Plush Toys
Soft plush toys are a great gift for kids of all ages, and even adults love them for their attractive appearance and comforting tactile sensations. Peekaboo Baby has a huge range of plush toys so soft and cute that it is impossible to stop hugging and touching them. We are sure your little one will be happy to have such a wonderful new friend.
There are different ways to wash baby’s plush toys. You can clean your child's stuffed toys with or without water, by hand or in the washing machine. Most soft toys come with washing machine instructions and can be safely cleaned in the washing machine, but others need to be washed by hand, especially those with electronic parts or batteries. You want to wash your child’s stuffed toys twice a month, or every other week to keep them clean on a regular basis. Here are a few guides when cleaning your baby’s lil friends.
Machine wash
If you’ve determined that it’s safe to wash them in the washing machine, put plush toys in a mesh laundry bag or pillowcase to keep everything safe and tie a knot on top. Set on a gentle and delicate cycle with cold or warmer water ( not hot water as delicate pieces that are glued on, hot water will dissolve) and a mild detergent and slow spin. Remove from the laundry bag, air dry or hang them as desired.
Hand wash
Some plush toys can only be cleaned only by hand. It’s either they are made of fabric that might easily get damaged in the washer, some old toys with the delicate condition or they have electronic parts. This is also the best way to clean big plush toys that can’t fit in your washing machine. There are various tricks on handwashing, you can use your sink, bathtub, or bucket. Fill the basin halfway with cold water, mix with laundry detergent, swirl and soak the stuffed toys for 30 minutes to loosen dirt especially if they have stained. You can use a toothbrush to gently brush the dirt or stain. After brushing, rinse with water, gently squeeze but don’t wring out to avoid stuffing from bunching out, air dry or hang them.
For bigger size plush toys hand wash is one of the best ways in keeping them clean especially if they can’t fit in a washing machine. Find a large basin(or in the bathtub) and mix detergent in cold water. Using a laundry brush gently brush dirt then rinse with clean water and air dry. For washing machine cleaning, put inside the mesh bag, add cold water and mild detergent. Use a gentle wash machine setting. After washing, you can set the dryer to speed up the drying process. Use a no-or low-heat setting because most plush toys have plastic parts or glued in that might not be good for a high heat setting. Air dry if still needed to ensure that the inner stuffing is also completely dry.
Cleaning battery-operated stuffed toys require extra caution. Normal washing is not advisable when there's a battery, music boxes or any mechanical device as electronics and water shouldn’t be mixed as it can cause irreversible damage. For dry surface cleaning or cleaning without water, a light vacuuming or brush can do, or if you need to remove some tough stain, mix a mild detergent with water and simply wet towel or fiber cloth and scrub gently. Rinse with a clean damp cloth and allow to air dry completely before handling it to your little one. Be careful with black and white fabric plush toys when wet, as black usually bleeds into white. For the toughest stains, some repeating processes may be required.
Stain is common to your child’s beloved soft toys as little ones sleep with them, eat with them and drool with them. Though most of their stuffed toys can be cleaned either through hand wash or machine wash, a few added tricks might be needed if they have deep seated stains. Put in a basin of mix detergent and cold water then soak for 15 to 30 mins to soften hard stain. Using a soft brush ( toothbrush will do) brush the area, repeat a few times until it’s totally clean. Rinse and air dry.
For some toys, machine drying is good to speed up the drying time. Though it’s not always the best option, because most of the soft toys have plastic parts or glued on that high heat of a dryer might dissolve it. Stuffed toy fur might burn in a hot dryer too. But if you choose to put plush toys in the dryer, use the no or low heat setting to protect your baby’s favourite plush toy fluffiness.
Disinfecting your baby’s plush toys is a great way of keeping them clean. Disinfect washable plush toys by adding laundry sanitizer during the wash. Like the usual washing machine process, start with cold water, mild detergent and add laundry sanitizer. Use a gentle spin cycle, and air dry by hanging them. Machine drying will speed up the drying time.
Pro tip: Do not spray over the stuffed toy as it could damage the animal fur.
There are several DIY ways to store your baby’s soft toys and to keep them organized. Other mums store in swing storage, basket, storage ottoman, plastic bins, clothes drawer, and many more. But avoid storing in plastic bags to prevent moisture and by keeping them out to direct sunlight exposure. Keep them properly secured when your kids aren’t playing with them, especially if you have a pet at home. Uhm, you’ll know they want to play too, but expect what will happen next.
They’re both the same. Basically, stuffed toys are toys stuffed with SOFT fabric. They are commonly known by many names such as plush toys, plushies or stuffed animals. Plush toys are popular in Australia as soft toys. Stuffed toys have smooth fur outer covering and are filled in with cotton inside. They have different style and design but mostly resemble real animals like teddy bears, cartoon characters such as care bears, or inanimate creatures. Often they are designed for children but also popular in a wide range of ages.
Soft toys or stuffed animals are important for kids as they have a lot of benefits in the development of their sensory skills and emotional growth. At an early age, kids learn from the things around them, and soft toys are a perfect way for them to introduce new things. Stuffed animals can help them in pretend play. Because pretend play encourages them to talk with them, eat with them, it helps develop a child’s socialization and language skills. They are just more than stuffed animals but they also give comfort and confidence to your precious one.
Whether you’re buying a plush toy for your little one or handing over a gift to a special one, soft toys are well-loved by everyone. People are buying plush toys because of various reasons. Stuffed animals help bring comfort, ease loneliness, improve mental health, reduce stress, and remind them of their childhood. Seeing someone happy, having these toys is such priceless happiness. Many become a family heirloom. Peekaboo Baby has a wide range of soft baby plush toys to choose from. Send a gift to your loved one and bring home happiness.