Is It Possible To Sanitize Baby Gear In The Washing Machine?

Regularly cleaning baby toys, pacifiers, and other types of gear is vital to help keep your baby healthy, especially since these items often come into contact with babies' mouths. While it's important to clean any baby items as they get dirty, you may need to sanitize them, too. Unlike cleaning, which physically eliminates most germs, dirt, and grime, sanitizing refers to the process of decreasing the number of pathogens on surfaces to safe levels. This process can involve using commercial chemical cleaning products or bleach. Certain baby items may even be cleaned and sanitized in the washing machine to help save time. However, this method works for fabric surfaces only, and you should not use it to sanitize items made with hard surfaces or any gear with batteries or electronic components.

Washing machines sanitize items with the help of warm or hot water and detergent. Some washing machine models come with a dedicated sanitizing cycle, which uses extremely hot water to help kill germs. If your machine doesn't have such a cycle, you may have to add liquid bleach or sanitizing products when doing a load. 

To sanitize baby clothing, bibs, burp cloths, and other fabric items, simply launder them with detergent using the sanitary cycle or the hottest water indicated on their labels. If the items must be washed in cooler water, or your laundry machine doesn't come with a sanitary cycle, add commercial sanitizing solutions designed for washing machines. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions when using these products to avoid damaging the items. Once the load is washed, follow up in a dryer — the heat will maximize the sanitizing effects. 

You can sanitize and clean your child's stuffed animals in the washing machine, too. Simply place the items in a pillowcase or laundry bag before washing them on a gentle cycle. You'll want to air dry stuffed animals instead of placing them in the dryer. 

The washing machine may offer an easy and effective way to sanitize stuffed animals and other baby gear made with soft surfaces, but you will need to find other ways to sanitize hard surface items. For example, you can place nonporous items, such as blocks or your kid's bath toys, on the top rack of your dishwasher for deep cleaning and sanitizing. You can also boil these types of small items in water on a stove. Allow the gear to air dry completely on a clean towel before use. You can sanitize larger items, like highchairs, strollers, and swings with soap and hot water.