Washing a teddy bear

There is probably not a single home where there is not at least one soft toy. Such a traditional attribute of home comfort as a teddy bear will never go out of use. Like all things, a toy animal needs care. Over time, dirt and dust accumulate in it, harmful bacteria and dust mites multiply, which, penetrating into the human body, cause undesirable health consequences. How to properly wash a teddy bear so as not to spoil its appearance?

Automatic cleaning

In this way, you can wash durable soft toys with short pile, which do not have the risk of damaging decorative elements (rhinestones, beads, bows). It is better to use laundry detergents (powder, conditioner) intended for children's clothes or for delicate, woolen fabrics. The tags/labels of plush toys usually indicate the manufacturer's recommended care rules that should be followed. In cases where the necessary information has not been saved, the following instructions will help.

1. To prevent the toy product from fading during washing, you need to add ½ teaspoon of citric acid to the washing powder.
2. In case small parts of the teddy bear (eyes, nose, decor) fall off, you should place it in a special bag or pillowcase for washing. In this case, the part that falls off due to mechanical impact will not get lost in the tank and will not damage the washing machine.
3. Choose a delicate wash program or manual mode; for large animals, the “Down blanket” program is suitable.
4. The processing temperature should not be higher than 40⁰C; time – no more than 1 hour.
5. To prevent the soft item from becoming deformed, its automatic spin speed should not exceed 600-800 rpm.

It is best to dry a teddy bear in the fresh air or in a draft, placing it on a thick, moisture-absorbing fabric. To avoid fading of the product, do not place it to dry in direct sunlight. As a result of careful processing, the teddy bear will become soft, bright, fresh and safe for health again.

Wash in the traditional way

Sometimes there is a risk of damaging a stuffed toy or its valuable parts as a result of automatic cleaning. Then it will be safer to wash your favorite toy animal by hand. In this case, you can control every movement, focusing efforts on certain areas and protecting individual elements from excessive mechanical impact. For hand washing you will need:

• shampoo (preferably for children);
• soft clothes brush or sponge;
• wipes made of moisture-absorbing fabric (preferably microfiber);
• hairdryer

The peculiarity of the process of manual washing of a plush toy is that water is not absorbed into the product. It should be carefully wiped with a sponge or brush dipped in warm water with shampoo diluted in it, removing dirt. After sequentially treating each small area, it should be immediately wiped with a dry cloth to remove moisture. After cleaning the entire surface of the soft pet, it is better to dry it with a hairdryer.

Important! When hand washing a teddy bear, do not pour water on it.

What if you can't get it wet?

Certain types of soft toys, including those with long pile, cannot be washed using water at all.Manufacturers simply exclude this possibility. In such cases, dry washing is used.

To do this, place the toy in a regular plastic bag, adding 2/3 cup of baking soda. The tightly tied bag with its contents must be shaken vigorously for about 10 minutes so that the soda evenly covers the entire surface of the teddy bear. After this, you can take it out and vacuum it until the soda is completely removed, which during this time will already absorb the dirt and, to a certain extent, disinfect the soft toy.

Airing outside for an hour will consolidate and improve the result, returning the toy to freshness and additionally destroying bacteria that are sensitive to ultraviolet radiation.

Monthly freezing will also help to neutralize parasites on soft toys. For this purpose, they must be placed in a bag in the freezer overnight. Pests sensitive to low temperatures die as a result.

A vacuum cleaner will help you effectively get rid of dust in your plush pet. To prevent the toy from becoming a filter in the process of automatically sucking dust out of the room through it, it is better to place the bear in a bag. Then insert the pipe of the device there, pressing the ends of the bag tightly against it with your hand, and turn on the vacuum cleaner at any power. Regular use of this cleaning method in combination with others will help maintain cleanliness and pleasant sensations from tactile contact with the teddy bear longer.

Reader comments

• Share your opinion - leave a comment