.png)
Pet Toys can hold bacteria, yeast and mold. YUK!!!! Since dogs like to chew, fetch and carry their favorite toys around, the items an become covered with dirt, slobber, and grime. Your dog might even bury them outside or on your favorite chair, your bed, or just drag them all over your floor. The National Safety Federation (NSF) conducted a study about what items are the germiest in a home and dog toys made the top 10 list.
So how you clean your dog’s toys, so they are safe for them and for you and your family. You should do them regularly Most people are so busy; they forget that this is important. We humans are already washing our hands and it should carry over to when we are playing with our dogs and their toys. To be revolting about this, but toys can contain bacteria, viruses that can cause respiratory illness, and parasites or fecal contaminants can be transferred to humans.
Hard Toys: Wash them in hot soapy water and rinse them in fresh water. An old toothbrush makes a good tool for scrubbing the surfaces or creases. You can soak the toys in 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water for extra dirty one and then rinse them thoroughly and let them air dry.
Soft toys: At the time you are washing your dog beds blankets, throw in the soft toys, Use the sanitizing cycle or if they are more delicate, wash them in cold water or by hand. If you can use a natural. fragrance –free detergent, or sprinkle toys with baking soda and add vinegar to the rinse cycle. You have to be careful in the dryer—can be air dried.
Rope Toys: Believe it or not, these types can allow organisms to grow so be more aggressive. You could use the microwave. Wet the toy thoroughly, (make sure it doesn’t have plastic or metal parts) and put them in the microwave for 1 minute. Even microwaving sponges for 2 minutes reduce bacterial count greatly.
Washing your toys will keep them in good shape and will last longer.
TIPS:
Bring toys inside when your dog is finish playing with them This way you will hold down on mold growing as well as checking that the toy is still safe for your dog to play with. Spray then with vinegar and water between washings.
When buying new toys: chose those made in the US and are out of 100 % natural rubber, organic cotton, contaminant-free material and possible eco-friendly toys. Some of the best toys are the ones that are homemade or from very small companies. When choosing toys, look at how difficult it might be to clean it.
This information was from Dr. Karen Becker and “Healthy Pet “article.