Don’t you think stuffed toys are the cutest? They obviously are. Even Most of the kids are head over heels in love with them. However, sometimes washing them raises lots of questions in our minds.
Putting stuffed animals in the washer
You can obviously put stuffed animals in the washer but don’t forget to maintain some precautions before jumping in. For example, try wrapping them with laundry bags and using soft water are some of the primary practices you could apply to do this safely.
Having a washer to clean your child’s favorite stuffed animals is a real luxury. It is too tough to clean them by hand in a busy schedule. After working all day, who wants that?
Literally, none! Luckily, stuffed animals and toys are recently manufactured and textiled with meticulous care and attention. And this, in the end, makes them suitable for washing in the washer.
Though not all of them might be perfect for this, myriads of stuffed animals are lurking here and there who don’t care how you wash them. Please also note that when you choose washers over hands, being cautious is the key.
Follow this practical solution to help you out. Always use mesh laundry bags or zipper pillowcases, and wrap the toy with it to save it from terrific water slashes.
As you know, washers are tremendously moving, therefore, setting them to gentle water flow would actually prove beneficial for the toy itself. Plus, an accurate proportion of soap or detergent must be included.
Furthermore, there are often labels behind your soft toys that have the exact information about them. You should definitely read them before you come to any decision.
People often used washers in these cases as an easy solution. To save all the time and stress, everyone has no alternative than to agree with that. But about risk, it is highly doubtful.
Though people can clean your kid’s stuffed toys in the washer with protective measures, this might not help it last longer. Due to fast whirlpools, toys often seem to lose their glaze and beauty, and worst the fabric gets weak.
Again, some old toys can show the greatest adverse outcomes when used with washers. Therefore, using this method may not always sustain in the long run.
On the other hand, as tedious and exhausting hand washing sounds, the reality is upside down. Honestly, there are amazing benefits of washing them with your own hands.
For instance, you can wash it with care and would be precisely aware of how much cleaning it needs. Most importantly, it requires only 15 minutes of your day.
It sounds good. The fact should not affect your confidence, though. Nonetheless, if you remain too busy, why not try both? Do what suits you. It’s no big deal. In this way, hopefully, the stuffed animals will get longer life with your kiddo.
Is it safe?
It is totally safe to wash stuffed animals in the washer. But the main concern is you need to follow some safety measures to ensure that.
Washing them using an external cover, having a gentle setting in the washer, and maintaining proper care, can save you from future troubles. Simple maintenance can make it safer.
Although it sounds alluring, using washers frequently can be threatening. Sadly, after no time, you will see the blisters and tearing on your kid’s favorite toy.
Again, there are some electrical toys that are not safe with the wash machine. They need special attention and cleaning method to wash off the dirt and make them fabulous as before.
For this reason, a bit of hand wash or other methods are appreciated. Apart from that, as a toy grows older, it becomes unsuitable for the washers. It is that time you should move to different techniques to save it for longer.
But, for now, see the labels and take the required care. Some washing with a washer would do no harm. Instead, it will make it crystal clear and clean. By maintaining the guidelines, you can stay tension free.
Which stuffed animals can go in the washing machine?
The answer to this question really depends. And the best way to know this is to follow the cleaning labels attached to the stuffed toy.
The cleaning labels are the ultimate savior. They have the inside-out guidelines for treating it carefully and cleaning it. Reading them would help you to come up with the best way.
Other than this, there are pretty different ways to find out. The most common one is the fabric test.
As awkward as it sounds, it is really going to solve the deal. Use some mixed detergent water and rub a drop at the stuffed animals’ rear part.
If you see color, then congrats, you can use the washing machine. Otherwise, hand washing is the only way to go.
How do you wash a stuffed animal in the washer?
Washing a stuffed animal in the washer might be hectic work sometimes. You will be inclined to think that a comprehensive method would be best.
Yes, that is true dear. For this reason, here comes the detailed step-by-step guide to help you wash a stuffed animal in the washer.
Wrap with a laundry bag:
A laundry bag, typically a meshed one, is often recommended for extra protection. This saves your soft toys from tearing due to the rough rush of the water.
With the fast movements, many times parts of the toys get lost in the water. It ridiculously harms the washer too. However, a laundry bag would save you chunks of money for these times.
Soak with vinegar:
As everyone knows, vinegar is one of the most helpful bleaching components, using it will surely give you an upper hand. Additionally, this will also soften the fabric of the toy to make cleaning easier.
First, make a mixture of vinegar, water, and drops of lemon. Soak your stuffed animal in this magic recipe. You will instantly know the difference.
Keep the toy in the washer:
Now is the ideal time to keep the toy in the washer. Along with this, you can also use a mild detergent in the compartments.
Again, there are some of the detergents that perfectly made for these stuffed toys. Using them can be the best thing you could do.
If you don’t have any, a vinegar solution is enough to clean the toys. Don’t worry about that.
Set gentle cycle:
It is important not to forget the significance of this way. Your washing machine needs the gentlest water setting while washing soft toys. Any wrong composition can severely harm it.
Dry it properly:
When you’re done, and your stuffed animal is sparkling with clean soap, it is time to dry it. You can use a dryer or hang it outside in the sunlight to seal the deal.
Two other ways to clean stuffed animals
Besides using the washer, there are other essential and helpful ways to clean the stuffed animals. Using them might be a great idea if your toy is the delicate one. Some of the methods are:
Hand Washing:
For some fabrics, hand washing can be the ideal way. Often, this instruction is given in the tags. Following them would be adequate for you.
While hand washing, you also need to follow some general steps. One of the crucial things is adding gentle detergent to the water. Afterward, soak the toy in it.
Moreover, a vinegar mixture will also do the work. Just ensure the right proportion of vinegar and lemon drops to prevent discoloring. And you are ready to go.
Next, wash it. Use both of your hands to rub and brush the toy delicately. On top of it, don’t forget to use colder water.
Spot Cleaning:
Toys having batteries and electrical parts cannot be cleaned with water. It can be devastatingly harmful to them. Therefore, introduce yourself to the spot cleaning.
To do spot cleaning, you will need a whole white cloth. And of course, a soap solution.
For soap solution, pour one teaspoon of detergents and two cups of water. Mix it with the greatest care as it is the only solution for your troubles.
Now dip the white cloth into the solution and rub the strains or spots. Indeed, this is all that can transform the filthy stuffed animal into a brand new one.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it is important to maintain some precautions before putting stuffed animals in the washer. Wrapping them in laundry bags and using soft water will help keep them safe. Additionally, do not forget to take your time when cleaning them afterward!