Caring for soft toys - washing and cleaning: how to wash soft toys in the right way
Soft toys can become dirty very quickly, because young children are inclined to suck and chew on them. As much as children love soft animals, they can get a bit carried away with their playtime antics- their favourite cuddly teddy bear may end up floating around in the murky pond in the garden.
So once you've retrieved these stray, roaming soft toys, what is the best way to wash them?
It all depends on the materials used to create the toys, but if you take a look at the label (if it has one), this should say whether or not it's machine washable.
Machine washable toys are certainly the easiest, but bear in mind that you should put the toy in a pillowcase first. This allows for slightly more gentle washing, and prevents lose bits like eye parts from clogging up your washing machine. Wash them on an average wash cycle (not too slow or quick) and 30 degrees should be an optimum temperature.
The soft toys may have become quite hard and tough after a while, so add some fabric softener too and the toys will come out softer and fluffier.
And to dry these toys once the wash has finished: pop in the tumble drier (unless the label says otherwise). If you can't put it in a tumble drier, simply leave in the sun to dry off, or an airing cupboard. Be sure to press into the toy to test whether there's any moisture left.
And finally, if the toy is too big to go in a washing machine, dust it with some baking soda. Once it has been left there for around 20 minutes, rub it vigorously with a towel. This takes away smells and removes surface dirt.
So once you've retrieved these stray, roaming soft toys, what is the best way to wash them?
It all depends on the materials used to create the toys, but if you take a look at the label (if it has one), this should say whether or not it's machine washable.
Machine washable toys are certainly the easiest, but bear in mind that you should put the toy in a pillowcase first. This allows for slightly more gentle washing, and prevents lose bits like eye parts from clogging up your washing machine. Wash them on an average wash cycle (not too slow or quick) and 30 degrees should be an optimum temperature.
The soft toys may have become quite hard and tough after a while, so add some fabric softener too and the toys will come out softer and fluffier.
And to dry these toys once the wash has finished: pop in the tumble drier (unless the label says otherwise). If you can't put it in a tumble drier, simply leave in the sun to dry off, or an airing cupboard. Be sure to press into the toy to test whether there's any moisture left.
And finally, if the toy is too big to go in a washing machine, dust it with some baking soda. Once it has been left there for around 20 minutes, rub it vigorously with a towel. This takes away smells and removes surface dirt.