You know those bath toys that suck in water and then squirt it back out through a little hole when you squeeze? Yeah, throw those away.
I had plenty of fun with those things as a kid, as did you, and I'm sure your kids enjoy them as well. But check out what this dad found inside one of his family's bath toys:
"Any toys that hold water, that squirt water, or otherwise do not dry completely in an hour or so - throw them out," he writes under his video. "Your kids chew on these, drink out of them, and otherwise trust that they are clean because they are in a soapy bath, after all. All of this mold came out of this toy AFTER some had already squirted out in the bath, again onto a bath towel, and then what you see here.
"If I cut it open I'm sure I would find more. There is no way for these squeeze toys to dry completely so they sit, with water in them, in dark moist places - and it is mold paradise. If you have any now, throw them out. If your kids insist on using them, throw them out after the first bath. They are cheap and there are better bath toys out there."
And this dad isn't the only one posting yucky videos. Plenty of parents have made the unsettling discovery and have chronicled their disgust on YouTube:
Now if you're inspired to go cut open your kids' bath toys, don't freak out too much if you do find mold. Yes, it's nasty, and yes, I'd probably throw them all out; but small amounts of mold (like what you might find in your toys) isn't terribly dangerous.
According to Care.com, " ... mold, while never welcome, is generally not dangerous, because your child's exposure to mold through product is at a relatively low level."
That said, exposure to more widespread mold can cause serious health issues, especially to those with weaker immune systems.
