Most parents would agree that their child’s cuddly toy can get a bit mucky sometimes.
From being dropped on the floor to covered in food, it doesn’t take long for them to get dirty and smelly.
It might be tempting to throw them in the wash to get rid of the grime.
But an expert has revealed there are some brands of toy you should never put in the washing machine.
And doing so could potentially ruin your child’s favourite teddy bear.
Rebecca Jakeman, senior researcher at Which?, said some cuddly toys should be ‘handwashed at all costs’ to avoid damaging them.
‘Always check the label, but certain brands of soft toys are handwash-only for the most part,’ she said.
These include two very popular brands – Beanie Babies and Jellycats.
Putting certain cuddly toys in the washing machine could end up ruining them for your children, an expert has warned (stock image)
Beanie Babies (pictured, stock image) were very popular in the 1990s and are still very collectable
TY, the company which manufactures Beanie Babies, writes on its website: ‘Stuffed animals travel everywhere with kids, so it’s no surprise parents often find themselves searching for how to clean plush toys after a mess or spill.
‘It doesn’t matter if you go to the grocery store, library, a friend’s house, school, or for a car ride; you can be sure the Beanie is glued to your youngster’s hip.
‘Meal and snack times are no exception, so when an unfortunate spill of grape juice or spaghetti sauce stains the cherished plush beanie, it becomes crunch time to find a solution to clean the tarnished plush.’
It goes on to explain that putting the stuffed toys in with a load of laundry can be asking for trouble.
‘The washer’s spin cycles, the heat from the dryer and the harsh detergents used to wash your clothes aren’t a good combination for a delicate plush toy,’ it said.
‘Your washer and dryer appliances aren’t a friend to your child’s Beanie pal, especially if it has fragile, sparkly eyes, fur, sequins, or scales.’
Instead, they recommend using baby wipes or a stain remover pen that can do the trick if only a spot clean is needed.
However, if the whole toy is dirty, it’s best to handwash using soap and cool water before leaving to air dry.
Young children are huge fans of of Jellycats, which typically retail from £12 to £60. However, parents should be careful when trying to clean them up
From being dropped on the floor to being covered in food, it doesn’t take long for toys to get dirty and smelly (stock image)
The Jellycat website, meanwhile, says that while ‘many’ of its products can be washed at 30°C in a washing machine, some must be washed by hand.
‘We do not recommend that any of our toys be put in a tumble dryer,’ it added, ‘nor should they be ironed or dry cleaned.’
The Which? website also warns against putting clothes with embellishments, glitter, lace and fringing in the washing machine.
Anything with fur, leather, suede, velvet or rayon are also better off going to the drycleaners.
