Washing Question

[christinanthemum]

I made a stuffed horse and stuffed it with the only thing they had in the house where I was - plastic grocery bags.

 

So I was wondering, any idea how that would wash and dry in a machine? I'm afraid of melting the bags or not getting it dry enough and mold settling inside it.

 

Reason being, it's just sitting around my house being a decoration instead of being a joy to a kid. I don't want to give it away as a toy if it can't be washed.

 

Help?

[Craw]

I'd be worried that the bags wouldn't dry either and you can't put them in the dryer. Any way you can open it and un-stuff the plastic and re-stuff it with regular stuffing? Gee, too bad as that would have been a great use for those dumb plastic grocery bags!

[Nila]

I wouldn't know for sure, but you might be able to get away with surface cleaning...

[mamarose22]

I have washed and dried my plastic shower sheets and tablecloths with out any problems. I don't know about the grocery bags as they are much lighter in weight. I don't think it would be a problem washing it on a gentle cycle for a very short time. Then let it dry naturally. When dry, tumble dry for a very short time to fluff them up. However, I don't think a toy stuffed with plastic bags is very good for a child who might chew on the toy. They could possibly manage to bite off bits of the plastic, also it wouldn't have the same soft squishy feeling that a regular stuffed toy has. I would try to undo the seams and re=stuff with regular stuffing.

[Knit Happens]

plastic bag stuffing sounds like a realllllly bad idea...I would think if it was washed and air dryed, the bags would mold - and they probably would melt in the dryer....better to unstuff and restuff it with polyfil or something similar

[shortylam]

Un-stuff and re-stuff seems like a good idea. I hope you still have the same color threads, otherwise invisible threads work great to resew the seams after re-stuffing with polyfill.

[VintageEnthusiast]

Depending how dirty they are, the stuffed toys I make, I just surface clean.

[im_a_nutcase372]

Maybe you could sponge-wash the outside...or if something happens to it, also spray it with like lysol or something.

[christinanthemum]

Sorry I lost this thread....

 

Thanks for all the replies, I can't really unstuff it, as I tie really tight knots and usually can't untie them.

 

I guess I'll just keep it as my own personal toy, surface cleaning as needed, and just make another if I want to give it away.

 

*sigh*

 

 

It was one of those almost genius ideas, as it's actually a pretty soft toy, until you think about washing it...