Let’s begin by answering the most famous question “can you put a beanie baby in the washing machine?“
It is not recommended to put a beanie baby in the washing machine.
Well, let’s find out why.
What is a beanie baby?
Beanie babies started picking up a lot of hype after their creation in 1986 by an American business named H. Ty Warner, also the founder of Ty Inc. The interesting thing about these toys is that they are filled with plastic pellets, not the old school soft stuffing. They come in many shapes and sizes, mostly animals!
You might be an owner of one, two or maybe several beanie babies, and you might have noticed that they have collected a lot of dust and dirt, and can definitely do with a nice wash. But that has left you with a lot of unanswered questions, about how to wash, and what to wash with?
Well, you’re in luck, as we’re going to answer most of those confusing questions, and address the proper way and form of taking care of the cleanliness of these famous toys!
Can you put a beanie baby in the washing machine?
Usually, most stuffed toys can be washed directly in the washing machine. But, when it comes to Beanie Babies, that is not the case. The recommended method of washing is surface wash. That goes to say, these cute little toys have to be hand-washed.
The reason hand washing is recommended, is that while cleaning, the tags are supposed to be kept dry and intact. An intact tag will increase the value of your toy by 50%.
You need to protect the tag, so make sure before you even begin to wash, that the tag is covered and will not get exposed to any sort of liquid damage. You could either buy plastic tag covers, or just use the cellophane laying around.
Well, that answers the question of whether or not you can put a beanie baby in the washing machine. But another question arises out of this. If you can’t put them in a washing machine, does that mean you can’t put them in a dryer either? Well, let’s take a look!
Can you put a Beanie Baby in the dryer?
Much like the use of a washing machine, using another machine on your beanie baby might not be such a good idea. The whole idea is to not let the toy get damaged by the vigorous washing and movement of the machine.
The recommended way to dry a beanie baby would be to use a hair dryer. What you would like to do is, on a safe distance, with the warm or cool setting on, dry the toy for five minutes. Remember, not to use the hot setting, as it could melt the toy, or it might even catch fire.
Next, you would want to put them in a drier, with a cool setting. Do not leave the toy in there for a long time, it could get damaged.
How to dry a beanie baby?
Now that we have learnt about what machine to use, and what not. Here comes a crucial part of the cleanliness procedure, the drying. While putting the toy in a high-speed dryer might not be a good here, here is the right way to do so.
Firstly, use a hair dryer to dry up the toy, with the setting on cool or warm. A warning here would be to not use the hot setting, as it could melt or set the toy on fire. Also remember to use the hair dryer from a safe distance.
Next, what you would want to do after using the hair dryer, is that you should put the toy in a dryer with a cool setting. This would evaporate any moisture left. Do not leave the toy in the dryer for too long, as it could get damaged. And viola, that is how you dry a beanie baby.
How to hand wash Beanie Babies?
The first step in hand washing the toy, is the identification of the stains on the toy itself. There are two types of stains, clean dirt stains, and small stains. We shall go over how to hand wash both kinds of stains.
Firstly, by using a little wet cloth, gently dab on the stains on the beanie baby. Then, using a dry cloth, dab on the wet spots that were made by the wet cloth. Next, let the toy sit and dry, this process can take up-to 12 hours. Finally, you can now remove the wrap and play with your clean beanie baby again!
Now let’s talk about the tough stains and how to remove them. First, you would want to spray a solution of liquid dish soap in a spray bottle, and spray it on the stained areas of the toy. Then, delicately and slowly dab on the spots to start removing them. Next, to wash away the cleaning solution, use a piece of cloth and rinse it in clean water. Gently rub it on the solution sprayed area.
Next, by using a new dry cloth, dab on the moisture and wet parts of the toy, and allow it to try for about 12 hours.
Now that we have talked about the correct method of washing these stuffed toys, let’s talk about the proper way to disinfect and clean them for our little ones.
How to disinfect beanie babies?
It is tricky when it comes to fabric and stuffed toys, but they are prone to ending up with a lot of dirt and dust, and a lot of germs as well. You can check the tag of the toy, to see whether it is laundry safe or not.
But, if you notice stains, and the toy is used by a baby or a little kid, then the best way to clean would be a home-made solution of liquid dish washing soap and water. If the toy is machine wash safe, then use a very gentle washing powder that’s infant friendly.
Even adding a cup of vinegar can deal with the pesky germs and bacteria.
As far as non-laundry toys go, hand washing the toy in the same soapy solution and letting it air dry is the best course of action. You can also use a dryer on the low setting after hand-washing. Remember to disinfect your washing machines as well!
Conclusion – Can You Put A Beanie Baby In The Washing Machine?
These toys are fan favorites amongst children, and are greatly loved and adored. And it only takes a little effort to maintain the safety and fun of the toys as we have mentioned above.
So, remember, safe fun goes a long way! Happy beanie-babying!
