A microbiologist has issued an urgent warning about the dangers of bath toys after he discovered the filthy grime and bacteria build-up inside a rubber duck.
Melbourne doctor Cameron Jones said the bath toys pose a risk to health after he cut open a duck in a laboratory test to find the hidden fungi, yeasts and bacteria.
Squirting the murky water that builds up inside these toys could lead to eye, ear and skin infections, allergies, vomiting, diarrhea and other serious conditions.
Mum warns of dangers lurking within bath toys
‘Bath time wouldn’t be the same without a rubber duck. For children, the main attraction of a scrub in the tub is the chance to play with rubber or plastic bath toys, watching them bob amongst the bubbles and submerge amongst the suds,’ he said.
‘But beneath the cheery exterior of bright wide eyes and chirpy beak exists a hidden danger – one that could make you or your children very unwell.’
To create a safer bath time for kids, he suggested disinfecting and plugging up open holes with a glue gun to prevent moisture from getting inside the toy.
‘It is still worth being vigilant, and maintaining a routine of drying the toys after use, boiling them, and then using a disinfectant product on them will help to ensure they stay clean and safe,’ Dr Jones said.
One mum discovered this the hard way after her toddler squirted water in his eye from a bath toy and nearly lost his eye sight. Read her story here.