How to wash soft children's toys properly: they will look like new

Children take soft toys everywhere: outside for a walk, to school, to bed. Accordingly, they get dirty quite quickly. This includes dust, skin secretions, and germs that multiply intensively in such an environment. These germs can be harmful, causing skin or respiratory tract irritation. That's why teddy bears, bunnies, and giraffes need to be cleaned regularly.

However, you can't solve the problem as easily as with plastic or rubber toys. Therefore, OBOZ.UA has collected tips on how to wash soft toys by hand and in the machine.

How often should you wash soft toys

There can be no strict recommendations here because it all depends on how intensively the child uses their bear, rabbit or goose. However, hygiene experts recommend that the toys a child sleeps with should be washed about once a week, and the rest once a month. This rule is especially important for children with allergies or asthma. In addition, you should always clean these items after a child is sick.

What products to choose

It is best to wash your child's toys with a mild hypoallergenic detergent. Even if some part of it is not rinsed out, it should not harm the child. Detergents for children's clothes are also suitable.

A good solution is to have a handheld vacuum cleaner with a soft brush or use an ordinary one with a nozzle for upholstered furniture, which has been properly washed under running water.

How to wash toys in the washing machine

First of all, look at the toy. If it is heavily worn or has glued parts, such as eyes or glitter, it is better to take care of it by hand. In addition, pay attention to the label as it will also contain useful cleaning tips.

The washing program for toys should be delicate and the water temperature should be low. The object itself should be wrapped in a special mesh bag or pillowcase. In this case, it will be good to fix it to the toy with a hair elastic band. Most machine washable teddy bears can also be dried in the machine. In this case, set the program to a low temperature.

How to care for soft toys by hand

The best method for hand washing toys is to soak them. Start by diluting a small amount of detergent in a bowl of water, dampening a cotton pad with the solution and cleaning the eyes, nose and other hard parts of the toy.

Next, pour warm (not hot) water into a large enough bowl, add a little soap to it, and immerse the toy. Squeeze it a few times so that the water passes through the filler and pushes out the dirt, and also shake the toy in the soapy water to clean the outside of the toy. Next, rinse the item under a stream of warm water, wrap it in a dry towel, and squeeze out the excess water. After hand washing, you can dry the soft toy either in the air or in a tumble dryer at a low temperature.

How to treat stains on soft toys

If a stain appears on your child's favorite teddy bear, you can clean it spot by spot. To do this, use the same solution of mild soap and water. Dip a microfiber cloth in the solution and wring it out until it is only slightly damp. Gently blot the stain. Do not rub it to spread the dirt but repeat the treatment until the stain disappears. Finally, let the item air dry.

How to remove odor from a soft toy

Favorite soft toys can retain persistent odors. And it is not always possible to remove them after washing with a delicate detergent. In this case, sprinkle the item with baking soda and leave it for 10-15 minutes. During this time, the product should absorb all odors. All that remains is to shake the toy over the bathtub and vacuum it to remove any residue.

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