Tips for Sanitizing Stuffed Animals, Other Non-Washables

[anonomom]

We're dealing with Norovirus right now, and last night I wasn't able to get to DS quick enough to prevent his pillow pet from getting splashed with grossness. Some also soaked through to his foam mattress pad.

I'm putting most of his bedding through my washer's sanitary cycle and spraying all hard surfaces down with a bleach solution, but these two things would be destroyed by that harsh of a cycle and of course can't be bleached. Do y'all have any ideas on how I could sanitize these two items?

[rin]

Just brainstorming, but what about washing the pillow pet on gentle and then letting it bake in the sun for a day?

[lizzywednesday]

Will the Pillow Pet fit in a pillow case or mesh lingerie bag/laundry bag? That's your best shot at having it run through the washer intact.

As for the foam mattress pad, I'd take it to the laundromat & use a large (they will probably call it a "triple load" or "quad load" machine) front loader.

[Mikey0709]

I think i've washed pillow pets with no problem before - - on a regular cycle though. i think i read on the tag it was ok - - - i probably would give it a try.

[lil_acorn]

BTDT, I have washed the pillow pet before without issue.

[mommylamb]

A while ago DS2 puked all over his favorite lovey, and the smart ladies here encouraged me to put him in a pillow case and throw him in the wash. He came out fine.

[twowhat?]

Every stuffed animal I have ever washed (I put them in a lingerie bag) AND dried has come out perfectly. We regularly wash the most favorite stuffies every couple of months or so because they get carried EVERYWHERE and get gross!

[daniele_ut]

I have washed all the pillow pets in our house multiple times and they come out just fine.

[hellokitty]

Every stuffed animal I have ever washed (I put them in a lingerie bag) AND dried has come out perfectly. We regularly wash the most favorite stuffies every couple of months or so because they get carried EVERYWHERE and get gross!

Same here. My kids sometimes are asked to their a stuffed animal to school or when we travel, they will take one. I ALWAYS wash them and they come out fine.

[lizzywednesday]

As a follow up, the only Pillow Pet type things you CANNOT wash are the ones with lights inside - those are spot-clean only because the water will damage the connections.

I've always tossed stuffed animals into the washer & run them through the dryer; I use the regular cycle and mesh lingerie and laundry bags. You can use a pillowcase as well.

They've always come through fine, even the cheapie ones. The only stuff I wouldn't run through the wash is anything with those weird styrofoam-like pellets inside, like things you'd win on the Boardwalk.