Can you wash stuffed animals?

Ordinary polyester-filled soft toys wash well on a cold gentle cycle inside a pillowcase, which stops limbs and ears being pulled off by the drum. What cannot go in: anything with a battery compartment or sound box, glued-on eyes or features rather than stitched ones, foam-bead fill that will redistribute and never recover, and antique toys stuffed with straw or sawdust. Air drying is safer than a dryer, because heat can melt synthetic fur into a matted texture that no amount of brushing recovers.

How to do it properly

1. Check for battery compartments and glued parts first.
2. Put the toy in a pillowcase and tie it shut.
3. Cold gentle cycle with mild detergent.
4. Air dry, then brush the fur out while it is still slightly damp.

Other options

• Surface-clean electronic toys with a cloth wrung out in soapy water.
• Seal a toy in a bag in the freezer for 48 hours to kill dust mites without any water.

Other "can you wash" questions

• Can you wash pillows? It depends — Down and polyester pillows wash fine. Memory foam and latex must never go in the machine.
• Can you wash sneakers in the washing machine? It depends — Canvas and synthetic trainers survive a cold gentle cycle. Leather and suede do not.
• Can you wash memory foam? No — No. Memory foam disintegrates in a washing machine and cannot be dried through.
• Can you wash a weighted blanket? It depends — Usually yes, but check the weight — most domestic machines top out around 7 kg dry.
• Can you wash silk? It depends — Hand wash cold with a pH-neutral detergent. Never use biological powder or hot water.
• Can you wash wool? It depends — Yes, cold and without agitation. Heat plus movement is what felts it, not water alone.
• Can you wash a down jacket? Yes — Yes, and you should — but it must be tumble dried with dryer balls or the down stays clumped.