Highlights
- Shared daycare toys can carry viruses and bacteria for hours or even days.
- Kids often put toys in their mouths or touch them after coughing or sneezing, spreading germs quickly.
- Cold and flu viruses can survive on toy surfaces for up to a day or longer drugs.com.
- Norovirus and other stomach bugs can linger on toys for weeks cdc.gov
- Bleach solutions are still common but pose risks like fumes, skin irritation, and residue.
- Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) spray kills 99.9% of germs and is safe for use around children, pets, and sensitive surfaces.
Why Daycare Toys Can Become Germ Hotspots
If you’ve ever stepped into a daycare, you know toys are everywhere—blocks, dolls, puzzles, and more. While these playthings encourage learning and creativity, they can also be hidden germ hotspots. Studies show that shared toys in daycare centres can carry viruses and bacteria for hours or even days. Kids naturally put toys in their mouths or touch them after sneezing, which means germs spread quickly from one child to another. That’s why cleaning toys regularly isn’t just about tidiness—it’s about protecting children’s health.
Looking for a safe solution? See our Toy & Nursery Collection for toy cleaning products designed for families and daycare operators.
Why Shared Toys Spread Germs So Easily
Daycare toys rotate through dozens of little hands each day. Surfaces like plastic blocks or stuffed animals may look clean, but they can harbour harmful germs. Common culprits include:
- Cold and flu viruses that can survive on toy surfaces for up to a day or longer, especially on hard, non-porous surfaces【drugs.com】.
- Stomach bugs like norovirus, which can live on toys for weeks【cdc.gov】.
- Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, which spread through skin contact.
Children in daycare are still building their immune systems, so even small exposures can trigger illness. Regular cleaning is key, but harsh chemicals aren’t ideal around children. This is where a safe cleaning agent like hypochlorous acid spray makes a difference.
The Safe Way to Clean Shared Toys
Many daycares still use bleach solutions to clean toys, but bleach comes with strong fumes, skin irritation, and potential residue. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) spray is different. It’s a powerful cleaning agent that kills 99.9% of germs, yet it’s safe to use around kids and pets. In fact, HOCl occurs naturally in the human body as part of our immune response.
CleanSmart’s HOCl spray is easy to apply:
- Spray toys thoroughly.
- Let them air dry—no need to rinse.
- Toys are safe to handle immediately after drying.
Want a versatile option? Check out our Other HOCl Collection for sprays suitable across daycare surfaces, not just toys.
Daycares Benefit from HOCl Spray
Switching to HOCl spray provides peace of mind for parents, educators, and operators alike. Key benefits include:
- Non-toxic: No harsh residues, making it safe if a child puts a toy in their mouth after play.
- Time-saving: Spray-and-dry method reduces the labour of rinsing.
- Eco-friendly: Breaks down into simple saline water after use.
- Trusted: Used in schools, hospitals, and homes across Canada.
The simplicity and safety of hypochlorous acid spray make it the smart choice for cleaning toys in high-contact environments like daycares.
For families at home, our 500ml Pure Stabilized HOCl Spray is a perfect size to keep in nurseries or playrooms.
Protecting Kids, One Toy at a Time
Daycare toys are vital for learning, but they’re also a perfect breeding ground for germs. By switching to hypochlorous acid spray, daycares and families can protect kids without exposing them to harsh chemicals. Safe, effective, and easy to use—HOCl spray is the smarter way to keep playtime clean and worry-free.
Protect your daycare and home today—shop the Toy & Nursery Collection now and make toy cleaning safe and simple.
For more information on how to integrate HOCl into your cleaning routine, visit our Contact us page.
Sources
- Canadian Paediatric Society. Infection prevention and control in paediatric office settings
- Mayo Clinic. Cold and flu viruses: How long can they live outside the body?
- Drugs.com. How long can cold and flu viruses live on surfaces?
- CDC. Norovirus: Facts for Families