How to Clean Mildew From Stuffed Toys
Mildew develops on most any surface. You wash the mildew and its accompanying stains and odors off the majority of surfaces with bleach or disinfectant solution, but this method won't work on all surfaces without causing damage. Stuffed animals become misshapen or ruined when soaked in bleach solution, put through the wash machine or dried in the dryer. Treat mildewed stuffed animals in the same manner you treat other non-washable surfaces, such as upholstery, to keep the stuffed toys in the best shape possible. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Clean towels
- Vacuum
- Spray bottle
- 1 cup ammonia
- Clean cloths
- Baking soda
- Plastic bag
Instructions
-
-
1
Place clean towels in a sunny location outdoors. Set the mildewed stuffed toys on the towels so the sun is shining on them. Allow the toys to sit in the sun for a few hours to kill mildew and deodorize the toys.
-
2
Remove mildew spores with your vacuum. Vacuum off the surface of the stuffed toys to remove dead mildew spores. Use an upholstery attachment for more gentle vacuuming. Throw out the vacuum bag when you're finished.
-
-
3
Ammonia spray safely kills any remaining mildew and removes the stains from stuffed toys. Combine 1 cup ammonia with 1 cup cool water in a spray bottle. Spray the surface of your stuffed toys with the ammonia solution. Wipe the toys off with a clean, dry cloth.
-
4
Allow your stuffed toys to air dry completely.
-
5
Treat any residual musty mildew odor by placing the toys in a plastic bag and sprinkling baking soda over the toys. Seal the bag and shake it to distribute the odor-absorbing baking soda. Take the toys out after a few hours and vacuum the baking soda off.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Stuffed toys that are washable can be washed with laundry detergent and 1 cup white vinegar to kill mildew.
Make sure stuffed animals are dry before storing away in plastic containers.
Mildew-infested stuffing may have to be replaced on old stuffed animals.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images vacuum cleaner image by vb_photo from Fotolia.com green spray bottle image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
