know anything about stuffed animal care?

[Rÿcher]

I bought my daughter a stuffed puppy for her first birthday and a few days later, she had a diaper leak of sorts. Let's just say puppy needed a bath. It was nice and soft and fluffy when it was new but not it's like an old, worn, matted carpet. Is there anything that I can do to sort of renew it like putting it on the gentile cycle? What sort of detergents or additives shout I add to the cycle? Soaps, fabric softeners, salt?

or should I just buy a new one?

 

[Brian]

I found these tips for cleaning stuffed animals at eHow. I'm not sure how the pillowcase helps (maybe it serves to continually fluff the fur?), but it's worth a shot:

Step1
Do a bit of damage control. Apply a tiny bit of laundry detergent to a wet scrub brush. Attempt to spot-clean the stuffed animal.

Step 2
If the stuffed animal is still dirty, place it in a zippered pillowcase and zip the case closed. There should be plenty of room in the case for the stuffed animal to move around inside the bag. If the toy is too large, you probably won't be able to safely wash it in the washing machine.

Step 3
Place the pillowcase with the toy inside into an empty washing machine.

Step 4
Add some gentle laundry detergent to the machine and set it for the gentle cycle with a cold water setting.

Step 5
When wash cycle is over, take the pillowcase out of the washer place it in the dryer. Set dryer to the lowest temperature setting.

Step 6
Unzip the bag once the dryer cycle is complete and check the stuffed animal. If it's still damp, run it through another cycle in the dryer.

Step 7
Remove the stuffed animal from the bag and return to your child.

I'd try that if the puppy is of particular sentimental value to your child (or you). But I doubt it'll ever be like it was.

 

[Brian]

If you try it, I'd like to hear how well it refreshed the fur. My mother still has stuffeds from my childhood, and they're all matted. This procedure might help those, too.

 

[Kestra]

I'm not sure how the pillowcase helps (maybe it serves to continually fluff the fur?),

It might just serve to protect the stuffed animal, so all the extra parts don't hit everything in the washer or snag on something.

 

[Worf412]

I'm not sure how the pillowcase helps (maybe it serves to continually fluff the fur?), but it's worth a shot

As I've never seen a zippered pillow case, I'd like to point out that my mother always put my (that is, my sister's) stuffed animals in an old pair of pantyhose.

 

[Misfit Toy]

Is there anything that I can do to sort of renew it like putting it on the gentile cycle?

It's probably best if you leave religion out of this discussion.

 

[Dale]

Fabric softener dryer sheets work by lubricating the fibers. It might help to undo some of the mats and refluffify the poor critter to a certain degree.

That said, every bit of wear and tear on Bunny Rabbit and Bluebear is a part of their character and personality, IMHO. They wouldn't be themselves if they looked like new after 43 years.

And yes, I still have the remnant of my blankie, too.

 

[Holdfast]

know anything about stuffed animal care?

A really good vet.

 

[Rÿcher]

know anything about stuffed animal care?

A really good vet.

Imagine the looks I'd get.