampoo/conditioner/soap caddy on the bottom. The bath toy caddy, hair washing bucket thingy, and the spout/water deflector are all going into the dishwasher for a dip/sanitize session.
Here's what my loaded up dishwasher looks like:
What unconventional item(s) have you washed in your dishwasher?
We have that bath toy caddy, too! I do run my toys through the dishwasher, but squirter toys never make it long in our house. As soon as I think it might be getting icky, it gets "lost" (in the trash!). Drying everything out helps them last longer, though. :)
ReplyDeleteThis may sound crazy but how often to you clean your bath toys in the dishwasher.. i was going to add it to my docket and just curious.
ReplyDeleteI clean them every month or two - could be done weekly, but my kids don't use toys every bath time. Good question :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Must be time for me to do ours!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog and love it! I wanted to add that I clean TONS of stuff in my dishwasher. The top to the nasty garbage can (cause scrubbing it never gets it clean enough), the best way I have found to clean the stove top is to put all the pieces in the dishwasher. Toothbrushes (when my daughter decides to scrub the counter with hers), toys! I do not buy a toy unless it can go through the dishwasher or the washing machine. plastic step stools, the dust pan... just to name a few. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteI think it's totally awesome that you have Crocs in your diswasher! I ALWAYS put our flip flops and Crocs in there. They get so clean! I also have been known to put combs and hair brushes as well. Love it!
ReplyDeletei just found your blog. I wash my flip flops (rubber) on the top shelf of my dishwasher. :)
ReplyDeleteI used to put my Dobie pad scrubber - until I had to pay for a repairman to change the filter screen thingie of the dishwasher! The sponge fibers broke down and cloged the filter!
ReplyDeleteHubby now takes it all apart to rinse the screen part every few months (whenever it stops cleaning so well).
Great blog, such good articles and posts. I learned few thigs from reading two or three things, I will keep visiting, because I am sure that I will learn even more from your updates.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea and your blog! I'll be using this idea! Also, Imight have to try that dishwasher detergent.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Do you have a way to "share" your posts through facebook and/or twitter?
ReplyDeleteJust copy the url and paste into fb/twitter.
DeleteI can identify which one i need. Gotta go to the grocery today.
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