Rubber duckies are duck shaped toys, yellow in colour and have a flat base for it to float on water. And, it is also every child’s dream to have one, BUT! A study has found that the murky water released by your child’s rubber ducky contains potentially pathogenic bacteria that can cause eye, ear and stomach infections.
What bacteria are found in the ducks?
The American and Swiss researchers also found that rubber ducks are a breeding grounds for microbes. The toys contained between 5 to 75 million bacteria cells per square centimetre. There is also 60 per cent of fungi species in each of the toys.
The murky water released by the toys were tested, and four out five of them has the bacterium called Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both of which are often implicated in hospital-acquired infections.
Children’s immune system
It is still unclear whether the bacteria and fungi found in the ducks are harmful to children. However, many researchers think that the exposure of bacteria and other microbes helps build a healthy immune system in children. But also, children with a less developed immune system are vulnerable to certain bacterial infections.
Researchers also suggested that the prevention of bacterial can be made if the rubber ducks are made from a higher quality polymer.
The toys aren’t the only household item found to be a haven of breeding ground for bacteria, but, kitchen sponges are also one. They are known as a hotbed for germs. There are more than 350 different species of bacteria found in a sponge. The bacterias can also be found in human stool samples.
Ways to clean bath toys
There are ways of cleaning your child’s bath toys. You can boil the toys or by removing the water in them after each use.
Another way to prevent bacteria from growing inside of your child’s rubber ducky is just to close up the hole, but where is the fun in that?
How to avoid mouldy rubber ducks?
Like I said earlier, where is the fun if you close the hole of your child’s rubber duck? But that’s the best way to avoid mouldy ducks.
Glue gun the holes on the bottom of your child’s rubber duck and other bath toys shut.
Another way is to squeeze it to suck up distilled vinegar and leave it overnight. Repeat the process.
So parents, your child’s rubber ducky isn’t any near to clean. All this talk of bacteria and infections is definitely scary. But, we’re always exposed to microbes and bacteria, so a little won’t harm anyone.
Parents let us know what you think about this article or share your story below. To find more parenting advice, and products head over to Motherhood.com.my.