Your child’s favorite teddy bear, bunny, or polar bear could be harboring germs, dust, and allergens. If their stuffed toy isn’t regularly cleaned, it can spread bacteria around the house, especially after your child has been sick. We’ll teach you how to clean stuffed animals properly to keep them germ-free and safe for your little one.
How Often to Clean Stuffed Animals: Keep Your Child’s Toys Germ-Free
If your kids sleep with or carry stuffed animals a lot, clean them every week. If that’s too much, wash them at least once a month, especially if someone has allergies or asthma.
If you or your child have been sick or had lice, wash the stuffed animals immediately. Also, clean them if they look or smell dirty.
Considerations Before Cleaning Stuffed Animals: Safeguarding Delicate Plush Toys
Always check the stuffed animal’s label for care instructions. Some stuffed animals can’t be machine-washed, like those filled with plastic pellets instead of cotton batting. Also, watch out for batteries and electronic parts on stuffed animals.
If the toy is very old or falling apart, gently hand-wash it or do at-home dry cleaning. If it’s safe to machine-wash the toy, it’s the best option because it removes more germs and bacteria than hand washing.
Machine-Wash Guide: How to Clean Stuffed Animals Properly
Most stuffed toys can be washed in the machine. However, be cautious with those that have sequins, hats or delicate clothing (like thin fabric), buttons, plastic accessories, or glued-on eyes.
What You’ll Need
- Mesh laundry bag
- Mild laundry detergent
- Laundry sanitizer
- Towel
- Blow dryer (optional)
- Toothbrush (optional)
Spot-Clean Any Stains
Because kids love their stuffed animals, it’s easy for them to get dirty from food, dirt, and sticky things.
- Combine water and gentle laundry detergent in a big bowl or sink.
- Use an old toothbrush to carefully scrub the stain.
- Wipe off the soap by dabbing the spot with a damp towel.
Place in Laundry Bag
If the stuffed animal is small enough, put it in a mesh laundry bag for protection, then add it to the washing machine.
Wash on Delicate With a Laundry Sanitizer
Instead of using the sanitizing setting on your washing machine, you can super-sanitize on a delicate cycle. Just add a laundry sanitizer to your detergent and run the wash on the delicate cycle. This kills 99.9% of bacteria. This way, the stuffed animal will be bacteria-free quickly, and your child won’t have to wait long to get their teddy bear back.
Air Dry the Toy
To keep glued or plastic parts from melting, it’s better to let the stuffed animal air dry.
- First, squeeze out excess water and then dry the toy with a towel.
- Place it in a well-ventilated area to stop mold and mildew from growing.
- To dry it faster and get the toy back to your child sooner, use a hair dryer on a cool setting.
Hand Washing Guide: Best Practices for Cleaning Stuffed Animals
Hand washing won’t disinfect plush toys as effectively as a washing machine, but it’s the best option for delicate toys that might get damaged in the wash. Toys with batteries, music, or other electronic parts, as well as those filled with foam balls or plastic pellets (instead of stuffing), should be washed by hand or dry-cleaned.
What You’ll Need
- Large container or tub
- Mild laundry detergent
- Towels
- Blow dryer (optional)
Remove Any Batteries and Spot-Clean Stains
- Take out the batteries.
- Cover electrical parts with tape (electrical tape is ideal).
- Use a damp, soapy cloth to spot-clean stains and dirt on the toy. (Dish soap or laundry detergent will work.)
- Rinse the soap off with another cloth, making sure not to use too much water.
Soak and Clean
For plush toys without batteries, fill a basin, tub, or large container with cool water and a bit of mild detergent. Make sure there’s enough water to cover the toy. Soak the stuffed animal and move it around in the soapy water. Rinse off all the soap and squeeze out excess water.
Allow to Air Dry
- Use a clean towel to dry the stuffed animal.
- Put the toy in a well-ventilated spot to fully air dry. Make sure it’s completely dry before putting the batteries back in.
- To dry it faster, use a hair dryer on the cool setting.
Dry Cleaning Tips: Keep Your Child’s Stuffed Animals Fresh and Clean
For stuffed animals that can’t be washed, you can dry clean them with baking soda. It absorbs oils and odors from the plush toys, leaving them looking fresh.
What You’ll Need
- Plastic bag
- Baking soda
- Pillowcase
- Dryer
Place the Stuffed Animal in a Bag
Put your plush toy in a plastic bag. A zip-top bag works best, but if you don’t have one, you can use a recycled plastic shopping bag, just make sure it’s tied tightly.
Add Baking Soda
Sprinkle baking soda over the stuffed animal and seal the bag tightly. Shake the bag for 2-3 minutes to distribute the baking soda. Let it sit for about 30 minutes to remove odors and oils.
Tumble-Dry
Take the stuffed animal out of the plastic bag and shake off the extra baking soda. Put it inside a pillowcase, then place it in the dryer and use the tumble dry setting.
Long-Term Care: How to Keep Stuffed Animals Clean and Germ-Free
To keep stuffed animals clean and make them last longer, spot-clean any stains regularly so they don’t get too dirty. When storing them for a long time, wrap each one in tissue paper to protect them from dust and help them maintain their shape.
For quick cleaning between washes, try these methods:
- Disinfect in the freezer: If the stuffed animal can’t get wet, put it in a plastic bag and leave it in the freezer overnight. The cold will kill germs and bacteria.
- Vacuum the toy: Use a vacuum to remove dust. This doesn’t replace washing but can provide a quick clean between deeper cleanings.
- Steam clean: A handheld steam cleaner or garment steamer can kill bacteria and germs. Be careful with the heat, as too much might damage delicate plush toys.