Chester the Tiger has been on the receiving end of the worst of DD's tummy bug. How best to freshen him up?

[swottybetty]

and i'm not talking puke here. i washed him with johnsons shampoo and then a bit of dettol but he still smells awful. dh thinks bung him in a pillowcase then the washing machine but i am not convinced he will survive. poor dd, she is still not well and tonight had to go to sleep without him for first time in her 19months

[Bumpinthenight]

We've had to wash my 22mth olds dolly twice now.

Once last week - her first wash after having her for a year (I couldn't bear the thought of her crying). And today after a major bleeding accident.

Both times I have put her in the washing machine (she is labelled sponge clean only) I put her on a syntheic wash at 30. First time on "Quick wash", low spin, tonight on full power and 900 spin!!! Tonight I whipped dolly out of bed after bedtime duties, she is currently on the radiator drying in time for the morning!

She has survived to tell the tale both times!

Bicarb of soda may help get rid of the smell.

[tutu100]

I have always washed my ds1's teddy bear which is marked surface wash only in the washing machine. I wash him at 40 with other clothing and he has always come out looking nearly like new. I just make sure that he is thoroughly dried before giving him back to ds1.

I did have 2 bears though, so the first time I washed him I did know that if anything went wrong I had a replacement.

[Ponders]

Make a solution of bicarb big enough to dunk him in, then wash him in your machine (inside a pillowcase best idea as your dh suggests)

[swottybetty]

cheers guys, went for the washing machine and he survived. dd ver happy

(tutu, my mum won chester at a fun fair. dd has about twenty soft toys and its the fun fair one she is inseparable from )

[stealthsquiggle]

I go further - following their ride in the washing machine, precious animals go for another, gentler, ride in the tumble drier - again in a pillowcase, with a clippit to stop them escaping, and a tennis ball (outside pillowcase) to soften them up.

Even exceptionally fluffy white bunnies have come up good as new.