Best Guide to How to Clean a Playpen

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How to Clean a Playpen Step by Step Guide

By Benque James
December 13, 2021

How to Clean a Playpen Step by Step Guide

Would you like to have a clean and safe place for your baby to play? The playpen will provide a secure play area for the infant when the parent is occupied. Because the playpens are used more often, they are likely to pick up more dirt, so it is advisable you keep them clean from time to time to ensure your baby stays in a clean and safe environment. It is essential to see the environment they are playing on is cleaned from time to time and in the proper manner. This article will discuss how to clean a playpen by step guide.Another article when to stop using playpen and how much weight can a playpen hold also helpful for parents.

Why you need to know How to Clean a Playpen

Every mom would like to raise her baby in a clean and safe environment. But studies show that infants exposed to household dirt and pet germ or dander are not likely to develop allergies such as asthma or any other. Used baby playpens will always have some hidden germs that we may not see with the naked eye. It should be kept clean but ensure not to compromise your baby’s immune. Even to that, you would not like to raise your child in an unclean environment, especially their play station where they touch the furniture and put their hands into their mouth. Therefore, to have a clear baby playpen that is safe and smells fresh. Ensure to spot clean your used baby’s playpen frequently using a gentle detergent. Avoid using harsh chemicals that may harm or affect your baby’s health.

Step on how to clean a playpen

Considering how dirty your playpen is, there are two methods to ensure you have a clear baby playpen. The two cleaning methods are spot cleaning and deep cleaning.

Spot Cleaning

Involves cleaning only those patches of a playpen that are stained, leaving the rest parts untouched. Some parts of the playpen, especially the rails and the playpen mat, are likely to get dirty or grime compared to other places. These are the places where the baby touches mostly such the rails or where they sleep playpen mat. Spot cleaning will ensure you always have a clear baby playpen.

How to clean a playpen mat? it is advisable to use a waterproof mattress to prevent the playpen mat from getting dirty and make the cleaning process more manageable since the mattress cover can be washed using a machine. You should use the following steps when spot cleaning the rest of the playpen.

Step 1

Blot: For example, if you accidentally spill fresh food on a playpen, then the first thing to do is to take a dry cloth or paper towel and gently absorb the moisture in that place. Next, you dip a damp cloth into a diluted detergent solution and then use it to saturate the stain. You can also use a soft bruised brush to scrub rails or the entire playpen but ensure the material or mesh does not soak.

Step 2

Flush with water: Here, we flush the stain with water. If you cannot position the stained area in running water or tap, you should use a sponge, dip it into clean water, and blot the stain until no more detergent is left.

Step 3

Let it dry: this is the final step. Here you ensure the spot dries completely. Avoid using an air dryer because if the spot is not clean enough, it will leave a permanent stain because of heat. When air drying, you should look for a place with direct sunlight and ensure you do it in good weather.

Deep Cleaning

If you have used your baby’s playpen for a long period. It will accumulate a lot of grime, appearing as if it has been smeared with peanut butter and greasy jelly. To have back your clear baby playpen, you should consider deep cleaning. Because deep cleaning procedure is not listed in the manufacturer’s instructions, you should consider the following before starting the process.

Weigh the pros and cons of deep cleaning

After deep cleaning, inspect all the movable parts and locks to ensure they function properly

You should know how to clean a playpen mat

Lastly, ensure the playpen gets enough time to dry before you assemble it.

How to Deep Clean a Playpen Step by Step

First, you disassemble the playpen by removing the playmat and then folding the playpen.

Fill your bathtub with hot water but ensure you are familiar with the manufacturer’s instruction not to exceed the required temperature or using hot instead of cold water.

Add special cleaning detergents to the water. Using baby-safe detergent in deep clean might not remove all the grime; therefore, it is important to add the following ingredients: half cup of baby-safe detergent, a quarter cup of vinegar, a quarter cup of baking soda and a quarter cup of Ox clean. Ox clean is optional, and you should also consider if it is recommended with your playpen type of material. Some detergents might cause bleaching; hence it is crucial to be aware of the detergent used or the type of material in your baby’s playpen.

Soak the folded playpen into the mixture by submerging. It is advisable to do spot cleaning of stained areas before soaking. Also, ensure you do not to submerge the playpen mat to avoid ruining it, making it unsafe for the baby. Soak the playpen for one hour. Since the playmat is not submerged, ensure to flip it to the other side after 30 minutes.

Swish the playpen round in a bathtub to create agitation. Agitating the playpen will ensure water flushes through the fabric removing grime. Drain the water and check for stained places, then use a soft bruised brush and scrub it. After scrubbing, you can rinse the playpen with cold water. A simple way would be to use a detachable showerhead to rinse. If it is not possible, take it outside and use a hose. Lastly, towel dry to remove excess water and ensure the locks and hinges are as dry as possible before taking it outside to air dry.

Drying is the final step. It is important to dry your baby’s playpen outside on a clean surface with direct access to sunlight. If it is not possible, choose the best corner in your home with access to direct sunlight and set the playpen there. A clean playpen mat should be kept perfectly flat, or set two small stools and lay the playpen mat over it to ensure it does not warp as it dries and has air circulation.

Warning

Ensure to use a gentle detergent that will not affect your baby.

Check the weather forecast before deep cleaning to ensure your playpen gets enough time to dry completely.

Always check the locks and hinges to see if they function correctly after deep cleaning.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it doesn’t matter whether your baby’s playpen is brand new or is a used baby playpen, Spot cleaning is a must to ensure your baby’s playpen stays clean and fresh all the time. Also, when it gets more soiled or dirty, you can refer to how to clean a playpen step guide and get your playpen cleaned. Because you know to clean a playpen, you can invest in a high-quality and the best baby playpen if you want. This will serve you better and longer, and you can resell it later.