You only need to wash something that is actually dirty - too much cleanliness can actually be bad for a baby (within reason!!) - a baby can not build up any immunity to germs if they never come in contact with them - ever noticed how many kids who are filthy & whose homes etc are too never get sick??

Also if you wash everything all the time yor child may grow up thinking I mustn't touch as it makes work for mum. Then too would you be able to keep up the washing if you had another child? When your baby is abit older & "making" things (often very messy things) she'll be hurt if you wash away her masterpieces her "gifts" etc!!!!

When I had my daughter I was crazy about washing her toys. I would put themin the dish washer ( no soap) every day while she was napping. She did not get sick any more often (she is five now) than other kids. I do not know if it kept her from getting sick but I felt better when she put them in her mouth knowing they were clean(ish)

I, too, am a new mom. My son (11 mos old) has had a nasty cold that goes away and comes back. I'm afraid his own germs on his toys are making him sick over and over. Does anyone know how to clean the stuffed toys that can't go in the washer? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Re: toys that can't be washed. I have heard from "the mom show" on television regarding head lice and bacteria that you can put the item (in this case, stuffed animals) in the freezer for a few hours, then in the dryer for 10 minutes or so and this will kill just about everything. Good luck to you. Love the new postings, finally:)

Well, I agree with all of the above but I think the first step is to know the source of the toy. I will only buy from companies that sell from reputable manufacturers. Because, clean toys start with high quality materials and components. Quality also helps the integrity of the material and in that way the toy will not have contaminants.

Good luck to everyone, Jeniffer!

There are some great answers here! Thanks for everyone's input...I have nothing to add

i always wash my baby's toys with plain water if they fall on floor. i also used to wash stuffed toys in surf (lol) thank stephanie24.