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How to Clean and Store Toys
Cleaning your toys
'Baking soda', that magic powder, with more uses than a Swiss Army Knife, is a miracle worker for plastic toys. Start by mixing 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a pint of water, dip a cloth (old diapers are great) in water, wring it out well and then carefully wipe all of your plastic toys clean. If your toys are exceptionally dirty, just add a tablespoon of dishwasher powder to the mix - it's got a bit of bleaching action. Use a toothbrush to get at those hard to reach places. Just remember, with digital toys, the idea is to wipe them, not drown in them in water, because it'll corrode the electronics.
Don't use the baking soda mixture on the LCD screen of the toy. To clean the screen you probably want to use the screen cleaners sold at computer stores. If the toy has a keyboard that's gooped up, you can gently wipe it with a slightly damp rag, but if it's dust that's settled in the keyboard it's best to use the compressed air canisters that are sold for computer keyboards. For any cleaning, always stay away from harsh chemicals like acetone or ammonia.
Also keep in mind that most electronic toys are best for indoor use. Exposure to excessive sun and moisture could impact the mechanics of the toy and cause permanent damage.
Storing your toys
Talk about an uphill battle. Most parents use some variation of the 'tub' method for storing toys. At the basic level you simply put toys in some sort of storage tubs and get them off the floor and onto shelves. Some of the more organized parents I know use tubs to sort and rotate toys. To do this you create a tub that has four or five different kinds of toys in it --- an art or creativity toy, a doll, an outdoor toy, a construction set and a digital toy, for example. Then you rotate the tubs to expose your children to different toys in small doses. The tub method works well for kids ages birth - 3 years old, who can become overwhelmed with too many toys.
Older kids will want a bit more control of their play. Try using tubs for sorting similar toys (with all their parts). Legos might go in one tub, dolls and their clothing in another, crayons in another. Label the tubs contents with an indelible laundry marker.
Remember to make clean up as much of an activity as the other fun things you do. Some parents invent catchy clean up songs to sing as they pick up pieces with the child. Older kids should also get into the habit of whittling down their toys at least once a year, donating old toys to those who might be able to use them.
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V-Tech/Robin Raskin
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