You Should Probably Throw Out Your Kid’s Rubber Duckies

Rubber Duckies may make bath time so much fun, but you should probably throw yours away.

Children all over still play with Rubber Duckies in the bath. These toys have certianly evolved throughout the years from a basic yellow duck to Rubber Duckies that look like different animals and characters. However, even though they have changed throughout the years, one thing they all have in common is that you should be throwing them out.

According to research from the University of Illinois and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, your child's Rubber Duckie is full of dangerous bacteria that can make them sick.

When the researchers cut open the Rubber Duckies, they found murky water filled with fungus and bacteria. This could lead to serious infections of the eye, ear, and intestines with children who especially like to squirt water in their face.

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Here's the crazy thing, it's not the tap water that causes the insides of these toys to become contaminated. In fact, it's cause by the child and the toys themselves. According to Daily Mail:

Tap water doesn't usually foster the growth of bacteria, the scientists said, but low-quality polymers in the plastic materials give them the nutrients they need. Bodily fluids - like urine and sweat - as well as contaminants and even soap in bathwater add microbes and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus and create balmy brine for bacteria.

While this test was ran on Rubber Duckies, one should assume that any rubber bath toy similar to these would have the same results. I know there are several rubber bath toys out there on the market now, so the likelihood that your child has one is pretty high.

It is advised that you throw out these toys on a regular basis and swap them out with new ones. Just stock up on several look-a-likes if your kid loves to play with them and would be devastated if you threw them out. You could also purchase rubber ducks that are made from higher-quality polymers. Either way, if your child has a lot of rubber toys for bath time, you might want to toss those out!