Tutorial - How To Clean A Vintage Fisher Price 134 Activity Center

Maybe you've bought one online, or you're cleaning up an old family toy that's been sat in the loft for years. Over the years we've sold lots of these and the nostalgic feel of vintage Fisher Price toys seems to be more popular than ever right now. Before you throw away those toys that you thought were too dirty to be loved again, take a look at our tutorial to give it a thorough deep clean to safely pass it on to the next generation.

1. Before we start you'll need a mild detergent - washing up liquid is perfect. You'll also need a soft sponge, an old tooth brush and a screwdriver. Luckily most Fisher Price toys are put together with screws. The plastic may be brittle, so don't be too rough. Carefully remove all the screws and put to one side.

Whoops - have you had a disaster? Moldy decals or you've accidentally soaked one too much? Luckily replacements are available. Use the toy number (in this case 134) to order your replacements online.

2. Carefully take all the components out and put them to one side on a tray. Make sure not to lose any of the small pieces like the yellow piece that dings the bell or the small spike that clicks. 

In a bowl of warm soapy water wash each piece one at a time. You don't want to fully submerge anything especially the pieces with paper decals. Wash all the pieces using the soft sponge and toothbrush to get in all the corners. Don't scrub the paper decals or the clear plastic to avoid damage. If you do accidentally get water trapped in one of the toys, wrap it in kitchen roll and stand it upright in a radiator to dry out. Ideally leave everything to fully dry naturally to avoid putting anything back together damp and causing mold.

3. This is the main body of the toy and has no decals.You can safely submerge this piece and give it a good clean. You may need to change the water in your bowl to do this as this is the part that always seems to hold the most dirt. In this one we found old coins, crayons, stones and paper shreds pushed

 in!

4. Now to clean the front. This side has paper decals, so you don't want to keep this in water for any longer than you need to. You may need to use the cotton ear buds / q tips to get inside the edges of the dial. We used the toothbrush to get inside the run for the tortoise and the hare. It's best to now let everything you've cleaned air dry in the sunshine for a few hours...or, if you live here in the UK, leave it on the draining board to air dry :-)

5. Now that everything is bone dry, it's time to put all the pieces back together. Here is a picture of where they all go back in case you've forgotten :-) One thing worth noting is the mirror - flip it over so that the best side is showing. Check everything is in the right place before putting all the screws back in. Start with the screws in the corners first.

There you go - all fixed and back together! If you're giving the toy to a child we recommend using an anti bacterial spray on kitchen paper and giving it a wipe over. These principals can be used for most vintage Fisher Price. Just send us an email if you need any further help.

This one is fresh and clean ready for it's new owner :-)