How to wash your Unicorn Stuffed Animal

• October 04 2020 , by Jessica Miller
• 6 min reading time

Why Your Unicorn Plush Needs Regular Cleaning

Young and old children love unicorn stuffed animals. Despite the spread of screens and new technologies, these soft toys are still the things kids want to cuddle most.

But over time, cuddly toys get dirty. They attract dust, mites, and bacteria, both on the surface and hidden inside the stuffing. For children with asthma or allergies, that's not just unpleasant. It can trigger reactions.

The good news? Plush toys can absolutely be washed, either by hand or in the washing machine. Here's how to clean your stuffed animals without damaging them.

Hand Wash or Machine Wash? How to Decide

Before you do anything, check the label on your stuffed animal. It'll usually have washing instructions with care symbols. If you're not sure how to read them, this guide to fabric care labels explains every symbol.

Here's a general rule: if the plush is stuffed with polystyrene beads or plastic pellets, hand wash it. If it's standard polyester fiberfill, machine washing on a gentle cycle is usually fine.

How to Wash Stuffed Animals in the Washing Machine

Machine washing is the easiest method, but you need to protect the toy during the cycle. Here's how:

1. Place the plush in a pillowcase or laundry bag. This prevents the fabric from snagging or the toy from getting tossed around too roughly.
2. Select a gentle/delicate cycle with cold water. Keep the temperature below 90 F (30 C).
3. Use half the normal amount of detergent. Too much soap is hard to rinse out completely, and residue can irritate sensitive skin. An ecological or hypoallergenic detergent is a good choice.
4. Add half a glass of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. It acts as a mild disinfectant and keeps the plush fur soft.
5. Toss in a few crumpled balls of aluminum foil. This helps reduce static and keeps the fur from clumping.
6. Sort by color, just like with regular laundry. You don't want your white unicorn plush coming out pink.

One important note: check for any loose parts (buttons, ribbons, small accessories) before washing. If anything could come off and clog your machine, remove it first or secure it with a few stitches.

How to Hand Wash Your Stuffed Animal

Hand washing is gentler and works best for delicate plush toys, vintage stuffed animals, or those with electronic components that can't be submerged.

1. Fill a basin with lukewarm water. Add a small amount of mild shampoo or natural soap (Castile soap works well).
2. Add half a glass of white vinegar for softening and light disinfecting.
3. Submerge the toy and let it soak for at least 15 minutes. Gently squeeze (don't wring) to work the soapy water through the stuffing.
4. Drain and refill the basin with clean, unsoapy water. Let the toy soak for another 15 minutes to rinse out the soap.
5. Gently press out excess water. Again, squeeze. Never wring or twist.

How to Wash Giant Unicorn Stuffed Animals

Giant stuffed animals (some of ours in the giant unicorn collection are over 3 feet long) are wonderful to cuddle but tricky to clean. They won't fit in most washing machines, so you need a different approach.

Option 1: Upholstery cleaner. Use a fabric cleaning spray (the kind designed for couch cushions or car seats). Spray the surface, let it sit for the recommended time, then wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Option 2: Spot cleaning with laundry detergent. Mix a small amount of detergent with water, apply it to dirty spots with a cloth, and blot clean. This works well for surface stains without soaking the entire toy.

For dust removal: Use a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment. Go over the entire surface to pull out dust and loose particles before any wet cleaning.

These methods take a bit more effort than tossing something in the washer, but they're the only effective way to clean oversized plush without damaging the stuffing.

How to Dry Your Stuffed Animal

Drying is just as important as washing. A plush that stays damp too long can develop mildew. Nobody wants that.

Air drying (recommended)

The safest option. Place the stuffed animal in a warm, dry, well-ventilated spot. Near a window or fan works well. Avoid direct sunlight for more than 10 minutes, as it can fade the colors.

If you washed it in the morning on a warm day, it should be dry by evening. Thicker plush toys may take overnight.

Tumble dryer

If you prefer the dryer, place the stuffed animal inside a pillowcase first (just like with machine washing). Use the lowest heat setting or a delicate/air-fluff cycle. High heat can melt synthetic fibers or damage the stuffing.

Once dry, the plush will be smooth, fluffy, and fresh-smelling.

If the dryer roughed up the fur: this video shows how to restore the texture on stuffed animals that got a little too much tumble action.

Disinfecting Your Stuffed Animals

Regular washing handles dirt and surface bacteria, but sometimes you need deeper disinfection. Especially after illness, or if you have pets in the house.

There are disinfectant sprays specifically designed for soft toys and textiles. These are safe for children's items when used as directed. Spray the surface, let it air dry, and the toy is sanitized without a full wash cycle.

Use disinfectant sparingly. It's a medical-grade product, and overuse isn't necessary for routine cleaning.

Keeping Your Plush Collection in Great Shape

Might seem like a lot of steps, but once you've done it once, washing stuffed animals becomes second nature. The key points to remember:

• Check the care label first
• Always use cold or lukewarm water
• Protect the toy in a pillowcase during machine washing
• Use half the detergent you'd normally use
• Air dry when possible
• Treat your unicorn plush like it's alive, because to its owner, it basically is

If you're building a unicorn plush collection, browse our full range of unicorn toys and plushies. And if you're looking for creative unicorn activities beyond cuddling, our origami unicorn tutorial is a fun project that pairs well with a cozy plush companion. You could even give your plush a name. Here are 200+ unicorn name ideas to get you started.

Skip the Fabric Softener - Here's Why

Tempting, but fabric softener can leave a coating on the fur that actually attracts more dirt over time. White vinegar in the rinse cycle does the same softening job without the residue. Your plush comes out soft, fresh, and ready for another round of cuddles.

What If Your Plush Lost Its Shape?

Reshape it by hand while it's still damp. Fluff the stuffing by gently pulling apart any clumps through the fabric. If a specific area is flat, you can add a small amount of polyester fiberfill through a seam (then stitch it closed). A few minutes in the dryer on air-fluff can also help restore volume.

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care guide cleaning gifts stuffed animals unicorn plush