Save the Ducks!

The situation with the tub toys has become critical. Some toys I can get rid of without notice, but the ducks ...the ducks... are a different matter entirely.

The toddler adores ducks. When she grows up her house will undoubtedly be full of everything flat-footed. We have five rubber duckies, gifts from friends. The oldest and best loved is a medium sized duckie with a green bib and a cheerful look to his eyes. A few months ago we also acquired a Mamma duck with three tiny little babies that ride on her back.

Each of them has an identity. The medium duck is always the toddler. The biggest duck is Daddy or Mommy, depending on the toddler's mood (i.e.: who said, "No," most recently.) The littlest ones are "baby duckies" (said whilst nodding vehemently) and get toted around the house like pets. None of the ducks lives in the bathroom. They live with the toddler, sleeping with her on occasion, banned from the dinner table, and constantly played with, loved on, and sought after. And always, always, always bathing with her.

The medium duck, though, is starting to show signs of maybe having mildew inside. This is incredibly bad. Imagine whatever tones of doom you care to at this point. It won't be foreboding enough. There is no way in the world one of these can disappear to that great trash can in the sky without the absence being noticed and greeted with never-ending hysteria.

So I started earnestly searching for anything that would save the ducks. It's amazing what a dearth of information there is out there on this subject. I did find two pages, though, that have tips on fighting off mildew and keeping tub toys sanitary. The advice boils down to this: wash them in the dishwasher every so often, and suck a mixture of one part 0.5% chlorine bleach to 15 parts water into their insides on a regular basis. (Rinse well afterward, of course.)

I found all this at Tub Toy Hygiene at Child.com and Children's Toys at HGTV. Have fun!