If your baby plays with squishy toys, they may sometimes get sticky for some reason and require a little tidying.
In cases where the toys become sticky, they look messy and become uncomfortable and unsafe for babies to play with them.
Fortunately, there are practical things you can do to help the situation. Here is a guide on how to make squishy toys not sticky.
What Makes Squishy Toys Sticky?
The primary cause of stickiness in squishy toys is the melting of the intermolecular bonds within the molecules of the toy material.
Exposure to UV rays and long-time overuse can weaken the bond and cause breakage, leading to toy stickiness.
Other factors that can cause stickiness in squishy toys include oil, wet hands, sand, or dirty hands.
How To Make Squishy Toys Not Sticky
Here are steps involved with how to make squishy toys not sticky, safer, and more convenient for your baby to play with them.
Items Needed
- Mild Soap
- Brush
- Cornstarch
- A bowl of clean water
Steps:
- Wash frequently with mild soap and water
- Use a brush or adhesive part of scotch take to scrub particles trapped on the toy by the stickiness.
- You may add some cornstarch to the toys to prevent frequent stickiness. Although the starch is not a permanent solution and may reduce its flexibility, it will prevent it from becoming sticky for a while.
- Regularly cleaning the squishy toys will reduce the sticky build-up.
- Avoid long hours of exposure to the sun or heat that can break the intermolecular bonds in the toys.
Pro Tip:
It is best advised not to put dirty anywhere around in your house. You should have a fixed place to put all the dirty toys so your baby won’t get to them quickly.
How To Make Silicone Toys Not Sticky
- Add ¼ cup of grease-cutting liquid dish soap to a bowl of water.
- Use a non-abrasive scrubbing brush to gently scrub the toys to not wash out the designs.
- Rinse and dry with a paper towel.
- If there’s any sticky residue, use baking soda to gently scrub off the particles and clean with a towel.
How To Make Rubber Toys Not Sticky
- Add a mild detergent to the water
- Dip a soft cloth into the water and scrub the surface gently.
- Rinse with water
How To Get Stickness Off Stress Ball
- Firstly, use a clean towel to wipe off any visible residue
- Run a tap with warm water
- Apply a mild detergent to the stress ball.
- Then scrub the stress ball gently with your hands, occasionally applying splashes of warm water.
- Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the cleanliness of the ball.
Read Also: How To Fix A Mochi Squishy
How To Wash Squishy Toys
Squishy toys are usually made of rubber or silicone, and you can insert both materials in water without damaging the toys themselves.
Here are easy to get your squishy toys clean
- Fill a bowl with water
- Add mild detergent. Depending on the level of stain, some may require more than just detergent to clean.
- Soak the toys in the water for a while. They’d mostly float due to being lightweight.
- This helps separate the dirt from the toys.
- Use a soft brush or non-abrasive sponge to wash gently.
- Now rinse the toy with water and dry it with a paper towel.
How To Clean A Sticky Plastic Surface
- Firstly, create a paste out of baking soda and water
- Apply the paste over the surface of the plastic using a brush, glove, or cloth
- Allow the sticky dirt to absorb the paste for 5 to 10 and scrub gently using the brush.
- Rinse with water
- If there’s some dirt remaining, repeat the procedure.
Read Also: How To Wash a Squishy Pillow
Are Squishy Toys Safe For Children?
Soft material toys are easy and fun to play with, but according to research by the Danish EPA, squishy toys are unsafe for children and unacceptable.
They concluded after twelve squishy toys were tested and found to emit a high level of harmful substances, selling toys that may be harmful to children is not recommended.
Many baby toys are made of squishy material due to their flexibility and lightweight, but they’re not safe to play with.
Children playing with Squishies should be under adult supervision to avoid ingesting any toys. Also, after playtime, wash your baby’s hands in case some stickiness gets rubbed off.
FAQ’s
Are scented toys safe?
Scented toys are unsafe for children. Scented toys contain VOCs, leading to fatal health risks if ingested.
Since you can’t always watch what your child plays with during playtime, it is better to avoid buying them scented toys.
Are stress balls poisonous?
Stress balls are non-toxic, squishy but not sticky, scent-free, and safe for babies to play with.
All you need to do each time you or your baby is stressed is to take a squishy stress ball out of your pocket and squeeze it between your fingers to feel better without worrying about whether it is safe or not because they are safe.
What is the white thing in stress balls?
Stress balls filled with silicone give it a squishy feel. But some stress balls are created from pliable foam obtained from closed-cell polyurethane foam rubber instead of being filled.
The manufacturer injects a type of liquid into this foam which causes a chemical reaction that results in carbon dioxide bubbles. The carbon dioxide bubbles are the white stuff in stress balls.
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Conclusion
Maintaining your baby’s squishy toys can be hard work because of the toy material.
You must keep washing from time to time to remove the dirt that might have been trapped on the toys by the stickiness.
However difficult it might have been for you in the past, this article has given out the causes of stickiness in some toys and how to make squishy toys not sticky amongst a host of other things to know about maintaining baby toys and other sticky surfaces around the house.