How often should you clean your children's toys and teddies

Washing your children’s toys and teddies is a crucial task in the fight against the spread of infection.

Soft toys can be a breeding ground of bacteria and fungus, and can harbour many germs - which can be made worse by the amount of time children put them in their mouths.

That said, not everyone thinks to ever wash their children’s cuddly toys, and if they do it’s often not carried out with the same frequency as other laundry.

So how often should soft toys and teddies be washed? We spoke to head of the Sleep Council, Lisa Artis, to find out more.

How often should you clean your children's toys and teddies?

Lisa recommends cuddly toys should be washed roughly once every four weeks, to keep them hygienic.

“Generally once a month would be a good idea,” she says, “especially if their teddy is one they got to sleep with every night and carry around with them constantly”.

To kill any bacteria and mites, the toys should be washed at a minimum of 60C - but don’t worry if the care label says it can’t be washed at a temperature that high.