Why It’s Important to Keep Your Play Mat Clean
It’s so important to keep your baby playmat clean and hygienic. Playmats are a much loved part of your home. Play mats come in frequent direct contact with babies hands, feet, and mouths.
You and your baby sit on these bacteria laden mats for hours on end! If your baby has already started crawling, they are likely picking up dirt from all over the house and bringing it onto the mat.
Even as busy parents, it’s essential you still prioritise a happy, healthy environment. Cleaning your playmat regularly is an easy, quick way to keep your home clean and hygienic! Otherwise, it would be a serious safety fail and could lead to your baby sustaining injuries.
How to Clean Baby Play Mats
You should spot clean whenever there is spit up, spills, food, stains, or any other stuff. It’s a good idea to get into the routine of cleaning up any stains or spills as soon as they happen. Otherwise, your playmat could get real dirty, real quick! Without further ado, this is how to spot clean your baby playmat…
What You’ll Need
- Hot water.
- Bucket.
- Spray bottle.
- Clean cloth or sponge.
- Baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, or a natural cleaning wipe.
Step by Step Guide How to Clean Your Baby Playmats
1. Make the Cleaning Solution
Make your water solution with detergent or a natural anti-bacterial product. We like to use vinegar or baking soda because it’s natural, safe, and gentle on the skin.
Dip your cloth in the water solution and apply it directly to the affected area.
Make sure to wash the stain when your water is still hot. This is because cold water does not dissolve as quickly as hot water!
2. Wipe Away the Stain
Wash the stain away with your cleaning solution. Dip the cloth into the soapy water or the vinegar solution.
Give it a good scrub to ensure the stain has completely vanished. Leave the wet patch to dry for an hour or two. Once it has dried, you can continue to use your playmat.
How to Deep Clean Baby Play Mats
It’s super easy to deep clean your baby play mat! It won’t take too long and it’ll keep your foam mat looking fresh and new.
We recommend cleaning your baby play mats once every couple of months. Bacteria, dirt, and grime build up over time on your baby’s playmat.
It’s best practice to make a habit of getting rid of all of it on a regular basis. A deep clean will restore and protect your foam playmats.
This is how to deep clean your fabric play mats…
What You’ll Need
- Hot water.
- Soft cloth.
- Bucket.
- Bronner’s magic soap (or an equivalent detergent or dish soap).
Step by Step Guide on How to Deep Clean
1. Dismantle the Foam Tiles
A deep clean involves getting in all the nooks and crannies of the playmat. To do this, you’ll need to dismantle the playmat. It’s pretty easy to do this, simply break apart the interlocking sides of the tiles. Put the individual tiles in a safe place.
2. Vacuum the Floor
Next, vacuum the floor. You want to get rid of all the dirt, snack crumbs, and other debris. Vacuum cleaners are so helpful and will save you so much time!
3. Create the Cleaning Solution
Create the cleaning solution with your soap or detergent of choice and warm water. You can also use the same cleaning solution outlined above. If you’re more into natural ingredients then make the soap with baking soda or vinegar.
4. Wipe the Foam Playmat Tiles
Now, simply wipe the foam play mat tiles with a cloth or sponge. Make sure you wash the entire surface area including the corners and the sides. Special consideration should be paid to the bits that don’t get cleaned very often!
5. Reassemble the Foam Playmats
Reassemble the foam playmats on your living room floor or in your playroom. Your playmats are fully cleaned! You can now sit, eat, and play on the foam mats once again.
What to Avoid On Your Baby Play Mat
This is what you should not use on your playmat. A babies playmat can be very delicate. Foam mats are one of the easiest materials to clean, but they can be damaged by heavy furniture, chemicals, or use. We recommend avoiding using harsh chemicals and rough materials that could damage the foam tiles.
Bleach and other chemicals with an acid base can strip the colour off the mat and erode the EV foam. It’s best to avoid any cleaning products that contain abrasive agents. These products are more likely to cause allergic reactions anyway!
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about how to clean your baby playmat. Make sure to check out our other blog posts for more information about baby foam playmats!
