How to Deep Clean Stuffed Toys & Squishmallows (So They Last Longer!)

Between work, family, and trying to enjoy everything Chicago has to offer, keeping your space spotless can feel like a full-time job. Whether it’s a beloved kid’s toy that’s seen better days or the general grime that builds up, we get it. Sometimes, you just need a few smart tips—or a little professional home cleaning help.

If you have kids, you definitely have stuffed animals. And if you have stuffed animals, you know they can go from cherished companion to germ-filled rag in record time. The good news? You can—and should—wash them! It’s easier than you think and extends their life, keeping them fresh for years of snuggles. Here’s our simple, step-by-step guide to giving those plush friends a deep cleaning they deserve.

Your Pre-Wash Checklist: Spot Treatment is Key

Before anything goes in the machine, tackle visible stains. This pre-treatment step makes a world of difference.

Gather Your Supplies

You don’t need fancy products. Grab a bowl, hot water, and one of the following:

• Dawn dish soap
• Powdered Tide (dissolved in the hot water)
• A dedicated stain remover like OxiClean

How to Pre-Treat Stains

Dunk a microfiber cloth in your soapy solution and gently scrub the stained areas. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to break down the proteins or dirt. This is the same method you’d use for any stubborn laundry stain and it ensures your machine wash is much more effective.

The Safe Machine Wash Method

Now for the main event. The goal is to clean thoroughly without damaging the toy’s shape or fabric.

Step 1: Protect Them in the Wash

Place the stuffed toys or Squishmallows inside a pillowcase and tie the end loosely. This acts as a protective barrier in the washing machine, preventing seams from snagging and helping them keep their form.

Step 2: Balance the Load

Toss the pillowcase(s) into the machine. Then, add a few extra items like towels or clothes to balance the load. This buffers the toys, preventing them from banging around too much—a great tip for washing shoes, too!

Step 3: Choose the Right Settings

Add your detergent (powdered Tide works great). Set your machine to a DELICATE cycle with COLD WATER. Cold water is gentler on colors and materials, reducing the risk of damage.

Drying for Maximum Fluffiness

How you dry is just as important as how you wash.

Use the Dryer Carefully

Transfer the pillowcases to the dryer. Set it to a DELICATE or LOW HEAT cycle. For extra protection, throw in a dry towel to help absorb moisture and add a few dryer balls to help fluff the toys as they tumble. This is my go-to method for washing pillows as well!

The Air-Dry Alternative

If you’re nervous about heat, you can skip the dryer. Simply let the toys air dry near a vent or in a well-ventilated area. It takes longer, but it’s the gentlest option.

The Final Reveal: Fluff & Enjoy

Once the cycle is complete, carefully remove the toys from their pillowcases. Give them a good shake and fluff by hand to restore their original, cuddly shape. Voilà! You have sparkling, fresh, and germ-free companions ready for more adventures.

Why Regular Cleaning Matters for Toys

We know it can be scary to wash a favorite lovey. The fear of ruining it is real! But regular cleaning actually extends the toy’s life, removes allergens and germs, and keeps your home healthier. If the process feels like too much on top of your already packed schedule, remember that a trusted Chicago cleaning company like ours can handle the broader apartment cleaning tasks, giving you more time for the important stuff (like sneaking that teddy bear into the wash).

Looking for fast cleaning services to tackle the rest of your home? We make it simple to schedule a cleaning that fits your life. Maybe you just need someone to clean my apartment so you can focus on family. Whatever you need, reliable cleaning services in Chicago are just a click away.

Today I’m going to show you how to remove stains and machine wash some squish. Now these are super popular toys. Lots of people love them, but they don’t know that you can wash them. So just want to show you guys how to clean them up so that they aren’t all germy from your kids when they get sick and like they just get dirty cuz kids are hauling them around all the time. Starting off with a little bit of spot treatment. You can grab a bowl with either some Dawn dish soap or a little bit of powdered Tide dissolved into hot water. Dunk the microfiber cloth and then gently scrub the stain spots. This is really good to do before machine washing. You want to just treat any spots. When you have a stain on any type of laundry, pre-treat the stain. So, if you have like OxyClean or if you have a little bit of that purity stain remover, that would work here, too. Make sure you give it time to sit just to break down the proteins or whatever is in the stain so that they come out. Now throw the squish pillows into some pillowcases. This is just going to help protect them and keep their shape in the washing machine. Then just toss them into the machine and make sure you throw in a few extra clothes or towels to help soften and even out the load. So I do this when I wash shoes, too. like you just want something to like buffer it so that it doesn’t get offkilt or bang it around in there. Now add in some powder tide and set your machine to delicate and a cold wash. Once the cycle is done, throw them into the dryer and set to delicate and low heat. We ended up throwing in a dry towel on there to help absorb some of the moisture. Really good idea here too, drier ball, you guys, just to kind of like beat them up and fluff them up a little bit. That’s what I do when I wash pillows. Once they’re done, take them out of their cases and give them a good fluff to get them back to their original shape. And you have two sparkling, brand new, fresh and clean squish. So, just a reminder, you guys, like wash your kids stuffed animals. I know that that’s scary to do this because what if something happens to it and you have to like sneak it out of their hands when they’re sleeping? But washing them is going to actually extend their life a little bit longer. Just make sure you do the proper methods like cold water. If you’re really scared of putting in the dryer, you can do no heat or you can just let it like air dry on the vent. I know that that might mean that your kid might not have it for very like a little bit longer, but that’s going to make them last and be clean and germfree and so that they can snuggle them until they’re in their early 30s. I think I should do jelly cats next because those are like the it toy that everybody has. My daughter had one of those, too. So, what do you guys think? What other toys do I need to wash? She could put it in the comments below.