Cleaning and caring for wooden toys
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By
Melanie A.
Cleaning and caring for wooden toys: tips and tricks for a cleaner nursery
Choosing toys made of wood means choosing a natural, robust product with a long service life. To keep wooden toys hygienic and in good condition for a long time, occasional care and cleaning is necessary.
In this article, we explain how you can clean wooden toys and what you should look out for when caring for natural toys.
Introduction to cleaning and caring for wooden toys
Toys that are well cared for and cleaned regularly will keep their good condition for a long time . Careful care will ensure that the colorful Eichhorn Color sound blocks retain their lively appearance even with daily play. But that's not the only reason to keep the toys clean. Your child's health will also benefit if hygiene is not neglected in the nursery.
You need these materials to clean wooden toys
Find out what simple materials you need to clean wooden toys and how to prepare for this.
Cleaning agents and tools required
Mild soap or special wood cleaner 🧼🧴
Soft cloths and sponges 🧽
Soft brush 🧹
Optional: Environmentally friendly and non-toxic disinfectant 🌱🧪
Preparing the toy for cleaning
Start with thorough preparation, which we will explain step by step using the Eichhorn wooden xylophone as an example.
First take a close look at the product and check whether you can detect any damage, for example scratches, splinters or nicks. Remove any loose parts and accessories. For example, if you notice that the screw connection of a tone block on the colorful xylophone has come loose, this would be the ideal time to tighten the screw.
Then take a look at the manufacturer's product information and safety instructions. There you will find, for example, information on the type of wood - birch wood and plywood in the case of the xylophone - which you can use to assess which cleaning agents are suitable for the product.
Getting to grips with wooden toys: how to clean them
Cleaning wooden toys is child's play. We'll show you the best way to go about it and provide you with important tips for optimum cleaning:
- Take a dry, soft cloth and wipe the surface of the toy with it. This will remove dust deposits and superficial dirt.
- You can use a soft brush to remove light deposits from narrow areas and corners.
- Dampen the cloth and wipe over the product again to remove any dried-on residue.
- If stubborn or greasy stains remain, the next step is to add some washing-up liquid or a mild soap to the water, moisten the cloth and wipe over the wooden surface a third time. As an alternative to the cloth, you can also use a soft sponge.
- As wood has an antibacterial effect, it is difficult for bacteria to colonize it. Nevertheless, when cleaning wooden toys, you should make sure that the toys dry quickly and completely, otherwise residual moisture can lead to mold growth. Dry the product carefully with a dry cloth and only store it after it has been allowed to air dry completely.
Tips for the care and maintenance of wooden toys
In addition to cleaning, you should maintain (untreated) wood as follows:
Regular inspection and maintenance 🔎🔧
As already briefly mentioned, it is advisable to occasionally check that there is no damage to the toy. If you come across splinters or small nicks, you can use fine-grained sandpaper to smooth out areas without coloring or imprints. Especially when it comes to maintaining untreated wood, sanding is also an option for heavily soiled areas that cannot be cleaned sufficiently by other means.
It is also advisable to occasionally use safe wood care oil or wax for wood care. Simply apply a thin layer of these products to the untreated wood with a cloth, rub them in carefully and allow them to take effect according to the instructions for use.
Long-term storage 📦
Apart from cleaning and caring for wooden toys, storage is another aspect we would like to talk about briefly. Wooden toys feel most at home in a dry, cool place where they are protected from direct sunlight and moisture. Protection from moisture in particular effectively prevents unwanted pest infestation.
Should you disinfect wooden toys? 🧪
In principle, it is not necessary to disinfect wooden toys due to the antibacterial properties of wood. Nevertheless, disinfection can be useful, for example if the child has been ill and you suspect germs on the toy. However, as the alcohol contained in many disinfectants can damage the natural material and other cleaning residues pose a potential health risk to your child, you should use disinfectants extremely sparingly and only in exceptional cases. The following therefore applies: Do not overdo the cleaning of wooden toys, as a rule it is better to use soap and water and use safe household products for wood care. After all, contact with germs is part of life and is essential for building a strong immune system.
Cleanliness in the children's room
What applies to wooden toys naturally applies to the entire children's room. Cleaning wooden toys is therefore not enough. Ideally, you should clean the entire play area regularly to create a place where your child can play in a clean and tidy environment.
Admittedly: It's not always easy to keep the playroom tidy. Chaos is often not far away where there is a lot of playing going on every day. That's why we'd like to give you some practical tips on toy storage. Because the be-all and end-all of tidiness is storage space for toys. In particular, toys with lots of parts, such as the Eichhorn wooden trains or our role-playing toys, should be collected in a fixed place. For example, use a large box or a storage basket with a lid to store tracks and switches or the utensils from the play kitchen. Some of our wooden toys are particularly easy to store neatly. The Eichhorn tool box is the best example of this: it is part of the toy, but also a place to store the screws and tools it contains.
Regularly cleaning and maintaining wooden toys and tidying up the play area offers you a good opportunity to teach your child how to handle their toys and their environment responsibly. Involve your child in the tasks at hand and explain to them where which toys have their permanent place. As we all know, four hands can do more than two and by cleaning, caring for and tidying up the toys together, you can spend time together in a meaningful way.
An overview of environmentally friendly cleaning and care methods
To round off the information in this article, we have compiled an overview of sustainable and natural cleaning and care products for wood for you below:
Natural cleaning agents
You don't need aggressive cleaning agents to clean wooden toys. ❌🧪❌
Simple household products such as vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda are ideal and have the great advantage that they are completely harmless to health.
Sustainable care products
If you don't want to use household products for wood care, there are also special products for wood care. Use ecological products 🌱 that do not harm the environment or your child's health , as residues of the cleaning agent may remain on the wooden surface after cleaning. Natural, non-harmful products are therefore the best choice, especially for children's and baby toys that come into constant contact with the skin and may even end up in the mouth.
Wooden toys: ensure years of fun with a little care!
Wooden toys are made to provide your child with countless hours of fun. With a little care, they will be your child's companion for years to come , so it's worth investing a little time in cleaning wooden toys.
Many lovingly designed wooden toys are waiting to be discovered (and cared for) by you and your child in the Eichhorn store.
FAQs: Your questions about cleaning wooden toys
Which oil for wooden toys?
In addition to special wood care oils, many edible oils are also suitable for wood care. Linseed oil, olive oil and safflower oil are suitable.
How to sterilize wooden toys?
As a rule, it is not necessary to sterilize wooden toys. Treatment in a steam sterilizer is even strongly discouraged due to the nature of the natural material.
How do I clean wooden building blocks?
It is usually sufficient to wipe wooden building blocks with a damp cloth and dry them thoroughly. If necessary, you can also add a little mild soap to the water to clean the popular construction toys.
How long to dry wood before oiling?
If you want to oil wood several times, you should make sure to allow the product to dry before the second treatment. The drying time for most oils and wood types is 24 to 48 hours.