How to Clean Plush Toys

Your kids are so glad to receive your plush toys. And they often play games with them. One day, you find that the plush toys got dirty. For kids' health, you need to clean them regularly.

To remove little stains and traces of dirt, take a cloth and slightly dampen it in detergent water. Lightly rub the cloth over the toy until the stain is gone.

The plush toys can either be tossed into the washing machine or into the first rack of the dish washer depending on the instructions given on the tag. The frequency of washing depends on how much the toy is being used. If it is visibly dirty, wash it right away. If it is played once or twice a week by your child, wash it monthly. However, if it is handled by kids on a daily basis in a day care setting, a weekly washing schedule would be recommended.

Simple dirt, such as stains and dust, get washed off by detergent. However, if the plush toy has been played by someone sick, someone with a cold or flu, you'll have to go the extra mile. Keep the plushie dipped in bleaching water or non-aerosol disinfectant solution for around 10 minutes. Rinse with water and dry in the sun. Both the solution and the sunlight will kill the tough germs that didn't get killed simply by detergents.

There are certain germs that are too powerful for even non-aerosol disinfectants. Dust mites are one example of such germs. If your child has a relatively weak immune system as compared to kids of his/her age, prevent him/her from getting sick. Do so by covering his/her plush toys with a plastic wrap and keeping them in the freezer for a few hours every week.

The best way to dry the plush toys is to first spin them in the washing machine and then keeping them out in the sun to dry completely. However, if sunlight isn't available, try keeping them near the heater. But be careful or a part of the toy could melt or get burnt.