How to Clean Outdoor Toys

Kids love playing with outdoor toys during the summer—and any other time the weather permits! It’s important for parents to properly maintain and clean outdoor toys to ensure their children’s health and safety while playing outside.

Today’s topic is how to clean outdoor toys.

We will cover what supplies you need along with how to clean and maintain your kids’ outdoor toys so they can stay safe and (at least somewhat) clean while having fun playing with outdoor toys.

Supplies:

- Gloves (disposable or reusable)

- Wipers, paper towels, or old towels

- Bucket

- Sponge

- Cleaning brush (You’ll want a brush with bristles so you can easily get dirt out of all the crevices you can’t get to with your sponge.)

- All purpose cleaner

- Mild soap

- Hose with spray nozzle

- Also make sure to wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty

Step 1: Hose it down

Just like when you wash your car, you want to start by spraying off the outdoor toy’s surfaces. This will wash away some of the mess, while also loosening up the more dried-on dirt.

Step 2: Soap and sponge time

Get your bucket of soapy water and sponge ready, and then begin cleaning at the highest point/surface of the toy and work your way down. (This is the same logic we discussed in our How to Speed Clean blog post.)

If you know the soap and sponge won’t be able to tackle the grime, spray the surfaces with all purpose cleaner, wait the recommended time for that product to work its magic, and then rinse. 

Step 3: Dig deeper

Use the brush to clean out any crevices you couldn’t properly reach with your sponge.

Step 4: Rinse (again)

Use the hose to rinse off the soap and say goodbye to the last of the grime!

Step 5: Dry

We recommend hand-drying with wipers or old towels. (This way you get to double check that you didn’t accidentally miss any spots.)

Outdoor Toy Maintenance:

Check the parts:

- Make sure all of the connecting pieces (nuts, screws, etc.) are properly and tightly in place.

- For plastic toys, check that their structures are completely intact and there are no cracks.

- If the toy structure includes rope, test the rope strength and look for any fraying.

- For wooden toys, double check that nothing has rotted.

Before playtime:

- Check the play surfaces for any stagnant water, bird droppings, etc. Have your cleaning agent and paper towels on-hand in case they’re needed for a quick spot cleaning.

What additional tips do you have for cleaning outdoor toys?