Most kids and dogs have their favorite stuffed animals. Cleaning stuffed animals on a regular basis will keep the toys fresh smelling, spotless and germ-free. Many stuffed animals are made from materials that shouldn’t go through your washing machine and dryer. Here’s a few easy steps to keep stuffed toys clean and sanitary.
Give the toy a dry bath. Place the stuffed animal into a plastic bag, sprinkle a few tablespoons of baking soda onto the toy and shake the bag until the animal is coated with the baking soda. Wait about 20 minutes, and then simply brush the baking soda off of the stuffed animal with a dry, clean towel. This generally gets rid of any surface dirt and odors.
Scrub stains off stuffed animals with a mild, all-purpose cleanser and a clean sponge. Spray the cleanser directly onto the stains and gently blot the toy with the sponge to remove excess liquid. For stubborn or deep stains, gently scrub the cleanser into the soiled area with a soft scrub brush and then blot dry with a clean paper towel. Allow the stuffed animal to air dry.
Many stuffed animals have plastic eyes, noses or faces. To clean dirt or grime from the plastic parts, simply dip a cotton swab, cotton ball or a clean, soft cloth into the alcohol and gently wipe the plastic clean.
Vacuum stuffed animals once a week with a vacuum cleaner that has an attached brush. This removes any loose dirt or small bits of debris. Make sure that the eyes and nose are secure before your vacuum any toys.
Get rid of any dust mites by sticking stuffed animals in your freezer. Dust mites love to live on stuffed toys, so it is very important to freeze any animal your child sleeps with about once a week. Just place the stuffed animal into a plastic bag and put it in your freezer for at least five hours. Remove the stuffed animal and vacuum it thoroughly.
Other Tips
Gently brush your stuffed animal with an old hairbrush to get out any mats out of the synthetic fur.
You can use baby powder for the dry bath if you are out of baking soda.
Clean stuffed animals in your washing machine only as a last resort. Machine washing a stuffed animal can cause the stuffing to shift and the stuffed animal to lose its shape.
References
http://petcaretips.net/how-clean-stuffed-animal.html
http://www.mybigplush.com/store/Clean_Stuffed_Animals.php