Best Mold Free Baby Bath Toys

Okay folks, this is about to get real. Are you ready to buckle up and discuss the evils of baby bath toys and their proclivity for attracting slimy, black mold? Hold on to your hats, we are going there… yes you read that right, the hazards of moldy baby bath toys. But you probably already are aware that that happens if you searched for this article! But don’t worry, after I give you the rundown on what I could find out about bath toys and their dirty secret, I will tell you all about the best options for the best mold free baby bath toys that I could find! Here we goooo!

Best Mold Free Baby Bath Toys

What is the Black Stuff the Comes out of Bath Toys?

Yep, you guessed it by now, that’s mold. Fungi (mold) will most likely grow on any toy that frequently gets and stays wet. You pick out some great bath toys for your small swimmer and before you know it, they’re full of black goo! Oh no!

Mold can start growing on bath toys in as little as a day or two!

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How do you Stop Mold in Bath Toys?

The bad news is, once your water toys are moldy, they may be better to be pitched in the trash.

You can try to scrub it off with soap and hot water, but if the toy is in any way letting water inside it, like through a small hole or cracks, there is definitely mold inside where you can’t reach. Yuck.

Many say that cleaning toys regularly with a vinegar and water solution can kill the fungi starting to grow. (I don’t think many of us have the time to spend soaking and scrubbing bath toys every week.)

If you did want to kill some of those nastys, I think I would try equal parts vineger and water for a good soak. This might also be a good way to clean bath toys that are misfortunate enough to be present when a baby goes you-know-what in the tub. It’s happened to us all.

The Dark Side of Rubber Ducks

There was an interesting study done to note the mold growth on bath toys. Long story short, ALL of the samples used became contaminated with biofilms, with bacteria and fungi present. Gross! Basically, most bath toys are a breeding ground for mold and this nastyness they call biofilm.

How does this affect our kids? I’m not sure, to be honest… I DO know that avoiding mold exposure is always the safest thing to do. I did read on a WebMD article, that mold from bath toys can be detrimental to kids health, especially if they have weakened immune systems or mold allergies.

Note to self: select bath toys more carefully next time and go throw away our current toys.

How to Clean Moldy Bath Toys

My opinion is, if you have moldy or slimy bath toys, just pitch them in the trash. But, I know sometimes we have certain toys that the kids are attached to, or that are special memories for us, so it would be good to know how to effectively clean your child’s favorite bath toy.

In that same WebMD article, I did find several different ways to clean moldy bath toys that sounded like they would work well.

(WebMD is a fairly widely respected site, so I feel like they would know what they are talking about in regards to the measurements of bleach and so forth they recommend.)

Cleaning Moldy Bath Toys with Bleach

Bleach is always a go to when it comes to mold. I like to avoid bleach when possible because it’s fumes are pretty noxious and it can really burn and dry out your skin. But, it is the most common method for cleaning I would think.

WebMD recommends you use 1 gallon of water to a 1/2 cup of bleach to soak your moldy bath toys. Make sure to wear gloves and do this in a well ventilated area… Open your window if you can or do it in a tub outside.

Soak the toys for 10 minutes, make sure to squeeze any that can hold water to get the bleach solution in there.

Remove them from the solution and squeeze/drain the water. Rinse the toys very well. Air dry.

How to Clean Moldy Baby Bath Toys with Vinegar

Vinegar is known to be an effective cleaner. I’m not sure if it is as potent as a bleach solution, but it is definitely safer and milder.

Mix equal parts water and vinegar into a solution and soak your toys n there, sqeezing and getting the solution into all the holes and crevices.

Let soak several hours, up to 24 hours in the vinegar solution.

Rinse the toys with clean water. Let air dry.

How to Clean Moldy Bath Toys with Soap

Another good way to get mold and slime off of bath toys is to soak and scrub them with very hot, soapy water.

Fill a tub or sink with very hot water and a squirt or two of dish soap. Soak and scrub with brush or sponge until clean, then rinse with clean water. Squeeze out all the water from any holes to prevent more mold.

Check out this article for more detailed cleaning ideas.

Best Mold Free Baby Bath Toys

We want our kids to have so much fun and make years of happy memories taking a bath and some good quality bath toys go a long way! I know we are all watching out for the safety of our kids.

Most of these toys are appropriate for babies, but older kids will enjoy many of them too.

The best way to keep mold out of the bath area is to make sure that bath toys you are bring into your home are not breeding grounds for mold.

According to that study I mentioned before, they deduced that the worst material for growing the mold were those soft, flexible plastic materials that so many baby bath toys are made out of. It has something to do with the organic carbon leaching out of the material. Yep, that means the classic rubber duckies are some of the worst.

I looked for toys made out of smooth surface hard plastic (made with BPA, PVC and phthalate-free materials when I could find them), silicone, natural rubber.

All of these bath toys are affordable, easy to order from Prime, and would make a really great gift!

Without further ado, here is my list of the best bath toys that don’t breed mold and are easy cleaning.

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Silicone Bath Toys (Cleanable)

I love this little set of fun bath toys made of silicone! Four little creatures in cute colors made out of food grade, non toxic silicone. I love the unique designs of these adorable squirt toys. The genius part is the way they twist open and you clean them inside! Baby can chew on these safely, squeeze and squirt to their heart’s content, and then can open them up and clean and dry them, so they don’t become moldy! Win, win!

Natural Rubber Sea Turtle

A darling little natural rubber sea turtle toy that is safe for baby to mouth and chew. There are no holes for bath water to go in and grow mold. Super cute and there are several different styles to choose from.

Boon Jellies Suction Cup Toys

Ok, these are adorable and so unique! The little suction cups come in lovely different colors, and the shapes work well for little hands. They look so fun to stick on the bath tub wall and each other. Made out of hard, BPA free plastic and totally open, these toys will not be breeding grounds for nasty mold. They come in 2 different color selections.

Munchkin Water Fall Bath Toy

Here is a bath toy that is great for hand-eye coordination. It allows your child to pour water through little cups and the water falls through and gets caught in the bottom cup. Each cup has a suction cup on the back, and you stick them to the side of the tub. How fun! This one is cheap and made of hard plastic that’s easy to clean, and they have great reviews. People really seem to like them.

Mesh Bath Toy Storage

Not a toy, but a way to store the toys! I had to include this in the list of best mold-free bath toys, because it helps them stay that way! This handy bag scoops up the toys, drains them and allows them to dry while hanging neatly on the side of the bathtub. I think this would be a great way to avoid bath toys sitting in water and collecting slime and mold.

Boon Toddler Fishing Pole Toy

A fishing pole for your little water baby! This is so cute and what fun, to try to catch the little sea creatures! Made of BPA and PVC free hard plastic, not lots of crevices for mold to start growing and should keep them pretty busy during their bath time!

(Can I just say, these bath toys are all so affordable! What a great baby shower idea or perfect gift!)

Stacking Cups Toy

Stacking cups are a great toy for in the bath and also out of the bath! Designed in Denmark, this set of durable stacking cups are in such a gorgeous array of muted colors, and don’t contain BPA, PVC or phalates. Very cleanable and great for developing fine motor skills.

Green Toys Submarine

I like the brand Green Toys, they make good quality stuff. My little guy has the boat version of this submarine, and it will last forever! You can open up the submarine and scrub it out when it starts to get slimy in there. It’s also great for pouring warm water over a shampooed head.

Bath Blocks

These Bath Blocks are really cool. They are made out of a lightweight foam, and with the water, they become sticky, clinging to each other or any flat surfaces. Perfect for building and creating in the bathtub! Since these could be pretty enticing to chew on, these may be best for toddlers and older children. They don’t seem to come with a storage bag, so you’d want to grab one of those mesh bath toy bags I listed above to hold these and allow them to dry.