View Full Version : When illness strikes!
torontokids
07-08-2013, 12:11 PM
My daycare has been hit with the croup and the flu this week. How best should I sanitize things? I have been wiping things down but is it best practice to soak all the toys in a water/bleach or water/vinegar bath and only put out a few toys and wash them each day? I have been using hot soapy water and vinegar to clean surfaces and sometimes diluted bleach (although I prefer not to use bleach)
playfelt
07-08-2013, 12:19 PM
Since the croup is airborne it isn't really the toys that are causing the spread as much as it is the air the kids are breathing. For sure ventilate if possible by opening windows. Spray some Lysol at night while the kids aren't there to disinfect the air.
Bleach will always be the better but there has been a switch to hydrogen peroxide as the alternative. The vinegar needs to be full strength and the strong pickling kind if it is to truly disinfect - ie it cleans but does not kill the germs otherwise.
2cuteboys
07-08-2013, 01:43 PM
I use Noreen clothes to wipe whatever I can - they can pick up bacteria and kill it as it dries. I use them a lot!
If its a really serious thing I'll soak plastic toys in a bathtub of bleach solution (usually pretty diluted as I'm not a fan of using it regularly). Anything that can go in the washer does, and dried on hot usually kills most things as well.
I recently got into melaleuca too - they have a lot of natural and Eco friendly products - including a spray disinfectant. It is a bit of a pain to buy their products though - involves signing up for a minimum monthly purchase :/.
Crayola kiddies
07-08-2013, 01:57 PM
[QUOTE=2cuteboys;5015 5]I use Noreen clothes to wipe whatever I can - they can pick up bacteria and kill it as it dries. I use them a lot!
I have never heard of Noreen did you mean norwex.... I use them too and I'm a consultant .... The products are amazing !!
2cuteboys
07-08-2013, 01:59 PM
I did mean norwex... Silly iPhone!
gravy_train
07-08-2013, 02:23 PM
I disinfect my smaller plastic toys by putting them through the dishwasher. I'm not a fan of using bleach so I use vinegar to sanitize my counters, tables, larger toys, etc. I also open the windows for a good 30 minutes a day if possible.
Good luck getting through it!
PattyCake
07-08-2013, 03:32 PM
I use tea tree oil to disinfect...mix 20 drops with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle then spray everything down. I also use is as a mop solution for the floor. I like it because its not harsh like bleach or other chemicals and the smell evaporates into the air quickly.
torontokids
07-08-2013, 04:53 PM
I use tea tree oil to disinfect...mix 20 drops with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle then spray everything down. I also use is as a mop solution for the floor. I like it because its not harsh like bleach or other chemicals and the smell evaporates into the air quickly.
Do you just spray things then let them air dry or do you have to wipe it off?
PattyCake
07-08-2013, 04:59 PM
Do you just spray things then let them air dry or do you have to wipe it off?
I let everything air dry because it a natural disinfectant and it dries quickly. I was told theres no need to wipe it off. Things that any of the kids have been chewing on get washed and wiped in a stronger solution of it though.