A Guide to Cleaning and Fixing Toys

Stuffed Animals

Health and Hygiene

Grooming: Winnie the Pooh is all pilled up? Use a lint brush. For matted fur, try a wire dog brush (available at pet stores).

Cleaning: To get rid of loose dirt, stretch panty hose over a vacuum’s hose nozzle, then run it over the fur. For a deeper cleaning, pour a capful of baby shampoo into warm water, dampen a washcloth with the mixture, then rub in circles, suggests Hach. Rinse with a clean, damp washcloth, and air-dry in a shaded area.

Major mess: If Snuggle Kitty has been in the sandbox, you may be able to put her in the washing machine.“Look at the care label—if it hasn’t been chewed off,” says Hach. Secure in a pillowcase with a twist tie, use Woolite, and tumble-dry on a cool setting.

First Aid

Popped seams: Lash the wound together with cotton embroidery thread using a durable ladder stitch. (For a tutorial video, visit blog.craftzine.com.)

Missing stuffing: Buy a bag of hypoallergenic polyfill at a craft store, then get ready to play surgeon. “Most stuffed animals have a short seam on the back or belly where the stitching is reinforced,” says Hach. “Open the toy there with a seam ripper, insert the stuffing until he’s plump again, then stitch him back up.”