Friday, September 4, 2015

Mistakes in Stuffed Toy Care

Stuffed animals are considered classic pieces in the toy industry. Their undeniable and timeless charm has made them one of the most in demand pieces then and now. In fact, a lot of us have one and that does not only apply to kids but to adults as well who are considered kids at heart. Despite of such fondness for the said toy, a lot of us still commit mistakes in terms of care and maintenance. This is bad news as it can speed up the wear and tear process of your toys. To help get us warned about them, Steiffteddybears.co.uk has the following list for us.

1. Lack of proper storage space

You need to allot ample clean space to house all of your stuffed animals. You can do this in many ways from open shelving, toy cages and bins to name a few. These are particularly useful for children given that they play with them repeatedly. It also makes for ease in cleaning as you will only have to stash them within one container. For collectibles however, you will need a special shelving unit particularly one with glass walls to allow for a great display and at the same time keep them away from dirt.

2. Packing them in plastic under humid conditions

If you need to store them for prolonged periods, it is advised to use either cardboard boxes or plastic bins. Do not by any means store them inside plastic bags especially if the place is humid and is prone to moisture development. That can make the fur rot and smell bad.

3. Improper washing techniques

When washing any stuffed toy whether done by hand or with a machine, see to it that you only make use of lukewarm water. Never by any means use warm or hot as it can cause the color to fade out and any plastic made accessory to melt out. At the same time, only use mild soap with no traces of bleach. When drying you can do it by machine, a hand held dryer at the cool setting or air dried but never hang it up or leave t out in the open sun.

4. Prolonged exposure to heat

As mentioned earlier, heat can cause the fur color to fade out. Any plastic made accessory such as buttons may also melt out alongside the softening of adhesive or glue. This applies not only to the washing process but also to the storage.

Remember the above tips from Steiffteddybears.co.uk to keep your toys all clean and bright!