2 ways to safely wash anti-stress pillows and toys

An anti-stress toy is most often made in the form of funny animals, faces or any other objects. Small balls of polystyrene serve as filler. It is he who brings unearthly pleasure to users. Such things appeal to people at any age, but children have a special weakness for them. Considering the great popularity of such products, they often get dirty, and you have to look for a way to safely wash the anti-stress toy, so as not to spoil either it or the washing machine mechanism.

Explore the filler

As an anti-stress component in such products, in addition to polystyrene balls, the inside may also include:

1. Buckwheat husk.
2. Flaxseeds.
3. Bamboo fiber.

If polystyrene easily tolerates contact with moisture and practically does not absorb it, then the natural components will be spoiled. Therefore, first you need to determine whether the products with the existing filler can be completely washed.

Buckwheat hulls, bamboo fiber and flax seeds should be removed. Wash only the surface cover itself. There are no such requirements for pillows with polystyrene. But there are others. They are not allowed:

1. Boil or wash in very hot water.
2. Use bleaches, especially those containing chlorine. This component will not only ruin the color of the item, but also damage the fibers. As a result, the pillow can become seriously deformed.
3. Lay out to dry on the radiator.

Now you can consider various options for cleaning toys with polystyrene fillings.

Important Tips

To increase the efficiency of washing and make it safe, you must follow the following recommendations:

1. To destroy dust mites, the item must be washed at 60 degrees.
2. Boiling helps disinfect a product, but not all fabrics can withstand such treatment.
3. You need to rinse the toy thoroughly so that no detergent remains in it.
4. If a child suffers from allergies, then there is no need to use any special laundry detergents. Substances are used to wash his bed linen and clothes.

If you have to wash the toy very often, then it is better to do it manually. This cleaning option is gentle, so the item will last longer.

You will find maximum useful information about washing clothes and various fabric products here.

Washing in a washing machine

To ensure that the anti-stress pillow does not get damaged and does not lose its properties, it is important to correctly set the regime and carry out preliminary preparation.

The procedure will be as follows:

1. Put things in a special laundry bag or just a pillowcase that you can zip up. This is done so that if the integrity of the cover is damaged, polystyrene balls do not get into the mechanism of the equipment and damage it.
2. Load toys into drum. You can wash several at once. The quantity will depend on the dimensions of each specimen. It's important not to overload. The drum of the machine should remain at least one third empty. Half is better.
3. If several elements are washed at once, they need to be checked for the quality of the dye so that the toys do not fade. To do this, perform a simple manual test and wet a small area of ​​each element. Look at the reaction of fabric and paint to warm water.
4. Pour the detergent into the appropriate compartment or directly into the drum. Regular powder is not suitable. Its particles take longer to dissolve and then are harder to rinse out. You can use washing gel or liquid wool detergent.
5. How much detergent you can take depends on the volume. The manufacturer's recommended volume should be reduced by 20%.
6. Set to delicate mode. The following types are also allowed: hand wash, wool, silk, washing blankets and pillows. Or choose the parameters yourself. Temperature no higher than 40 degrees and spin at 400 rpm or disable this option altogether.

You can run the machine or install an additional rinse program to get better results.

What are anti-stress toys made of?

Anti-stress accessories can be washed, the main thing is to do it correctly. Washing features depend on the material from which the items are made. What are fun items made from that are designed to lift the spirits of adults and children? Made from textiles. Mostly natural fabrics are used, so these toys can fully replace a pillow. They are pleasant to touch, they can be used not only in the house, but also taken with you on the road or to work.

The shape of the products varies from standard rectangular to completely unexpected solutions. They are often made in the form of animals or fairy-tale characters.

Toy pillows are most often filled with polystyrene balls; the following can also be used for filling:

• Flax-seed;
• Bamboo;
• Buckwheat husk.

How to wash by hand

When considering the question of whether it is possible to properly wash an anti-stress pillow by hand, you should follow simple recommendations:

1. Pour warm water into a basin. Fill the container halfway.
2. Add detergent. Foam the water.
3. Load the product.
4. Leave for 10-15 minutes so that the dirt comes off better.
5. Use gentle pressure movements to carry out the cleaning process. Do not twist, squeeze strongly or subject to friction.
6. Change water and rinse. Repeat the procedure 3-4 times until the water is no longer soapy.

To get rid of heavy stains, you can soap the damp item with laundry soap and let it sit for 30 minutes. After that, wash it according to the above scheme. It is also possible to use table salt, soda or weak stain removers for delicate fabrics.

What is anti-stress?

Anti-stress toys and pillows calm the nerves. Due to a combination of certain characteristics, namely colorfulness, high-quality coating and ball filler, this effect is achieved.

Anti-stress toys massage the nerve endings on the fingers and palms and develop fine motor skills in children. Pillows help you fall asleep faster and relieve insomnia. Many people use them instead of standard pillows.

A special difference is the hypoallergenic material. They do not cause allergic reactions and are absolutely safe for children and even newborns.

By pressing the squish (as anti-stress toys are called in Japan), it changes its shape and then returns. They have a sweetish odor that acts as a sedative. You can drip lavender or peppermint oil onto your squish yourself for better and quicker stress relief.

Anti-stress toys

The toy creates incredibly pleasant tactile sensations. Creates a massage effect, makes you smile and rejoice, throw away all the bad things and think about the right actions.

Drying rules

It is important not only to know how to properly carry out the washing process, but also to dry it safely. The material with which anti-stress pillows are filled does not tolerate high temperatures, so it is best to dry only naturally. It is best to do this in a well-ventilated room. It is also not recommended to expose objects to direct sunlight. The sun will negatively affect the quality of the paint.

How to dry it properly:

1. After rinsing, let the water drain a little.
2. Spread a thick terry towel on a flat surface in a well-ventilated room. It is better to choose white or close to it.
3. Place the item.
4. After 30 minutes, turn the anti-stress toy over to the other side. At the same time, place it in a dry place.

During the entire drying process, it is better to move the pillow to a dry place. This will speed up drying. If necessary, you can change the towel to a new one. Immediately after washing, you can wrap the toy in thick fabric and apply a little pressure. This way, excess water will be absorbed faster. You can take another sheet and blot the water again.

It is not prohibited to dry it in a vertical position, but then the filler will bunch down and will need to be periodically whipped. In addition, this will increase the drying time. Can be hung to dry. To do this, find a place in a draft and without direct sunlight. Turn the product over every 40-50 minutes.

Wet and dry cleaning

However, not all toys can be submerged in water. In cases where the filler is susceptible to moisture or there are mechanisms inside that cannot be removed, external cleaning is carried out. It can be wet or dry.

Before cleaning the product, it is recommended to vacuum it to remove some of the dust. Then you need to prepare a soap solution; any hypoallergenic product will do for this. It must be whipped in water to form a dense foam. It is this that needs to be picked up with a sponge and distributed over the surface of the toy. The amount of foam should not be too large so as not to wet the filler. After this, the foam should be washed off using a washcloth or microfiber cloth moistened with clean water.

To make the product especially soft to the touch, you can dilute a small amount of fabric softener with water and spray the toy using a spray bottle. Then you can start drying, it is convenient to use a hairdryer. If the toy has long pile or is made of fur, then it should be combed with a brush. Next, the item should be taken out into the fresh air - both the sun's rays and the frost will do it good.

For some toys, even minimal exposure to moisture can be detrimental. In such cases, dry cleaning is used.

1. Depending on the size, one or more items are placed in a large plastic bag.
2. Add starch or baking soda at the rate of half a glass per small product.
3. The bag is tied and shaken for some time.
4. Remove the products and clean them with a soft brush.

Baking soda or starch perfectly absorbs dirt, so the item becomes clean.

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Useful tips

It is recommended to wash anti-stress toys when they become dirty. But if it is actively used, then it is better to do it less than once a month. Then you will be able to avoid the appearance of complex stains that will take a long time to get rid of.

Additionally, even though ball toys can be washed by hand and in the washing machine, there are some rules to follow:

1. Be sure to read instructions and labels. As a last resort, if there are none, ask the seller at the time of purchase. The product is not always machine washable. Some specimens require the utmost care.
2. Over time, anti-stress pillows decrease in volume. This is not a reason to throw it in the trash. After all, the filler can be purchased separately. This can be done in specialized stores or almost every furniture showroom.
3. Toys and pillows with balls are always not only very pleasant to the touch, but also have bright colors. To prevent them from losing their colors during washing, you can add a few drops of ammonia.
4. While rinsing, you can add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil. But it is better to give preference to lavender, lemon balm or sage. This will give the toy a soft aroma and enhance the relaxing effect.
5. Using removable pillowcases will help reduce the number of washes. But this rule only applies to pillows. There's no way to save time with toys

Thus, washing anti-stress pillows and toys is not much different from washing ordinary toys. But in order for the process to be absolutely safe, it is recommended to strictly follow the manufacturer’s care recommendations and not use aggressive detergents.

Main types

The world of toys is wide and varied, like a child’s imagination. There you can meet all kinds of flora and fauna, cartoon and fairy tale characters, even representatives of the automotive industry.

They can be divided into several conditional groups:

• educational, include soft books, rugs and small-sized construction sets;
• musical, thanks to built-in mechanisms they produce a certain set of words, sounds or melodies;
• standard ones, such as stuffed animals, birds or fish;
• multifunctional, having in their arsenal sound, light or other types of effects at the same time.

The world of toys is wide and diverse

The selected varieties reflect only part of the world of soft toys. All of them can still be divided by size, relation to different cultures and countries, and materials of manufacture.

Children, as a rule, do not pay attention to these subtleties, limiting themselves to a simple choice: either like it or not. And regardless of the type, all plush products need to be cleaned.

Toys for newborns

In babies under one year of age, immunity is not fully formed. It is necessary to handle everything with which the child has direct contact. This does not mean that the fur bear should be boiled after each fall on the floor. With regular wet cleaning, the floor will be, if not sterile, then clean.

It is enough to adhere to the basic rules for the hygiene of your baby’s plush companions:

1. Immediately after purchase, you should read the information on the tag. After this, it will become clear whether machine and hand washing is possible, or dry cleaning only.
2. If the product can be washed, you should use baby powder or laundry soap.
3. In some interactive models, it is possible to remove the mechanism and then return it to its place after washing.
4. To maintain the richness of the colors and the softness of the pile, you can use baby fabric conditioner.
5. Electronic mechanisms are disinfected with alcohol or an antibacterial solution, such as chlorhexidine.
6. Finally, the toys are dried; you can speed up the process with a hairdryer.

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How to care for soft toys

After such preparation, you can safely give the new comrade to the child. With further use, fluffy dust collectors should be washed at least once a week. Otherwise, there is a risk of dust mites appearing in them.

And it, in turn, can provoke various types of allergies and respiratory diseases, including bronchial asthma.

Weekly treatments include:

• cleaning plastic and wooden parts with a damp cloth;
• processing lint or fabric with a vacuum cleaner;
• wet processing of pile or fabric.

Regardless of the frequency of cleaning your plush friends, their abundance in a newborn’s crib poses a certain danger. While playing, the baby can bury his nose in them and suffocate. Therefore, the constant presence of soft toys in the baby's sleeping area is not recommended.