Hygiene of Toys: Comparing Wooden and Plastic Toys

Wood or plastic, which material wins when it comes to hygiene in toys? Cleanliness and hygiene play a crucial role, especially in the children's room. Dangerous germs can quickly form on toys and pose a health risk to children. Therefore, it is worth paying close attention to choosing the right products when furnishing the room and selecting toys. This helps avoid major germ traps from the very beginning. But which material actually transfers fewer germs and bacteria? Is wood more hygienic than plastic?

Cleaning Toys

Hygiene in toys is an important topic for many parents. Whether wooden or plastic toys – small children put everything in their mouths. Therefore, every type of toy should be cleaned regularly to remove germs and bacteria and thoroughly free it from dirt. Comparing the different materials, there are only a few differences in cleaning. The surface of plastic toys can be easily rinsed with warm water and some detergent. When cleaning untreated wood, just make sure not to hold the toy under running water for too long, as it can swell quickly. For painted and treated wooden toys, the cleaning process is even easier. You can simply wash them with warm water and a mild detergent and then dry them thoroughly. Then they are ready for the next playtime. When it comes to hygiene in toys, thorough and sufficient cleaning is possible in both cases. Thus, both materials can be used in the children's room without concern. However, the cleaning result on plastic toys only lasts for a short time. The material often has small unevenness and cracks – an ideal habitat for germs and bacteria.

Hygiene in Toys: Properties of Wood and Plastic

Plastic toys do not have natural germ-reducing properties. Bacterial traces can be detected on plastic over a longer period. In contrast, wood contains a germicidal tannic acid that naturally has antibacterial effects. These properties make the raw material an optimal choice for manufacturing children's toys. Pine wood is considered a special bacteria killer, but larch and oak can also keep up. Additionally, wood has a cellular structure that deprives bacteria of their living conditions by binding moisture from the environment. This reduces the bacteria's chances of survival, causing them to die off gradually. When handled properly, the hygienic properties of wood improve even further.

Hygiene Contest: Wooden Toys vs. Plastic Toys

In a hygiene comparison between wooden and plastic toys, wood performs better in terms of the material's inherent hygienic properties. The antibacterial effect of the natural product cannot be matched by the artificially produced material. However, in terms of cleaning and practical handling, there is no major difference at first glance. Looking closer, wooden toys also convince here, as significantly fewer bacteria settle on their surface than on plastic toys. Thus, wooden toys come out as the winner. When buying toys, choosing products only from the European region ensures you can't go wrong with either material. According to the European Toy Safety Guidelines, children's toys must be designed to completely exclude risks of infection, illness, and contamination.

Howa Wooden Toys for More Hygiene in the Children's Room

The toys from howa are made from high-quality woods. Child safety and sustainability are top priorities in their production. This is how howa ensures more hygiene in toys.