How to wash stuffed animals must be a hot question these days, as I’ve gotten several emails about it recently. So I thought a good how-to post was in order.
Unfortunately, our house was taken over by the stomach bug two weeks ago, and I got plenty of practice in washing these little babies.
There are many reasons you need to wash stuffed animals: the yuck stomach bug mentioned previously, they can be dusty from sitting on a shelf, a little too much love from the owner, lice or other varmints, or frequent washing for kiddos with allergies and asthma.
Stuffed animals are also like clothes – the less you wash them, the longer they will look new. After an animal has been washed that crisp, new look probably won’t be there. But at least they’ll look clean!
Stuffed animals cannot be washed if:
- They have a music box sewn inside
- They are extremely old and fragile
- They have items glued on – sequins, etc. Glued-on eyes probably will survive a washing.
- They have delicate ‘clothing’ items on that can’t be removed (think glittery, net-type dresses or delicate little crowns or the like)
- They have small foam balls inside (like Beanie Babies) not batting.
(See the comments section for how to clean Beanie Baby-like stuffed animals.)
Before washing a stuffed animal, examine it carefully. Are there parts that need to be removed first? Any strings that need to be secured?
Stuffed animals are similar to pillows in that they wash much better if laundered in a machine that does not have an agitator. If you have a top loader, you could always take a large load and wash them at the laundromat. Washing with an agitator tends to make the animal ball up due to the agitator displacing the batting.
After determining your stuffed animal can be washed, place it in a mesh laundry bag. The mesh bag gives it an extra level of protection from snagging or being pummeled too much in the machine.
Always wash stuffed animals on the gentle/delicate cycle. They just can’t tolerate a more aggressive washing that a ‘normal’ cycle would give. You can use a warm or cool wash but steer clear of hot. If items are glued on, the hot water might dissolve some of the glue.
After washing, remove from the bag and hang dry. I hang mine using a child’s clamp hanger or on my S-hooks. Dryer heat – even on low – could potentially melt glued on or plastic parts.
To Summarize:
- Make sure the stuffed animal can be washed.
- Place in a mesh bag.
- Wash on warm/cool water temperature on the delicate cycle.
- Hang dry. Don’t put in the dryer.
{ 54 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you so much! One of my daughter’s teddy bears was in her crib when her diaper leaked a few nights ago. It might have escaped damage, but I didn’t want to take the chance. Now I know exactly what to do to ensure that her precious teddy is clean and pee-free!
.-= Kristen´s last blog ..Getting a Jump Start on Christmas =-.
Twitter: MamaLaundry
March 18, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Oh I’m glad this was so timely for you! Pee-free is always nice.
Thanks for stopping by…
-Lauren
I’m so glad you posted this. This is likely to become a hot post. Knowing how to safely wash stuffed animals – so important when you have little ones.
Now I have a question – have you ever tried washing a beanie baby? Several years ago my DD decided to switch from the washable rabbit she had to a beanie baby as her sleeping companion. I am afraid to wash the thing. I’m thinking that the beanies would just rot or mold inside it. I have wondered if I put it in a mesh bag in the dryer on air with a few thick towels for padding if that might give it the air drying it needs without risking the thing falling apart. What do you think?
Twitter: MamaLaundry
March 18, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Hmmm… Very good question.
All Beanie Babies are surface clean only, as are lots of other stuffed animals that have the little round foam balls in them (not batting). The problem is that you can’t get those little balls soaking wet and then dry in a dryer (the dryer might melt them).
I would try washing it with a slightly soapy clean dishcloth:
- Run a sink of warm slightly soapy water.
- Put your dishcloth in and then wring mostly dry.
- Gently rub the outer surface of the Beanie Baby, especially on his dirtier spots.
- Towel Dry and then hang to dry if needed.
Now this will definitely take away the ‘new’ look of the Baby…but it will be a little cleaner. And smell nicer.
If its fur needs some fluffing, I think it would be safe to run through the dryer on the air cycle only. It’s the heat of the dryer that is the problem, so if it’s on cool air, it should be fine.
(I’ll go revise my post to include this – thanks for mentioning!)
-Lauren
Regarding beanie babies – we put them all in the washer/dryer about once a month – with ‘washable’ stuffed animals. They probably won’t last as long, and one ended up with a hole and the ‘beans’ were coming out (we patched it), but washing/drying hasn’t been a problem for us. Just fyi.
Twitter: MamaLaundry
March 20, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Steph – Great info to know about washing/drying the beanie babies! Thanks for letting us know your experience with it.
-Lauren
I was our beanie babies and dry them too, and so far we’ve had no problems.
This is good information to have – thanks!
.-= Kara´s last blog ..Small Steps, Big Changes: Developing a New Routine 15 Minutes at a Time =-.
Twitter: Alli_n_Son
March 21, 2010 at 9:57 am
Great article. I really needed this, my son has an Elmo that really needs to be washed (he’s getting a little stinky).
.-= Allison @ Alli ‘n Son´s last blog ..Is This the End or the Beginning? (SAHM Series) =-.
Twitter: MamaLaundry
March 21, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Glad it was helpful! Our Elmo is well-loved too.
Thanks for stopping by!
-Lauren
Twitter: angie76
March 21, 2010 at 11:45 pm
I once washed a Care Bear and it was fine. Then, I put it in the dryer. LOL I felted the hair on the top of its head by doing that. Oops!
.-= Angie @ Many Little Blessings´s last blog ..7 Quick Takes: March 19, 2010 (Vol. 34) =-.
We have a Curious George stuffed animal given by a now deceased minister. It has not been washed since it was given, and has accumulated years of dust and “love.” We don’t want to lose this beloved toy to the harsh conditions of a washing machine, though it is a bit too “loved” to be cleaned using just a brush, etc. Thanks so much for this tutorial. We feel much better now about safely washing this stuffed animal!
Twitter: MamaLaundry
July 5, 2010 at 10:20 pm
Oh I’m so glad it was helpful! Yes, I totally understand how devastating it would be to have such a loved ‘baby’ (as my 3-year-old calls them!) succumb to the harshness of a machine.
Hope George turns out well! Thanks for visiting Mama’s!
-Lauren
I just want to say, that for all of these manufactures that make stuff animals, why on earth would they even make them if they can’t be washed? By large most of these items are going to kids. And kids are not going to be so delicate with them and have them sitting in some dispaly case. A beloved stuffed animal with a lable Do not wash or submerge in water, is probably going to be dropped in mud. And many might be submerged with baby droll. And I would want to wash them after buying them anyway. God only knows what happened to the item BEFORE you bought it from the store. I buy a stuffed toy from a baby store and it reads ‘spot clean only’ HA! Who are they kidding? I have a Pooh with a jingle thing in it, he’s been in the wash twice so far. Just got an Eeore and he went in today for first time and he has the jingle thing in him too. I used one of those mesh bags. And fluff/air dry in dryer. I also have this white bear he use to like before Pooh. Just a reg bear no jiggles etc. But it seems the stuffing in his one arm has moved. His stuffing is moving around but Pooh took his place anyway. Lol. I think having the fluff dry in the dryer works well though. I had the white beart air dry the first time and that’s when my son lost interest in him and went for Pooh. I had white bear fluff dry in the dryer the second time and he looks like he did before. He’s getting some attention again but not like before. Lol. Just the stuffing problem now. . . Wish I was a sewer. . . Anyway, for me washing has been ok, but I am still a new mommie. Lol
Twitter: MamaLaundry
August 11, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Kimberly – Isn’t that the truth?! That is such a good point: If stuffed animals mostly go to children, why don’t they make them more washable?!
I totally agree – they should be more washer-friendly!
Thanks for stopping by
-Lauren
I am nana now, but I can remember washing stuffed toys years ago for my son and having “stuffing” problems. Now I have stuffed toys to clean and re-cycle for needy children. Wanted to make sure I did it right. I guess the toy manufacturers still have not learned-lol. Thanks for your help…
Linda
i have a bunch of build abear animals that have suet damage from a fireplace that smokes what can i do help i have atleast 40 of these at 45.00 apiece i cannot replace them
Twitter: MamaLaundry
February 13, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Michelle, there is a Smoke-Out type product available to professional laundromats. I’ll look and see if there is a public use version.
I’ll email you if/when I find it!
Sorry about your bears.
-Lauren
Do you think a pillowcase would substitute for the mesh bag? I’ve been around to a couple of pound stores and grocery’s but I can’t seem to find any. Thanks for the advice!
Twitter: MamaLaundry
May 5, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Sophia, I do think it would work but possibly not quite as well. The mesh bag has holes that are extremely porous, so it allows water/detergent to flow in and out easily.
I think the pillowcase would work, the stuffed animal just wouldn’t get as clean.
If you decide to try it, let me know how it works for you!
-Lauren
I got my mesh ‘lingerie’ bag at Target, near the ironing boards. It works well for baby socks too!
Twitter: MamaLaundry
May 13, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Love it for baby socks
Thanks for visiting Mama’s!
-Lauren
Thank you so much for this post, was very helpful when it came to cleaning some of my stuffed animals. Now I have a few questions that I didn’t see mentioned above, I own 2 stuffed animals that I am not quite sure I can throw in the washer or know how to clean. My first one is an old 80′s Bambi doll I bought at the thrift store a few years ago, I figured It wouldn’t be a good idea to wash it because its old (glued on felt eyes and nose) and has thick wiring on the inside to keep him standing up. Since I keep him on display in my room he collects a lot of dust and when I try to pat the dust off outside it seems like I cant fully get it off, any suggestions to properly give him a good clean?
My 2nd is a my little pony that appears to be able to be washed but has an all plastic head (except for its hair) is it safe to wash it? also, if I am able to wash it, how can I keep the hair from getting all knotted up and destroyed? (its like barbie hair)
Thanks ahead!
Twitter: MamaLaundry
May 30, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Christine, I probably wouldn’t wash those stuffed animals in the machine. I think due to their age and their make-up (glued eyes, etc), the washer would destroy them.
I think your best bet is to let them soak in a pan of detergent and water and then rub lightly with a toothbrush to clean them. Then rinse, rinse, rinse under cool water to get the detergent out. Gently scrub them with your hand while rinsing to get them clean.
For the My Little Pony…that’s a toughie. If you had wash her, I don’t think it will get the hair knotted up. If it DOES knot up the hair, put a pea size amount of hair conditioner on it and work the knots out. Then rinse a lot.
Definitely hang dry – don’t put them in the dryer!
-Lauren
For my little ponies detergent and a tooth brush, wash and dry hair like you would your own
Use cornmeal in a bag and put stuffed toy in bag and shake it around. The cornmeal can be vacuumed off. This works for very old fragile items.I’ve always washed stuffed newer toys in washer and then line dry them in sun.
Twitter: MamaLaundry
June 8, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Theresa, I’ve never heard the cornmeal trick. I’ll have to try that on some very delicate stuffed animals we have. Thanks for the suggestion!
-Lauren
i Have Disney Bolt i was woundering if i canw ash him
Twitter: MamaLaundry
June 20, 2011 at 6:15 pm
Jennifer – I’m not familiar with Bolt, but looked it up online. I’m not sure what the little tag on the collar is made from. If it is metal, I would say handwash only. The tag wouldn’t do well in the washer if it’s metal.
For washing a stuffed animal, would 12 years old be too old? My daughter has a stuffed rabbit that she has had since she was two. She is now fourteen and it is getting dusty up on that closet shelf. Would it be possible for me to wash it like you have previously stated?
Twitter: MamaLaundry
June 20, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Hey Samantha -
It’s not so much the age, but how delicate the stuffed animal is. If it is a pretty sturdy toy, you can probably put it in the washing machine like the post suggests. If you have any doubts at all about how fragile or delicate it is, I would handwash it just to be on the safe side!
-Lauren
If air drying, won’t they develop mildew?
Twitter: MamaLaundry
September 10, 2011 at 9:25 am
They don’t develop mildew if dried in a quick amount of time, say less than 24 hours.
They would only develop mildew if you let them dry in a really humid/wet bathroom or other damp area.
Hi!
I have an old Elmo doll that I’ve had since the early 1990s that I now will bequeath to my son. The body is fine; it’s actually the white golf ball-sized plastic eyes that are yellowed like crazy. Any tips on cleaning these without messing with the animal body?
Twitter: MamaLaundry
September 10, 2011 at 9:23 am
Sara, I honestly don’t know of any way to clean them. Since it is the actual plastic that is discolored, it’s a little out of my area of expertise. I’m sorry.
If you find a method to clean them, please come back and let me know the secret!
I want to clean my sons Carter stuffed dog with a pull string (in the tail) music box.
Please help my 18 month old loves to put the ears nose and paws in his mouth. Now Dog is beginning to smell like a puppy dog.
Twitter: MamaLaundry
September 10, 2011 at 9:20 am
Wendy, Try washing it by hand. I wouldn’t put a stuffed animal with a music box in the washer. While it probably wouldn’t harm the outside of the animal, it would probably permanently ruin the music box.
Here are instructions for washing a stuffed animal by hand.
dose it matter the soap you use
Twitter: MamaLaundry
September 17, 2011 at 9:54 pm
No, I don’t think the type of detergent you use will matter.
Thanks for this! I’m definitely not the type of person you probably wrote this for, but it will be very helpful for me. I have a stuffed penguin that my boyfriend gave me 5 1/2 years ago when we started dating. He’s been well loved and is VERY dirty, but I’ve been terrified to wash him because I don’t want him to fall apart or anything, so all he’s gotten is a little surface cleaning using a cleaner I got from Build-a-Bear. With 5 years of grime, a surface cleaning is definitely not enough!
Twitter: MamaLaundry
October 16, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Oh you ARE the type of person I write for: anyone that is looking for laundry help. I hope it cleans up well for you!
-Lauren
Hi we have a stuffed bear that we cleaned. Every time it is dry it has a slight sticky feeling. I know its not residue from our cleaning because we have flushed it with clear wafer. Any suggestions? The manufacturer is fiesta toys.
Twitter: MamaLaundry
October 16, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Matt,
My guess is it is the synthetic nature of the stuffed animal’s fibers that causes the sticky feeling. I know exactly the type of animal & stickiness you are referring to. Some manufactured fibers just don’t agree with water, and this is just one of those cases.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any cleaning products that work well with this type of material to my knowledge. I’m sorry -
-Lauren
Thanks so for this! I’m was looking on how to wash multiple items since my son has a stomach flu and well..you know. I agree with many comments on why make childrens toys that can’t be washed. I have one where the tag says do not wash, do not dry, do not iron. etc. Seriously why is this for a child if it can’t be washed.
I was wondering, my dryer has an air fluff setting, and my daughter got a German cartoon character stuffed animal that smells like cigarette smoke, would I be able to put a dryer sheet in the dryer on air fluff?
-Jo
Twitter: MamaLaundry
December 7, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Jo Ann, I think you could safely do that. If the weather is still nice in your area, I would also try letting it hang on a clothesline for awhile. Fresh air seems to really help smells. It would be worth a try if the air fluff/dryer sheet didn’t do the trick.
Thank you for your post, great information. I actually have lots of stuffed animals that have never been washed before. Unfortunately, I don’t have a mesh bag that will fit them all. Can I just put them straight in the washer and have them all washed up in one cycle?
Twitter: MamaLaundry
December 27, 2011 at 9:42 am
Wafaa, I think it depends on how durable and sturdy the stuffed animals are. If they don’t have lots of sequins and loose-type material, you would probably have success with washing them without a mesh bag.
To be on the safe side, I would definitely put them in something. You could use a pillow case and just tie it at the top with a shoe string if you don’t have access to a mesh bag. It won’t get them as clean since a pillow case has tighter woven fabric than the mesh bag, but it might do the trick.
Mesh bags are easy to find – Walmart, Target, Amazon. And they’re pretty cheap.
I highly recommend them.
Not realizing it was “surface wash only” bean bag stuffed animal, I put my child’s Littlest Pet Shop pengiun in the washer and then threw it in the dryer on high. Came out great but now I’m wondering if there is any possibility of the inside contents getting moldy if the center didn’t dry completely. Anyone have any experience with this? Hoping not to have to cut it open to remove the “beans” but rather be safe than sorry.
Twitter: MamaLaundry
December 31, 2011 at 11:39 am
C, I can’t speak from experience here as I haven’t washed that exact stuffed animal. But my guess is that the little beans are totally dry. If you put in the dryer on high, I’d be really surprised if it didn’t completely dry them. A dryer on ‘high’ is really hot heat.
Glad it turned out so well
Thanks!
We recently discovered some white mold growing on the rafters of our attic where we have stored some of our childrens stuffed animals in plastic bags. Most of them we are getting rid of either because the kids don’t want them anymore or we noticed some spots on them. They want to save some and I don’t see any mold on these ,but my daughter and I have allergies to mold ( which explaines the sinus infection I’m currently fighting with antibiotics! ) Is there a course to take besides your suggested washing instructions to insure that they will be mold free when I clean them ?
Thanks for any advise !
Twitter: MamaLaundry
January 11, 2012 at 10:28 pm
Kerri, if I thought the stuffed animals were moldy at all, I’d scrub them with Tide and a toothbrush. You want to make sure that all of the fibers of the outside of the animal have been scrubbed to remove the mold.
So soak and then scrub, rinse well and hang to dry.
Sorry for all of the mold trouble. That’s the pits.
Such an informative article, and the photos are definitely a great addition, as well! Thank you so much!
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