Housekeeping · 세탁·관리

Six steps before washing a plush toy: check electronics and air-dry

Not every plush toy is machine washable. Start with the care label, electronic components and whether spot cleaning is enough.

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Wikimedia Commons · さえぼー / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0; original unmodified. File: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Teddy_bears.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗

Machine washing can damage a plush toy's fur, seams or sound module. Build-A-Bear's official guide recommends spot cleaning for small marks; for permitted machine washing, it describes a pillowcase, cold gentle cycle and air-drying. It explicitly excludes toys containing sound units or batteries from immersion and machine washing. Always prioritize the care instructions for your particular toy.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

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1. Find the toy's care label and the maker's guidance. Check decorations, long fur, glued parts and weakened seams that could be damaged by machine washing.
2. Check for sound modules, lights or batteries. Do not immerse or machine-wash a toy containing electronics. Remove components only by an approved procedure; otherwise favor surface cleaning.
3. For a small mark, start with spot cleaning using a soft cloth and a little product-approved mild cleaner. Wipe away residue and let the area air-dry.
4. Only if the label permits machine washing, protect the toy in a pillowcase or suitable laundry bag and follow its maker's directions for a cold gentle cycle and mild detergent. Build-A-Bear's advice does not apply universally.
5. After washing, avoid harsh wringing and hot tumble drying. Allow the toy to air-dry thoroughly with adequate airflow, then gently reshape its fur and stuffing.
6. Before returning it to a child, inspect seams, eyes, nose and small decorations for loose pieces. Keep it out of use if the stuffing remains damp or parts could detach; seek repair or replacement.

Build-A-Bear WorkshopCare and Cleaning ↗Official stuffed-animal instructions: spot clean, air dry; machine wash approved bears in pillowcase, cold gentle cycle; never immerse toys with sound/batteries.Wikimedia CommonsFile:Teddy bears.jpg ↗Photo by さえぼー of various teddy bears, CC BY-SA 4.0; file summary and original image were inspected. Illustrative, not the brand's washing test.Wikimedia CommonsCommons:Reusing content outside Wikimedia/technical ↗Official technical policy explicitly permits hotlinking but requires compliance with independent per-file license and author credit.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

Further reading

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