Are you wondering how to wash the baby mat? With so many manufacturers claiming their products are machine washable, it’s an understandable misconception. However, parents should know that not all play mats can be thrown into the washing machine. Playpen protectors are the only ones safe for machine washing, while regular activity mats shouldn’t even go near a washing machine. Once they’re wet, germs multiply rapidly, and your child is at risk of catching infections. Being aware of how to clean playmat will help reduce health risks and save time on endless scrubbing.
Here we come up with some easy ways on How to Wash Baby Playmat:
Use a cloth or towel:
The most common way How Wash Baby Playmat is to use a wet cloth or towel to wipe down the mat. You can also scrub it with warm soapy water, but make sure not to soak the playmat itself.
During this process, it’s important to remove not only visible dirt but also germs and bacteria that are living on your baby’s play mat. This way, you get rid of all the harmful substances that are dangerous for your child.
Use baking soda:
Dusting your playpen with baking soda can be an interesting trick if you are in the midst of a full-blown spring cleaning. Baking soda is great when it comes to absorbing odors and excess moisture. And since babies love crawling around in all sorts of containers (like baskets filled with toys), make sure you shake out any residue before using it for your child again.
Never leave them soaking wet:
The best way to Wash the Baby Playmat is by wiping down or vacuuming the mat after every use. Leaving them soaking wet will only encourage mold growth, so keep that in mind.
Wash by hand:
Hand washing laundry has always been popular because of its sanitary benefits. So why should baby gadgets be any different? When you think about how often your child plays with their playpen protector, it only makes sense to wash it by hand.
Use a vacuum cleaner:
Many parents and grandparents at first think of using a broom to clean the playmat. However, this is not good for the mat because of too much friction. You should use a vacuum cleaner instead of a broom, which is more gentle and will not damage the surface of the playmat. It also helps remove dust and dirt from corners and seams to be more difficult to reach otherwise.
Cleaning with water:
Of course, it is important that you do not neglect cleaning the playmat with water altogether if it has been handled by your children playing on it all day long with their dirty hands, etc., especially if they have been suffering from diarrhea or vomiting lately as well as rashes or skin irritations.
Use a steam cleaner:
To clean the playmat thoroughly, you can use a steam cleaner as well. The advantage of the steam cleaner over other appliances is that it has no detergents and less water, so everything evaporates completely and leaves behind no residue. This means your mat will remain clean and germ-free without damaging its surface in any way, which might otherwise happen with traditional cleaners and damp cloths, for example.
Disinfectants are not good:
Be aware that disinfectants can ruin the structure of your playmat if used too often, especially if it is made of polyethylene foam materials since they have an open-cell structure making them more susceptible to chemicals, whether natural or synthetic. So, you should just clean them with hot water, and that’s it.
Deep cleaning your playmat every 2 to 3 months:
If the mat is not too dirty, you can spot-clean it now and then, following the instructions above. The frequency of this type of cleaning will depend on how much your kids use their mat, which means more if they have numerous friends over at home during the day, so don’t forget to check what materials are used in making your playmat before writing down its maintenance schedule! Still, for a better solution to keep it germ-free, you should deep clean it once or twice a year using either an electric carpet cleaner or steam one – whichever option you prefer best.
Using essential oils:
If you have a playmat made of rubber or plastic materials, you can add a few drops of pure essential oils onto the surface now and then. This is good, especially for infants suffering from allergies or respiratory problems since their immune system has not yet fully developed. Hence, they are more likely to suffer from health conditions that might affect their breathing in the future. In this case, avoid using oil diffusers around your children and synthetic air fresheners containing phthalates that have been known to be dangerous when inhaled in large quantities by someone suffering from asthma, for instance.
Using bleaching agents:
You should also avoid bleaching agents such as chlorine or hydrogen peroxide when cleaning your playmat if possible since these substances, especially chlorine, might affect the quality of your mat and cause damage to its structure.
Cleaning with rubbing alcohol:
Rubbing alcohol is another possible solution for cleaning playmats made of rubber or plastic materials without causing any damage, and it will also disinfect them.
Washing in the washing machine:
If none of these methods work, you can wash your playmat in a washing machine but just make sure to put it into a laundry net first because this way, all the dirt will be trapped by the net even if there are some bigger things stuck around on top of your mat which cannot go through the holes so they won’t ruin the fabric later on by scratching it or tearing it up altogether. You can use either a front-loading or a top-loading machine, depending on your personal preferences and the size of the mat.
Using vinegar for cleaning playmats:
Another possible solution is to use white distilled vinegar mixed with water in equal parts and disinfectants such as iodine, borax, or hydrogen peroxide. You should make sure to use protective gloves when handling these substances, especially if there are kids at home since they might come into contact with them by mistake, which could be dangerous for their health.
Using dry cleaning kits:
Finally, you can buy special dry cleaning kits designed especially for playmats, including baking soda or cornstarch plus essential oils. These ingredients work great together, removing stains, deodorizing the mat, and keeping bacteria at bay that can’t survive in these conditions.
Conclusion:
How to Wash Baby Playmat is through regular cleaning after every use. Sometimes this means simply wiping it off with a wet towel or cloth. Every night, simply vacuum it to keep allergens at bay. It is best to throw it in the washing machine, dryer safe on delicate cycle, tumble dry low heat only (no bleach). The temperature should be no higher than 105 F.
Hand washing laundry has always been popular because of its sanitary benefits. It is not recommended that you dry clean your infant’s playpen protector–it can be equally as harmful as washing it in the machine. Bleach and harsh chemicals may remove all stains, but they’ll also irritate your child’s skin.
