Can you wash pillows and stuffed animals?

[manders13]

I hate to get rid of my "princess" pillow and my blues clues buddy but..

My cat had an accident on it and now it smells

My dh got me my princess pillow for valentines day and my grandma got me my blues clues buddy so they are sentimental items KWIM?

Please tell me they can be washed :(

[mom2Isaac]

Well, I wash things like this all the time. Pillows tend to come out lumpy afterwards though from the fibers inside of it clumping together in the water and then drying together? A nywho.. somehow they end up getting a little bumpy, but come out fresh:)

[SyLph211]

yep, can be washed but like PP stated, they will come out a bit lumpy. Try washing a bit of vinger in the wash to avoid an accident again!

[derketchup]

Put some tennis balls in the dryer with the items (you can use just air if you're afraid of ruining the pillows) and that should smack the batting around enough so that most of the lumps go away.

Alternatively, you can take them to a dry cleaners. It will be costly, but maybe worth it to you.

[ocean_brez]

Oh don't throw them out! My daughter has this bunny that she got for easter many years ago and it is her absolute favorite (she sleeps with it and takes it on trips). If I were to ever throw it out, she would probably have a melt down. So instead, I occasionally soak it in the sink with a little detergent, then I rinse it out and throw it in the dryer with a few other things. I don't know if hand washing it is different from washing it in the washing machine, but all that I know is that I have never had an issue with lumps when I hand washed this kind of stuff.

[pennywatcher]

You might want to throw the stuffed animal in a pillow case for drying. That will help protect the eyes from getting scratched up as it's bounced around.

[mama22qts]

Yep, I wash pillows all the time. I'd also suggest letting them dry outside if you don't have allergy issues. The heat makes the loft in the pillows really come alive!

[couponfanatic]

I wash both all the time.
Line drying does work best for pillows.
Stuffed animals: I do no special treatment. No pillow case. Normal cycle, warm water, normal detergent, normal dry (in machine). Never had one be less than happy. I've never tried any of the ultra-cheap-I won-it-at-a-fair-type.
But yours sounds like a "normal" one.
DD used to complain, until she went to a water slide park. I told her the washing machine to the animals is like them going to a water park, and the dryer is like the regular rides. Now she helps me load, and decides which ones want to ride together.
I have washed animals both alone and in with clothes with no problems so far.

[manders13]

Great Ideas Gals!!!!!! Thank You!!!!!

[purplefdu]

Yup, we wash our pup's stuffed animals about once a month. He's got nice ones by Gund as well as cheapos from the claw machine at WM and they all wash decent.