Never soaked mine but occasionally gets a good washing (sometimes it gets left on table and boys seem to use it as a giant placemat) BOYS are 14,18,22 & ?? hubby is watching. How about the smell I bought a new BLUE one ended up returning it could not get past the smell been -couple of weeks even hid in boys room and they knew it was in there --was told i was not the only one to return because of SMELL didn't get a new one they all had me turned off SMELL wise :(