Health and Nutrition

How to Keep Your Baby Clean and Protected From Germs

The Truth About Germs and Your Baby

When it comes to dropped pacifiers or food, forget the five-minute rule: any transfer of germs, dirt or what-have-you happens on contact. Whether you should worry depends on where it's dropped. The reality is that germs are everywhere. If someone with a cold sneezes or coughs, the germs can land on surfaces and spread to baby's nose, mouth or eyes by touch.

How to Protect Your Baby From Infection

Washing your own hands often.
Keeping shared toys and surfaces clean with a ten percent water-and-bleach solution or other disinfectant.
Using sanitizing wipes or changing pads on public surfaces – for instance, on shopping-cart handles and public changing tables.

Cleaning Dropped Pacifiers and Food

At home, a quick rinse of the food or binky to wash off lint and germs is probably all you need. But if a pacifier falls on the floor of a rest-stop bathroom, take it out of circulation until you can fully sanitize it by boiling it for 15 minutes.

Don't sweat the dog slobber: your baby can't catch parasites from dog toys or a quick lick on the cheek or high chair tray. If you let your dog clean the high chair or dishes after a meal, it doesn't hurt to rinse the baby's tray and dishes thoroughly in warm, soapy water or in the dishwasher.

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Kimberly-Clark MY makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information. This information should be used only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical or other health professional advice.

FAQs on The Real Dirt on Baby Clean

Wash your own hands often, keep shared toys and surfaces clean with a ten percent water-and-bleach solution or other disinfectant, and use sanitizing wipes or changing pads on public surfaces such as shopping-cart handles and public changing tables.

No, forget the five-minute rule because any transfer of germs or dirt happens on contact. Whether you should worry depends on where it's dropped.

At home, a quick rinse to wash off lint and germs is probably all you need. But if it falls on the floor of a rest-stop bathroom, take it out of circulation until you can fully sanitize it by boiling it for 15 minutes.

No, your baby can't catch parasites from dog toys or a quick lick on the cheek or high chair tray. If you let your dog clean the high chair, it doesn't hurt to rinse the baby's tray and dishes in warm, soapy water or the dishwasher.