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How do you clean your children's stuffed animals?

How do you clean your children's stuffed animals and other non machine washable toys? I want it to smell clean and be clean on germs as best as possible. I have 6 mo old and she tends to spit up on her toys when she's playing. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. Wash them in the sink or bath tub with mild soap. For stuffed animals with electronics inside (talking ones) I use a damp wash cloth and scrub really good. This gets out most stains, but for the freshness I use fabreze (sorry about the spelling!) and let them dry really well before giving them back. If you baby is chewing on them, I would skip the febreeze just in case!
2. Baby wipes! Most are non-toxic, have mild soap in them, and smell familiar to baby. Just rub the dirty spots with the wipes, and toss the wipe.
3. Truthfully, I haven't found many that can't be washed in the washer on delicate cycle. If there are electronics in them, there is usually a flap or something in the back to remove them. Delicate cycle and either tumble in the dryer with a tennis ball or two to re-fluff them or hang in the sunshine on the clothes line. For those that I don't think it's safe to wash in the machine, I have washed them in the sink with barely warm water and a gentle touch. I would hesitate on using any spray stuff on them as the baby does put them in her mouth. I think the chemicals in such sprays are far more dangerous than the "germs" that might be there. A spin in the dryer for 1/2 hour with a damp towel will remove dust and kill dust mites and some germs if you're really that concerned.
4. I wipe them off with wet wipes and then put them in the dryer on low heat with a wet towel that I've sprinkled with liquid fabric softener. I run for about 20 minutes. The stuffed toys come out cleaner and more fragrant. If you're worried your baby might suck the toy and get some fabric softener, then wipe the animal off with a clean damp towel after it's been through the dryer. Then put in the sun for half an hour.