WARNING: Check Your Sophie the Giraffe Toy
Good Housekeeping put the warning out for all parents that your babies favorite teething toy, Sophie the Giraffe "might be full of mold." I know my daughter loved this toy, it's darling! Very easy for infants to grab the legs and gnaw on the neck or head while teething. But it turns out that all that slobber and potential cleanings may cause the mold to build up on the inside of the toy.
Here's what the experts at Good Housekeeping say on how to clean this toy:
The only way to prevent mold inside plastic toys is to make sure they are cleaned and thoroughly dried," says Carolyn Forte, the Director of the Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. The best way to clean washable plastic toys is in hot sudsy water or in the dishwasher. Then, disinfect them with a solution of 1/2 cup Clorox bleach per gallon of water. Soak them for five minutes, rinse and air dry.
How often you should clean these toys depends on the frequency of use. If used daily, Forte recommends cleaning them at least once a week. And don't let these items sit in water or leave them with water trapped inside between uses or cleanings. See update below for more information.
However, a spokesperson for the Sophie the Giraffe said that the toy is not supposed to be submerged or allowed water inside the hole. (Obviously since mold might build up.)
So what to do?
Sounds like the creators of Sophie the Giraffe might have to come up with a new version to make her a little safer or you may just need to do everything you can to prevent water and slobber inside the hole.