Henry Carlson
Whether you’re an expectant mother or a young mum who has recently given birth to a beautiful bundle of joy, cleaning and organizing your baby’s supplies is one way of keeping him or her healthy. Other than the toys, your baby’s pack n play is another very crucial accessory that requires thorough cleaning to reduce cases of bacterial infections.
You see, most people mistake allergies for other forms of infections. Aside from paying regular visits to your doctor or giving your baby highly nutritious meals to boost her immunity, giving maximum attention to where the baby is sleeping is one way of protecting their health.
Since your baby’s pack n play is where he or she sleeps, plays, eats, and sometimes pees and poops on, it needs an effective cleaning process to keep her healthy and safe. Without further ado, let’s get started with teaching you how to clean a Pack n Play. Here are three methods that you can apply.
First Off, What Exactly is a Pack N Play?
In simple words, a pack and play is a rectangular cot that can fold and pack quickly for easy mobility. Unlike popup cots and traditional square playpens, a pack n play has superior features such as sturdy lockable sides and it’s more durable and comfortable for your baby to rest in. Additionally, these units have more bells and whistles that include:
- A changing table
- Zippered pockets and pouches on the sides where you can fit your baby’s diapers
- A canopy that can be used to shield your baby from sunlight that penetrates through the windows
- An entertainment center that combines sounds, vibrations, lights, and MP3 music
- Suspension toys of soft animals and teddy bears that are hung above the cot
- A newborn napper or rather a small padded curved-in bed that’s clipped on top of the cot
Now that you know what a pack n play really is, this post will now proceed with the three effective methods you can use to clean this incredible baby product.
First and Foremost, You’ll Need:
- Water
- Sponge
- Cloth towel
- Bathtub
- Baby laundry detergent
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- A hose
The Scrub Method
- Take it outside: If you consider the scrub method, the first step is to take the pack and play outside or somewhere in the garage or play yard. This will help to prevent unnecessary splashing of water in the house. It will also provide you with ample space to clean your pack n play without any interference. If it has a mattress pad, simply remove it and put it inside the washing machine.
- Mix your cleaning solution: Next, mix a ½ cup of detergent to a bucket of warm water then whisk it to mix them perfectly. Dip a clean cloth or a scrub brush to get ready to scrub.
- Time to scrub: Use the brush to literary scrub the mattress, putting more effort in dirty areas particularly on the mesh.
- Rinse thoroughly: Since you’re outside, use a hose to splash water on the mattress until it’s clean. When you’re done, shake it gently to remove the excess water before you can finally leave it to dry up.
- Let it dry: Finally, leave the pack n play to dry up under the sun. Make sure to do it on a hot day or else, you’ll have to keep taking the mattress out every day until it’s entirely dry.
Deep Clean Method
In most cases, deep cleaning is necessary when the mess is particularly larger for a regular spot cleaning to work. Also, make sure to do this at least once a month. This is to completely remove mold, bacteria, and dirt – to prevent allergy attacks.
- Place it in a bathtub: Start by fitting the mattress inside the tub. The best thing about the best mattress for pack n play is that it fits perfectly in most bathtubs.
- Add soap: As the water drains from the bath tub, mix the soap solution that includes ½ cup of laundry detergent, ¼ cup of vinegar, and ¼ cup of baking soda. Stir the mixture gently then leave it to soak for an hour. Here, you’ll have to flip it halfway to ensure uniformity.
- Rinse it thoroughly: When you’re done, rinse the mattress thoroughly either in the bathroom using a removable shower head or take it outside in the play yard to rinse it with a hose.
- Leave it to air dry: When you’re through rinsing and double-checking for any remaining stain, leave it to dry up naturally on a sunny day. Apart from just drying up, this will guarantee sufficient airflow in and out of the pack and play.
Regular Spot Cleaning Method
In case of small messes, stains and spills, there’s no need to deep clean a pack n play as this can damage the foam material inside (if done regularly). Instead, you can simply spot clean it to remove light stains.
- Soak it up: If the spills are mild, you can simply use a clean towel or paper towel to soak up the mess before it can penetrate inside the mattress.
- Using a spray mixture: Since the stain will be visible after the spot cleaning, you can consider using a spray mixture to remove the tough stains. Here, you can use one part water and one part vinegar. Shake it gently then spray the affected areas.
- Machine wash the mattress pad/cover: In case your baby’s crib mattress has a pad or a cover, it’s a good practice to machine wash it regularly as it helps to remove dirt and allergens that can cause respiratory illnesses to your little angel.
Conclusion
If you’re a devoted parent, then you know how crucial a pack and play is to your baby’s development. Not only it is a safe toy for your baby, but this unit is also home to your child as it’s where they spend most of their time.
So, cleaning your pack n play regularly will keep it in good shape, and doing so will protect your baby from health risks such as respiratory illnesses.
Now that we’ve offered you everything you need to know on how to clean a pack n play, we only have one question for you. Did you enjoy the tutorial?
Henry’s first job was in the furniture and mattress industry as a sales associate. From there, he moved up to merchandising specialist for several years and then became an assistant manager. Working in the industry gave him access to a lot of products and also helped him gain in-depth knowledge.
