How To Properly Clean & Sanitize Legos Without Bleach or Chemicals
If you have kids chances are they have or at one time have had Legos. You may have stepped on one a time or two, yes those. Those little things that get taken out, spread all over the floor, touched by all kinds of kids and then put back into their container. Dirty. Covered in germs. Let’s face it, who cleans their Legos before they are put away every single time? That is why we need the best way possible to clean them when it comes time. Here is a fool proof process that will clean & sanitize your Legos making them look brand new again without using bleach or chemicals.
What you need :
- Bathtub, sink or container (if your Lego storage container is big enough, use this, it will clean that at the same time
- Dish soap
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- Tea Kettle full of boiling hot water
- Bottle brush (optional)
What To Do :
- Fill your sink 1/4 of the way with hot water , as hot as you can stand and add a few drops of dish soap. Pour all your Legos in and swish around. Use a bottle brush or your hands to scrub over handfuls of Legos. There is no need to try to scrub each one, the point of this process is to not have to.
- Pour the kettle of boiling hot water in to bring the temperature back up. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar. Swish it around a little and let it fizz up. Be careful, the water may be hotter than it was when you started. Allow to soak for at least an hour. The fizzing and bubbling will help lift and break up any dirt.
- Drain the water, use your sink sprayer to rinse handfuls at a time and lay them out on a towel to dry. When rinsing, use as hot of water as you can stand.
- Repeat weekly if used daily
Renee Fischer (@ReneeFischerGGM) says
we used bleach when i was a kid, i hated the way they smelled after. i’d totally do this for our kids.
Alyssa says
I know, same here. It really gives me a headache !
April Conn says
Thank you for the information! My son has tons of these and it’s impossible to clean each one,each time he plays with them.This is a great idea,no chemicals = happy momma.
Alyssa says
Your welcome ! I actually use this for all kinds of my daughter’s toys !
Amanda Ferrell says
This is great info for teachers!
Alyssa says
Yes it certainly is Amanda , especially where there are so many children using them. Not only germs, but allergies to bleach or chemicals. I know when I was an asst. pre- K teacher all we were allowed to use was a diluted bleach as cleaner. I could not handle the smell!
Amanda says
This looks like a great way to clean any toy without bleach! I use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning for everything else!
Alyssa says
I love using baking soda and vinegar too !
Shauna says
Wow… how awesome, I love that this does not include chemicals, since no matter how much we try, the kids will put their fingers in their mouths after playing, LOL…
Bailey Moomaw says
I’m going to bookmark this page. It seems like a good medium between bleach and the Babyganics toy and high chair spray cleaner.
Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? says
What a great idea! Bleach seems so unnecessary most of the time.
Stacie @ The Divine Miss Mommy says
I had no idea. I always use bleach!
Tara Funair says
With as many legos as we have, this sounds like a great idea. Not only do they spread germs between the kids here but when friends come over as well !!! Thanks
Michelle Weaver says
Good tip! this is a great idea, the legos get dumped out every day here.
justa sobriquet says
Thanks for the suggestions! I still remember the pain of trying to scrub Moon Sand (that stuff is water-proof) out of my son’s legos after he decided that the 2 “toys” could be played with together. Ugh. I used bleach and soaked and scrubbed those things for days because he really packed it into the legos.
crystal says
Wonderful information! I could do this for more than just legos!
Ashley says
I usually just wash in warm water and spray with lysol . This sounds like it would get much cleaner
Becky says
I don’t think it’s necessary to sanitize everything in your child’s environment. In fact, that may do more harm than good. (Look up the Hygiene Hypothesis).
Alyssa says
Nothing could convince me to not clean and sanitize my child’s environment on a regular basis. I am not “Monk” and OCD about it by any means , but we keep a clean house and prefer to not use chemicals.
Colin Glendon says
Thats awesome. Legos can get so disgusting.
Chris says
“Without Chemicals!”
Ingredients: Dish soap (a collection of chemicals), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and vinegar (acetic acid).
What’s your definition of chemical?
Melissa P-V says
Not those!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
meridien says
Does anybody know if the decals on some Legos would come off in the process or afterwards?