The methods we suggest on how to wash a stuffed toy are the most effective and used by moms. Whether it’s an old-fashioned grandma’s method, or a new one that’s just as effective in getting your plush clean and disinfected. You’ll not only be satisfied with your work, but also with the health of your children.
There are many questions we always ask ourselves when it comes to caring for our children’s toys: how do we clean them? How often should they be cleaned? What’s the best way to do it? All to keep them happy and happy. Especially when it comes to their cuddly toys, which are indispensable during the day, and inseparable from them at bedtime.
In this article, you’ll find the answers to all your questions, so you’ll no longer find cleaning your children’s favorite toys a chore. On the contrary, you’ll have fun doing this household chore that we’ve always thought of as difficult.
Which cleaning products are best suited to washing children’s stuffed toys?
When we wash our children’s clothes, we have to take into account the cleaning product we use. Well, it’s the same for their stuffed animal, since it’s a toy they carry around with them all day. They chew them, nibble them, caress them… So we need to use products that won’t have harmful effects on the health of our babies and children.
Best-suited products
It’s important to choose products that are suitable for hyper-sensitive, hypoallergenic and, of course, smell good. Here are a few natural and processed products that won’t harm your toddler’s health.
Coarse saltBaking sodaFarinaClayDrying liquidShampoo Neutral soap..
How do I wash a stuffed animal without damaging it?
It’s a question every parent asks. How to wash a plush toy without damaging it. First, read the toy’s label and follow the instructions. You’ll then be able to decide whether to wash it by hand or in the washing machine. You’ll also need to know how long it should be washed, and which products are best suited to the type of toy.
Once you’ve done all this, check a small section of the plush beforehand to see which product you intend to use. This way, you can be sure you won’t damage the toy.
Here are a few tips on how to care for your plush toys when washing them by hand:
Here are a few tips for caring for lint when washing by hand:
During the drying process, after disinfecting if necessary and washing, always shake the plush to make the surface and padding soft and supple, and to restore its original shape.
Use daylight, not sunlight, for drying. This is best suited to light-colored toys, so they’ll always look as good as new.
Use a hairbrush to brush the cuddly toy so that it regains a pleasant, soft, silky feel. The same can be done for plush toys.
What to check during washing
To avoid a disaster after washing and ending up with a clean, but damaged plush, you must take into account :
Make sure there are no accessories on the plush, such as clothes or small hand-held objects, which could rub off in the wash
Repair any tears, holes or loose seams that need mending. To prevent them from getting worse in the wash, put the plush in a net or pillowcase.
The weather: if you don’t have a dryer, the sun must be out. To make sure the plush dries as well and quickly as possible, so your child doesn’t get grumpy when he calls for his toy.
What are the most effective washing methods?
The cleaning method depends above all on the information printed on the toy. And once you’ve chosen the products that are best suited to your children’s stuffed toys and that pose no risk of use to them. It’s up to you to decide whether to machine-wash or hand-wash the toy.
Tips for hand-washers
This method is ideal for small, fresh stains, or for keeping the toy in good condition. It doesn’t need to be washed over a long period of time, nor does it require an uncomfortable separation for the child. Here are a few methods that don’t require much preparation and won’t cost a fortune.
The different hand-washing methods
Method for a comforter
Your child’s favorite, inseparable object. It needs to be cleaned with the utmost care. Here’s one way to wash your child’s comforter.
Put the dirty toy in a cotton bag.
Add an appropriate amount of coarse salt.
Close the bag and shake hard.
After a few minutes, the toy is clean and we can see the salt turning black.
It’s good to know that the use of salt, i.e. sodium chloride, helps to absorb dirt due to its strong disinfectant effect. It not only cleans the toy, but also effectively kills bacteria and viruses that could contaminate your children. Afterwards, you’ll have a clean plush toy that won’t harm your baby’s health.
Washing method for plush toys
Sprinkle the lint generously with terre de Sommières.
Leave overnight or for a few hours, depending on the size of the stain
Clean the lint with a washcloth moistened with soapy water.
Rinse with a damp glove.
Follow with a dry glove to dry.
Here, terre de Sommières is a powdered stone. It’s a 100% natural clay, harmless to humans and children.
How to clean a giant stuffed toy
Because of its size, washing a giant plush requires patience and energy. However, it’s not impossible to wash it by hand. All you need to do is :
Clean the giant plush by applying mashed potato pulp to the toy.
Leave to dry overnight.
The next morning, gently brush the big plush with a stiff bristle brush if it has bristles, otherwise just let it dry.
Baking soda method
Pour the baking soda and flour into the bag.
Put the lint in the bag.
Wait at least 5 hours before taking it out, then brush it.
Baking soda helps to fight small bugs and is a formidable ally in cleaning up our environment. What’s more, it’s often wiser not to kill off all the bacteria, as there are those that are useful.
A certain amount of care is always needed to ensure that your child’s cuddly toy is as it was before the great journey of cleaning. And that they’re soft and smell good for a new adventure with their owners.
Opt for machine washing
For even greater cleanliness and to take even better care of your children’s toy, you can first wash it by hand before putting it in the machine. That way, you can remove any stains yourself, and all that’s left is to put it in the machine for even greater cleanliness.
Even in the washing machine, you need to know a few things about cleaning:
Machine-wash plush
First of all, check the seams of your plush toy before putting it in the washing machine. It’s also a good idea to check whether the toy has any accessories, so as not to damage them.
Damage could be quite annoying for your child, and especially for the toy to be in good condition. If the stuffing ever leaks out of the teddy, then you need to be a good seamstress. Then you’re ready for the wash:
Put the plush in a pillowcase or laundry net. To avoid any inconvenience or mishap.
Add liquid wool detergent or a few drops of shampoo.
Add fabric softener.
Wrap the plush in the pillowcase and put it in the washing machine.
Choose a program suitable for delicate linens, i.e. 30°C and a light spin (400 to 500 rpm). This will depend on the toy’s label, but it’s better to wash it gently for a long time to avoid damaging the color and material. And keep the toy as it was.
Air-drying the toy outside on a towel is ideal. But you can also put it in the dryer, always long-lasting to keep the plush intact.
Use a clean hairbrush or nailbrush for furry stuffed animals, to give the fur some pep and volume.
How often does fur need washing?
Washing your plushie with the right method should be done on a regular basis. Especially if you want to keep your child healthy. After all, this stuffed toy can be dragged everywhere he goes, from daycare to the park, from the house to the street…
So it’s best to clean and disinfect every week if your child can’t part with it wherever he goes. Otherwise, for babies who are mostly in their cradle, in your arms or in the nursery, cleaning can be done 2 or 3 times a month.
For older children, washing their comforter may not be a regular thing, but when you or they think it’s time to wash them? That’s when you can start giving them the responsibility of taking care of their toy themselves, so they can make it part of their daily chores. In addition, you’ll have a break to relax, but this still requires supervision, as it’s never a good idea to leave children alone with cleaning products.
How to get your child to accept washing?
A cuddly toy or stuffed animal carries with it the smell of home, which your child takes with him wherever he goes. It reminds him of the smell of a familiar, secure environment. This toy is a fetish for your child, and he even considers it a friend rather than just a toy that can be ripped out of his hands. So what can we do to prevent screaming and tantrums when it’s time for your child’s toy to be washed? Don’t panic! Today, we’re giving you our top tips for washing your baby’s cuddly toy in complete peace of mind.
Putting the little ones’ minds at rest
The best option for a calm and tranquil wash is to buy a multi-piece plush toy. In this case, you can wash one plush while the other keeps your child company. This way, you can swap the clean plush with the dirty one. This not only soothes your child, but also reduces your cleaning frequency.
But if you haven’t thought of this idea from the start and it’s no longer possible to have other copies of the toy. You can also wash the comforter when your child is at nursery or school, if he doesn’t take it with him. However, this should be done weather permitting. If, when he returns, the toy isn’t where it should be, that’s another problem. But if everything goes according to plan, your child will have a clean, brand-new stuffed toy in his arms.
Other useful tips
Apart from these methods, you can also wash your favourite toy at night, when your child is asleep. In this case, be careful to take drying time into account. And make sure your child doesn’t wake up in the middle of the night asking for it, because then he’ll feel betrayed and lost by your action. It may be insignificant for you, but it can have an emotional and psychological impact on your child. But the best thing is always to talk to him and let him know that his cuddly toy also needs a shower.
One of the best ways to wash your child’s little companion is to invent the excuse of a group bath. This involves arranging with all the moms in the nursery to wash the comforters on the same day. So when your child doesn’t have his or her comforter with him or her, the other children won’t feel lonely either. This method will help your child to avoid becoming dependent on his stuffed toy. And you can use the excuse that his stuffed toy has gone off on an outing with all his friends.
How to convince older children to give their stuffed toys to the laundry?
It’s also possible to use the child’s bath time to wash the cuddly toy. We’ll simply explain that while he’s washing, his toy needs a shower too. But in this case, you’ll need to be with your child while he’s being cleaned, to reassure him even more that he’ll want you to wash his stuffed toy in the future.
Finally, if your child is already old enough to understand and is more conciliatory. You can explain to him in simple words that washing his stuffed toy helps to kill germs and limit the entry of disease into his body. You can explain it as a kind of precaution that he does himself when he takes a shower or goes to the doctor when he’s sick.
Conclusion on how to wash a plush toy
Children’s stuffed toys are real nests of germs, because they take them everywhere. Regular washing is therefore highly recommended. So we take care of our children, but also their friends. That’s why washing a stuffed animal is essential and necessary. Not just to keep it clean, but for health reasons (disinfection). So, thanks to these simple, time-saving and effective methods, you’ll find it easier to persuade your child. And it will also help you persuade your children to keep their stuffed toy, so that they don’t clamor to buy a new one. What’s more, when his is as good as new, he’ll appreciate it for longer. From now on, you’ll have no trouble giving your children the joy of seeing their cuddly toy clean and as good as new.
But if you decide to go to the cleaners anyway. Make sure the cleaner follows all the instructions on the label. If, unfortunately, the toy isn’t in the condition it was, make sure you’re compensated or offered the chance to replace the faulty one with a new one. If this is the case, you’ll need to make sure that your old plush isn’t a limited edition, as you’ll have more trouble finding a new one. There’s nothing more satisfying than being served by yourself, to avoid unpleasant surprises.