If your child has a favorite stuffed animal that goes everywhere with him, it might be time to give it a good scrub. Over time, these furry companions can pick up dust, pollen, dirt, and a range of allergens – meaning beloved toys can spread bacteria and germs. Some stuffed toys can be easily thrown into the washing machine, while others should be carefully washed by hand.
Discover the best way to clean stuffed animals safely and effectively. We’ll share the best tips for hand-washing stuffed animals in the washing machine to remove stains and keep your child’s favorite cute friends fresh and sterile.
How often should you clean your stuffed animal?
If a stuffed animal is your child’s permanent companion and they often carry it around or sleep with it, it’s best to clean the toy once a week – especially if someone in your household has asthma or allergies. If the stuffed animal is light to play with, wash it once a month (or as soon as you find it dirty or smelly). If your child is sick, disinfect and clean the stuffed animal as soon as your child is well.
Check the label on the stuffed animal for cleaning and care instructions. Some stuffed animals are not machine washable, especially those that are filled with plastic pellets, like beanbags, rather than cotton wool. These need to be washed by hand. Also, before you wet the stuffed animal, check to see if it has batteries or electronic parts; If you dip it in water, its moving parts may short circuit.
If a toy is fragile or old, a careful hand wash is the best method so that it does not get damaged or ruined. Stuffed animals with buttons, clothes, or sequins may also need to be washed.
Never store stuffed animals with batteries or electronics, and never put them in the dryer.
How to clean a stuffed animal in a washing machine
Fortunately, most stuffed animals are meant to be thrown in the washing machine so they can be easily sterilized and cleaned.
Spot-Clean stains
Use laundry detergent to pre-treat the dirt, food, and goo that children will inevitably get on their stuffed animals. Put stain remover on the toy stain and gently scrub it with an old toothbrush until the stain is gone.
If the toy is small or fragile, keep it in a laundry bag to keep it safe. Put the larger toys directly into the drum. Resist the temptation to use the washing machine’s sanitary Settings every time you clean your child’s toy, as you may damage it as well as destroy bacteria. The hygiene cycle is long, using extra hot water and intense cleaning motions that can leave a stuffed animal smashed to pieces after months of regular cleaning.
Instead, sterilize the toy in a delicate cycle. To do this, add some laundry disinfectants, such as Clorox Fabric Disinfectant or OxiClean laundry and household disinfectants, which kill bacteria while being gentle on toys. Cleaner will get the job done instead of washing machines and heat, so toys will last longer. In addition, this delicate cycle is much shorter, so your child will be reunited with their beloved toy much sooner.
Dry toy
Most stuffed animals can be dried over low or medium heat, but double check the care label before throwing it in the dryer. If there are plastic parts or glitter stuck on the stuffed animal, it is best to air dry. They may melt or fall off in the heat of the dryer.
Laundry signs and their meanings
How to hand wash a stuffed animal
Hand-washed toys are not as disinfecting as washing them in a washing machine, but if the stuffed animal is too fragile to be washed through a washing machine, hand-washing may be your only option. Stuffed animals filled with batteries or other electronic parts, as well as stuffed animals filled with foam balls or plastic pellets, such as fudge, need to be washed by hand. To wash by hand, soak the toy in water containing mild liquid laundry soap.
Soak and scrub toys
Fill a sink or bowl with warm water within reach and add a few drops of mild laundry soap. Dip the stuffed animal in water and spin it a few times to loosen the dirt and help its fabric absorb some of the moisture. Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub any stained or hard areas.
Rinse and dry thoroughly
Rinse the toy with water to remove the soap residue. Gently pat or wring out excess water with a towel. Air dry or put the toy in a laundry bag and dry on low temperature. To speed up air drying, take a hair dryer, set it to low or medium heat, and aim it at the wet parts of the stuffed animal.