How to Wash a Stuffed Animal

Children of all ages love stuffed animals, so you need to know how to wash stuffed animals properly. Always read the label attached to the product so as not to damage or drop the stuffed animal parts. Use soap that is safe for the material of the toy and for your health. Be sure to dry the stuffed animal both inside and out to prevent mildew.

Table of Contents

Use a washing machine

Make sure your stuffed animal is machine washable. Read the labels on stuffed animals to make sure they are machine washable. You won’t be able to wash a stuffed animal if:

Your stuffed animal has a music box inside.
It is very old, the hair is flaky or the limbs are loose, or it is easy to break when handled.
There are glue attachments such as eyes, hands, feet, ears, made of plastic or sequins.
The stuffed animal wears delicate clothing that is sewn onto the animal and cannot be removed, such as a sparkly skirt or fragile crown.
The animal is stuffed with small foam beads inside instead of cotton.

Look carefully at the beast. Do you need to remove any parts? Are there any loose wires that need attention? Make sure you don’t damage the stuffed animal or the washing machine. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Find out what type of washing machine you have. Washing stuffed animals in a washing machine without a spinner is best. Spindle washers often cause stuffed animals to round because the spindle moves the stuffed stuffed animal inside. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Instead of using a top-loading washing machine, you can take a lot of clothes to the laundromat to wash along with the stuffed animal.

Put the stuffed animal in a mesh bag. You can buy mesh laundry bags at department stores, supermarkets or laundromats. It will protect the stuffed animal when the washing machine kneads. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Use a gentle wash cycle. Even a regular wash cycle can be too strong for stuffed animals, so always wash on a gentle setting to be on the safe side. Use warm or cool water. Avoid hot water, as it can dissolve the glue causing the stuffed animal parts to fall off. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Washed by hand

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Read product labels. Your stuffed animal may be labeled “hand wash only” or “mild cycle”. Your toy may be too fragile, so it’s best to hand wash it without damage. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Don’t just clean each area if the stain gets below the surface of the stuffed animal. Germs and odors will remain if the dirt soaks into the stuffed interior. For example, if a baby is learning to take off a diaper and pee on a stuffed animal, the inside of the animal will still be wet even though the outside stains have been cleaned.

Fill the sink with cold water and add a cup of mild soap. Cover the sink to store water, or pour cold water and soap into a large container such as a bucket or basin. Be sure to read the label to see if the soap is best suited for the stuffed animal’s material. Strong soaps may discolor or damage the toy. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Don’t use too much soap, or you’ll have a hard time rinsing it off.

Dip the stuffed animal in the water. Submerge the stuffed animal in the water so that the soapy water penetrates the inside and cleans the dirt. Gently clean the stuffed animal when immersed in water. Gently rub and remove dirt or stains with your hands. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Rinse off the soap. Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap. Squeeze the water out as much as possible. Do not shake or twist the beast. Cover the stuffed animal with an old towel and squeeze the water out. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

You can gently squeeze the stuffed animal depending on its condition. Old animals can easily fall apart if you handle them wrong.

Hong dry. Make cotton and fix the shape of the toy and let it dry. Do not place stuffed animals near heat sources or in direct sunlight to prevent discoloration or deformation. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Clean the surface stains on the stuffed animal. If the toy is only slightly soiled on the surface or the label says “surface only”, choose a gentle cleaning product. You can use foam upholstery soap to clean stains. Read the ingredients on the product carefully to make sure that there are no harsh chemicals that can be harmful to children. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Babies can put toys in their mouths, so you need to make sure the detergent is safe. There are many products that are advertised as specifically designed to wash stuffed animals. Find products that are safe and effective for you. You can also use unscented baby soap and a damp rag to clean the stain.

Use garbage bags and baking soda. If your stuffed animal is medium-sized, put it in a large garbage bag along with ½ cup of baking soda. You can add more baking soda if the animal is quite large. Tie the bag tightly and shake vigorously. Keeping the bag sealed, leave the stuffed animal inside for about 15-20 minutes, then open the bag and shake off the baking soda. ^{[11] X Research Source}

You can use a vacuum cleaner if you feel the animal will not be damaged. Do not shake the bag too vigorously if you feel the animal may come loose.

Drying the stuffed animal

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Use a clothesline. The more wet the toy, the longer it will take to dry. You should try to remove the water before drying the stuffed animal on the clothesline. If it’s sunny, use tongs to hang the stuffed animal on the line to dry.

Sunlight is a natural stain remover and disinfectant. Spot cleaning won’t require a lot of water, so you probably don’t need to hang up a stuffed animal that’s just being cleaned one at a time.

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Air dry the stuffed animal. Air dry the toy if the weather is not favorable. You just need to keep the animal in a safe place, out of reach of children and pets. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Use a dryer. If the label on the stuffed animal says “dryer free,” put the animal in the dryer and run it on low heat or anti-wrinkle mode. You can also use a hair dryer on a low or cool setting. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Although the heat will dry it quickly, it can damage the stuffed animal or cause its fur to become sticky. It is recommended that you use the air drying setting for fur maintenance if the dryer has this mode.

Advice

After spraying your stuffed animal with any product, be sure to let it dry completely before playing.
If you like, you can spray lotion after you spray the cleaner.
Even if it’s labeled “surface wash only,” stuffed animals can still be machine washed.
Wrap the stuffed animal in a bed sheet before putting it in the washing machine to prevent parts of the toy from getting stuck in the machine.

Warning

Do not rub too hard on the surface of the stuffed animal.
Do not put stuffed animals in the washing machine unless the label says “machine washable”. Most labels on stuffed animals say “surface wash only”.

Steps

Use a washing machine

Washed by hand

Drying the stuffed animal

Advice

Warning

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