CHESAPEAKE, Va. — When Chesapeake mom Jahnvi Thakkar cut open her son's bath toys, she found something alarming — mold growing inside.
"There's mold inside. Crazy. So, [I] cut open another one," Thakkar said. "There's mold!"
Thakkar said she was surprised by what she found in toys designed for children.
"I was shocked because this is what's made for kids, right? This is what kids are supposed to play with in the bath in the bath time," Thakkar said.
Bath toys with holes can trap water inside, creating conditions where mold and bacteria can grow, according to experts.
A 2018 peer-reviewed study, “Ugly ducklings—the dark side of plastic materials in contact with potable water” cut open 19 used bath toys from real homes. According to the results, every one had bacterial biofilm, and about 7 in 10 had black mold-like discoloration. The study did not conclude these toys made kids sick, but it shows the problem is widespread.
"Sometimes you don't really know that this can happen until you yourself experience it," Thakkar said.
Family physician Dr. Elizabeth Robledo with Bon Secours says mold can grow faster than many parents might expect.
"Pretty quickly, within weeks, I would say," Robledo said.
When shown pictures and videos of the toys, Robledo had a clear reaction. "There is so much amount of mold in that toy. There's so much," Robledo said.
For parents concerned about health risks, Robledo offered some reassurance.
"I want to remind parents that even small amounts in typically healthy children do not cause any symptoms at all," Robledo said.
She said children with allergies may be more sensitive, but it depends on the amount of mold exposure, the type of mold and the child’s immune system.
Oriene Shin with Consumer Reports tracks children's product safety and says this is a long-standing issue.
"The mold and squirt toys are something that consumers have been dealing with for decades," Shin said.
While Consumer Reports has not specifically tested these toys, Shin says some manufacturers are making changes.
"There are some manufacturers that are trying to solve the problem. We see other bath toys coming on the market, like stacking cups," Shin said.
Shin recommends replacing squirt toys every 3 to 6 months.
Thakkar says she is switching to pool toys and wants other parents to give themselves grace.
"If you do end up buying the rubber ducky toys, don't panic, don't freak out. It happens," Thakkar said.
Robledo says the issue is something parents can stay ahead of.
"Sanitize it with soapy water, allowing it to soak in a solution of 50% hot water, 50% distilled white vinegar for at least an hour," Robledo said.
"Remind yourself that this is an easy thing to fix. It's preventable," Robledo said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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