Parents Are Finding Mold Inside This Popular Baby Toy
If you have an infant or toddler who enjoys teething on her Sophie the Giraffe rubber toy, the time to take it away from her is right now. That’s because a few moms have recently come forward to reveal that, upon closer inspection, their children’s beloved Sophie dolls were contaminated with mold on the inside, according to Good Housekeeping — which apparently is not giving this product its famous seal of approval.
One of these moms — Dana Chianese, a pediatric dentist and mom of two children under the age of three — was cleaning the toy when, much to her horror, she smelled something musty coming out of a hole in the hollow toy, says the publication. “I decided to cut into Sophie out of curiosity and discovered a science experiment living inside,” Chianese told the site. “Smelly, ugly mold living in my infant’s favorite chew toy!”
Chianese claims she had been cleaning the toy with hot, soapy water and a damp sponge — not submerging it in water — all according to the directions on the package. “It still hurts my heart to know that for months I allowed my babies to chew on moldy toys,” she told Good Housekeeping. “I no longer buy any chew toys with a hole or recommend any to my patients.”
Meanwhile, a customer on Amazon, Stephanie Oprea, echoed this terrifying tale, writing on the site almost a year ago, “Beware!! If you have a drooly baby, moisture will get in the hole and you’ll end up with mold!” And this summer, a member of the website What To Expect expressed her own concern in August. She cut off the rubber giraffe’s legs, thinking they were a choking hazard, and discovered mold inside.
On Monday, Laurie Schraenen, a spokesperson for Sophie the Giraffe toys released a statement to Good Housekeeping explaining that, because the toy is composed of rubber and is hollow, special care must be taken to make sure it doesn’t develop mold inside. Her statement read:
“First of all, it’s important to know that Sophie la Girafe [Sophie the Giraffe] is composed of 100% natural rubber, so the cleaning instructions have to be carefully respected. As indicated on the packaging and in an explanatory leaflet inside the packaging, we recommend to clean the surface of Sophie la Girafe with a damp cloth. It should not be immersed in the water nor rinsed off, to prevent water from getting inside, as she may become damaged. We thus would like to emphasize on the fact that is it important, while cleaning the product, that no water gets inside the whole [sic]. As of now, we have not been contacted by Mrs. Chianese nor Mrs. Opera [sic] and were not aware of the situation before reading your article. It is thus difficult for us to comment on the current situation, as we haven’t had the chance to examine the products. Please know that each complaint received is taken very seriously and that the return of the product is always asked for further examination. Furthermore, please know that the safety of children and satisfaction of their parents is our main priority. For the past 55 years, we have always strived to exceed security standards and all of our products comply with the most stringent global standards.”
True to Schraenen’s statement, care for the toy — which is phthalate-free and BPA-free — includes instructions on Amazon reading, “Do not sterilize. Wipe surface clean with soapy water and a damp cloth.” The manufacturer doesn’t address the issue of saliva getting into the hole, though, so buyer — and parents — beware.
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