NFRC: Washing stuffed animals

A

amanda_pennsylvania

Well-known member
My husband has an old Snoopy toy that he'd like to put in the nursery that we're (slowly) getting together for our baby. However, the toy REEKS to high heaven. It's just awful.

Does anyone has any experience with washing stuffed animals? This one is made from some sort of very smooth, shiny fabric--I've no idea what it is--perhaps some sort of rayon or nylon. I can't stand the smell to hold it long enough to take a close look at the fabric. (This alone tells me it's probably a lost cause. God knows what's lurking in its innards.)

I'm thinking sitting it outside in the sun for a month and then washing it might work. Any thoughts?

(When I was a kid, my mother tried to wash some of my stuffed animals in the washing machine. Suffice it to say, it ended badly. Think bits of fluff everywhere.)

 
I've washed well-made ones. The only thing I would suggest (from experience)

is to put some sort of waterproof bandage over the glass eyes. Otherwise the machine agitation will scratch the surface. Wash in gentle cycle, use Woolite, and don't let it spin too long.

As I said, I had to learn this from experience. Post-washing, Poor Benjamin the Bear now looks like he has cataracts.

(At this point in stuffed animal discussion, I will make a plea for those out there who love when Good Triumphs Over Evil to read one of my favorite-ist books: The Oddkins by Dean Koonz (see link). I know, I know...but this book is different from his usual. With all the crappy stuff out there, I can not, for the life of me, figure out why this book hasn't been made into an animated movie.)

http://www.amazon.com/Oddkins-Fable-Dean-R-Koontz/dp/044651490X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218464226&sr=1-1

 
Our dogs have lots of stuffed toys that need refreshing...

Use a lingerie bag and the gentle cycle of your washer. Probab;y works best to air dry than use dryer. This works well for us. Good luck!

 
Can you determine what the stuffing is made of?

If it's a foamy type stuffing - washing it might make it crumble to bits. If it's a batting type of stuffing it would be OK to wash.

If you have a favorite dry cleaner - you might want to ask their professional opinion on how to do it - they can assess the material and let you know what water would do to it.

Tess

 
I think I would soak it in a sink full of warm water and soap and some squirts of Febreze.

Make that many squirts of Febreze. Then swish it around and knead it a bit and rinse and squeeze out the water and blot in a towel and then let it sit out in the sun. that's what I would do. seems important to your DH to save this Snoopy for his little one.

 
Why don't you try taking it to the dry cleaners and see what they would suggest. Perhaps they can

clean it for you at a reasonable charge.

 
I'm not sure...can't get close enough to determine the stuffing.

Really, the smell of this thing would knock out an elephant! (Makes me wonder how it was stored to make it smell so bad...)

 
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