Beware of ducks and bath toys: the tricks to avoid mold, germs and bacteria

Beware of ducks and bath toys: the tricks to avoid mold, germs and bacteria

A survey by Il Salvagente on 15 plastic toys for the bath confirms what was already known: they can be filled with germs and bacteria

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Rubber ducks and other plastic toys that our children bathe with are, at first glance, harmless and risk-free. In reality this is not the case, these objects can in fact turn into a real receptacle for mold, germs and bacteria, as confirmed by a new survey by the magazine Il Salvagente.





Not long ago we told you about research conducted on bath toys by Eawag (Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology), ETH Zurich and the University of Illinois. In that case, the study revealed how, at the time of bathing, the ideal conditions are created for diversified microbial growth. Which concretely means that children start playing with objects that are potentially full of germs and bacteria.

Read also: Ducks and bath toys can become a receptacle for fungi and bacteria. The alarm in a study

We are talking in particular of those games that have a whistle valve, which therefore allows water to enter and exit. Precisely this feature makes such objects an invisible threat to children.

By soaking them too much in water and humid environments, but also considering the fact that children often pick their noses or mouths, bath toys tend to fill with microbes: bacteria, fungi and even viruses. Generally nothing dangerous, but in some cases these microorganisms could lead to the appearance of skin or eye irritation as well as gastrointestinal or respiratory problems.

To understand the real dangers, Il Salvagente magazine analyzed what happened to 15 plastic toys, simulating the conditions of use in the bathrooms of our homes. To do this, the microbiological analyzes were carried out on the toys in different stages: after removing them from the packaging and before putting them in the tub, after having immersed them in water for two hours (with simulation of the manipulation of the toys by the child) and after leaving them in a humid environment for 2, 4, 7 and 10 days.

The results

The results of this analysis substantially confirm what was already known. The bacterial load but also the presence of yeasts and molds and enterobacteria (of fecal origin) tends to increase with the increase in the time that the toys are left in a humid environment and with stagnant water inside them.



To make you better understand what proportions we are talking about, consider that after two hours in the tank the bacterial load was 130 while after 10 days in a humid environment it passed to 7 million bacteria!

Fortunately, no pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, pseudomonas and staphylococci were found, at least from this investigation. However, the magazine specifies, it was not possible to simulate all the real conditions that occur during a baby's bath, for example the fact that the bath water could "enrich" with bacteria present in the small intestine.

What can we do

To avoid any risk to our children, we can follow some simple advice that she provided to the magazine Elena Bozzola, Infectious Infectious Pediatrician of the Child Jesus:

  • Do not use the first child's bath toys for the second child as well
  • Do not buy unpackaged products
  • Choose games with CE mark (which guarantees the use of materials that do not favor bacterial proliferation)
  • Replace games whenever possible (do not overdo it to avoid waste)
  • Don't let them soak too much in the bath water
  • Clean, disinfect and dry the games after use externally, but also internally by draining all the water. If you can, it's a good idea to get some disinfectant inside as well.
  • Avoid leaving toys in a humid hot place such as the bathroom

Dr. Bozzola stresses that we must not get too anxious or afraid but still consider the possibility that bathroom games, if badly managed, could also lead to developing infections.


It is therefore important to minimize the sources of danger, especially by avoiding stagnation of water inside them.


Source: Il Salvagente

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