How To Clean Your Plush Toys

Your Favorite Plush Toys - Why is it necessary to clean them more often than you think!

Designed to be hugged, cuddled, and adored, your favorite plush toys deserve to look and feel their best at all times. It is advised to regularly clean your favorite stuffed pal to retain the newness of your furry companion.

Why do your Plush Toys need Cleaning?

Your favorite plush buddy is more than a toy to you, you take it everywhere you go, out in a park, the best travel companion, or school company, they ultimately get dirty after a while. Therefore, it is essential to clean your toys after regular intervals, or else, different bacteria will stick to them over time, mites can form inside them, which is dangerous for the health of anyone playing with them. To avoid such dangers, cleaning plush toys is of utmost importance.

Remove stains & odors

The soft fabric of the toys easily accumulates dust, oily or greasy stains, and foul smells due to the aggressive and rough handling especially by children can result in dirt marks and unsightly stains. So, if you’ve ever had a really dirty stuffed animal in your house—one that has been vomited on, gone into the bathroom with your child, or been sent home from school—then you have probably also faced the challenge of how to clean and make them stains-free and fresh smelling all over again.

Impact On Your Health & Wellbeing

If left unchecked, the soft plush is an ideal bacteria-breeding space. Mould and bacteria that result in the illness, cough, and health risks for you and your family should be dealt with immediately before the situation gets worse. If you drag it into the mud or dirty places, which children usually do, it can get contaminated with the worst germ such as allergies and listeria, which can cause listeriosis in people with weakened immune systems. You need an effective, safe, and non-destructive option for cleaning dirt and debris off toys that come in frequent contact with young and sensitive kids.

Extend/Prolong the life of your favorite Plush toys!

If you still have your childhood stuffed toy and you want to spruce him up before passing him on to your child, you’ll need to know how to best clean an old soft toy. If you want to prolong the life of your favorite plush toy, you must keep it in optimum form and state to guarantee its longevity. Stuffed animals are for hugging, loving, and playing. Proper cleaning and care will greatly prolong the life of your precious antique favorite toy!

How often should you clean plush toys?

There are no specific instructions on how often you should clean soft toys. But as a general rule, you can easily tell when a "puff" needs cleaning. Are there stains on the toy? Is it dirty? Does it smell bad? If yes, it's time to clean. Experts advise soft plush toys should be cleaned every two weeks but cleaning the toys does not necessarily mean washing them every time.

Ways of Cleaning Your Plush Toys

There are different ways you can clean your favorite plush toys depending upon the condition of the fur and the safest cleaning method that prevents any damage to the delicate toy.

Follow this simple guide and keep those plush pals looking great!

Dry cleaning of plush toys

All stuffed toys pick up dirt and smell simply from being handled repeatedly. For a light cleaning, use baking soda to deodorize.

• Put the toy in a household garbage bag with a 1/2 cup of baking soda (you may need more or less depending on the toy’s size).
• Close the top of the bag as securely as possible and shake for about a minute so the baking soda gets all over the toy.
• Let the toy sit in the bag for 30 minutes and then remove it.
• Shake the toy and fluff with your hands to get out the baking soda.
• If needed, you can use a vacuum with the tube attachment to remove any excess baking soda.

Spot Cleaning of plush toys

For plush toys marked “surface wash only”, spot cleaning with a gentle cleanser is your best bet. Depending on the material and color, different cleansers may work better than others. We recommend baby shampoo, a mild detergent, or a homemade cleanser.

• Test the cleaner on a less visible part of the toy first to make sure it won’t discolor or damage the fur.
• Put a dab of the cleanser on a damp washcloth and gently rub the stain until it disappears.
• For tougher stains, use a toothbrush to scrub more deeply.
• Clean the cloth and wipe the stained area with water to remove the cleanser.
• Let the toy air dry and then fluff with your hands.

Hand Washing of Plush Toys

If you see a label marked “hand wash only”, you can dunk it in a sink or the bathtub to clean it.

• Fill the sink or bathtub with cold water.
• Dunk the toy under the water and squeeze it. If dirt comes out, you’re on the right track! Keep squeezing until the water coming out is clear.
• Dip an old toothbrush in liquid dish soap or laundry detergent and scrub out any stains or discolored areas on the toy.
• Submerge the toy and squeeze out the soap, continuing until the water coming out of the toy looks clear.
• Rinse and squeeze the toy under running water to remove any excess detergent.
• Hang up to air dry (we recommend outside or someplace where you don’t mind water dripping).
• If needed, fluff with hands to revive the plush.

Machine Washing

Many of today’s plush toys are sturdy enough to be put in the washing machine but never throw them in with the rest of your laundry!

• Put stuffed toys in an empty pillowcase and seal with clips or pins.
• Wash on a gentle, cold-water cycle.
• Hang up to air dry.
• Fluff lightly with hands (optional) to return the toy to its original plush look.

Final Thoughts

Your dearly beloved playmates get dirty and worn out which shortens their time spent with you by ending up in the dust bin. To prevent this from happening, taking care of your fluffy little friends is as important as playing with them. We hope that this precise guide has helped you in keeping your plush toys cute, cuddly, and happy for a long time!

Cheers!

~GB