jetayre

I want to make a few quilts with tiny stuffed animals for children in need (for rescue, red cross, etc I don't have a lot of money so was thinking of recycling lawn sale items for the animals. I got several yesterday and want to sanitize them before I use them. how do you wash etc. them so you don't damage them? Enclosed are several examples I got yesterday at a lawn sale. Thanks.

ptquilts

Put them in lingerie bags and throw them in the washer and dryer. I just did that with a bunch of donated ones we pass out at the food shelf where I volunteer.

BTW, in my area at least, you can buy bell peppers in a mesh bag (save on plastic I guess) - those make great lingerie bags as well.

ManiacQuilter2

What does their label say on them?? I think you are doing a great service for your community.

zozee

I've always tossed stuffed animals (maybe 10 at a time) in the washer with two bath towels and a SMALL amount of detergent (too much make it hard for the soap to rinse out). Hot water to kill germs.

The towels serve to help agitate the dirt. Throw all in the dryer on permanent press with the towels.

ptquilts

Unless you have boiling water in your washer, it is not going to kill germs. The soap will do that.

madamekelly

I have two DDs who always had lots of "stuffies", so I had to learn to wash them. I have always had very good luck putting them in individual pillow cases closed with non-metal ponytail holders. When they are washed, I stuff them through the middle of plastic hangers or pin them to them, and hang them either outside during nice weather, or in the bath during colder weather. Most take about 24 hours to dry inside, much quicker outside. The one "cheaply made" stuffy that fell apart, was kept contained in the pillow case and easy to empty into the trash. Since you don't know the origin of your "critters" I would use this method.

jetayre

This seems like the most workable for me....I don't have a dryer. Thanks to you and everyone.

notmorecraft

I've always just chucked stuffed toys in washer, hung out to dry n 10 minutes in dryer to fluff them up. My kids are 33 and 24. Never failed yet lol, now starting on my granddaughters lol.

lindaschipper

I put them in an old pillow case and wash as usual in the washing machine. You can either knot the pillow case to keep everything in the bag, put snap closures on the case or put a zipper in the case. Works Great. Dries the same way!!

AZ Jane

Throw them in the washer and dryer. Perhaps with a Color Catcher if there is a possibility of issues. But if it won't survive the washer and dry, it won't survive a child. Dry for a few minutes to fluff, hang or lay out to finish drying.