toy cleaning and Fleece?

[artteacher]

I have two questions for you ladies...

1. I have luckily inherited a ton of infant toys both cloth and plastic.....how do I clean them? I was thinking the cloth in the laundry and the rest in some gentle soap, but I dunno?

2. My friend was telling me she is not putting her child in fleece, because it is synthetic and like plastic.....what do you think of fleece and microfleece?

Thanks!

[mkksmom]

I throw most cloth toys in the washer. If they survive, I keep them.

Vinegar and water can be used to disinfect toys. I also throw some plastics in the dishwasher on the top shelf or I use Dawn to scrub them by hand.

I do use fleece. I can't do wool, though. I guess I would if I could and then I might skip fleece, but I suck it up when it comes to fleece. I think about the chemicals, but I just wash it very well before using and hope for the best. I do put a cotton layer on under fleece pajamas, but I'll let my dd wear a pair of fleece pants with nothing underneath from time to time as well.

[LaughingHyena]

I run plastic toys through the dishwasher. I use a basket designed for washing feeding bottles, I think it came from toys r us. Most things have gone through fine, though you do have to make sure there are no holes in them. Things like rattles with spinning parts tend to fill with water which is really hard to get out. Those just get a quick wipe over.

Cloth stuff goes in the washer, again I have leaned to watch out for anything with squeakers and make sure I squeeze the water out as soon as they come out of the washer.

As for fleece we do wear it, it's warm, light and very easy to wash. It's great for sweaters, coats etc but I think I;d find it a bit sweaty for PJs

[ChetMC]

Same

I do the same with toys. If they can't survive the dishwasher or the washing machine they probably can't survive abuse from a baby or toddler.

We wear fleece - babies and kids too. A lot it of it is made using recycled pop bottles and plastic bags. In my mind, that's a good thing. It's takes a very disposable product and turns it into a durable good.

[mumm]

I can't imagine living without fleece!

We love it. warm. light weight. easy to wash. dries quickly (I just hang it on the edge of the laundry basket, not even putting it up on the line). most importantly sometimes, it doesn't stain. This means my eldest's fleece clothes are being worn by my youngest. I hate the polypro stuff that stains like crazy since my kids seem to be very sloppy eaters. All the under armour stuff gets destroyed quickly.

It does seem ironic that we don't store our food in plastic but keep our bodies wrapped in it. I can't get worked up over it.

Cleaning-
cloth goes in the machine. If it gets ruined it wasn't meant to be.

Plastic stuff gets washed with water or maybe a little water/vinegar or hand soap (ivory) if it seems really grungy. If I'm motivated the dishwasher. If I'm not I've been known to stick a naked kid in the shower with a hose and the dirty toy and let them go to town!

Wow! After re-reading this I really am a lazy, lazy mom.

[Nicole730]

1. cloth toys (even with some plastic on them) and stuffed animals go in the washer and dryer -- other toys get whatever cleaner we have on hand, usually homemade w/vinegar or soap and water in the kitchen sink or bath tub

2. fleece -- we have some fleece items, i don't see a problem with it, but maybe because i choose not to read too much about fleece

[elsie]

Fleece is synthetic and made of the same things as plastic. But it is warm, durable, washes easily, dries quickly. Like everything in life, moderaetion is good. I don't like wearing fleece myself because I get too hot and it clings to my hair, but DD loves fleece.