Washing the ducky and other stuffed animals
December 13th, 2006Ducky goes everywhere and gets dirty in the process! Poor thing looks so ragged from all his adventures and washings, but at least he is clean. Here is how we keep him that way:
We do put him in the washer and dryer. He first goes into a pillowcase (you could also try a lingerie bag), tied shut with a thin sock (you can also use a safety pin, it’s just that the sock is convenient, unlike having to hunt around for hours looking for a safety pin), then into the gentle cycle on cold. For the dryer, he stays in the pillowcase on gentle cycle, low heat. Not all stuffed animals will survive this, so check the label if you can before trying to actually wash a beloved stuffed animal.
To freshen him up when he really doesn’t need a whole washing: baking soda and Ducky in a paper bag and shake. Don’t do this while your little one is around unless you really want to traumatize them…. 
To kill dust mites: Put the stuffed animal in a Ziploc bag and then into the freezer for 24 hours (if you can do without it for that long).
Be sure to visit the rest of the Works For Me Wednesday tips for other great ideas as well.
Related posts:
How to transition from the crib to a bed….
The much loved duck - a toddler-taken photo… (WW)
Hide & Seek - Lil’ Duck style!
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This is a great tip. The dust mite part was very interesting. I would guess that work work for a number of different household items.
Or a diaper pin?
I use those zippered mesh laundry bags for everything - one is even home for our too-big set of giant building blocks. Handy.
We had a little pink doll named emily. When we realized she was going to be a favorite we went out and bought 4 more and hide them for emergencies.
These are great tips! I’ve washed just about every kind of stuffed animals (in the way you described) without ruining any of them. Even the ones that say, “Surface wash only” The only stuffed animals off limits to my washer are the ones with electronic components inside.
I haven’t tried the baking sode or freezer tips, I’m filing those for future reference. T
Thanks Mama Duck!
Great tip! Our stuff toys need a cleaning, but I didn’t know about your trick…yes, yes, yes, I will the label first.
These are great tips. Julia has a few stuffed animals she attempted to share snacks with, so this is helpful!
When my son TJ at 3 months old fell in love with a stuffed clown my Aunt gave him. I went out and bought 5 of them. We rotate as needed and always have a back up for the days when Clowny needs a bath. He has recently realizes there are more than one but he loves that he never has to be without his precious Clowny.
My son lost his favorite stuffed clown. Do you know of any company that could custom make one with a picture?
Thanks,