Bath time for our loved ones

There they sit -- in the corner, on the bed, in the chair.

Or even in the basement of your Albany-area home.

They never talk back, they always smile -- if that’s their nature -- and they don’t move until you move them.

They’re your “kids,” or your kids’ “kids,” although others might refer to them by a more conventional term -- stuffed animals.

But, just like your real children, they need to be clean. The reason? So that they don’t gather dust and spread bacteria that can cause health issues.

What is the best way to clean them, though, given the delicate nature of their fur? Or their battery cases?

There are four key ways to clean your stuffed animals -- in your washing machine, by hand, by dry washing, or by vacuuming.
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The highlights of those methods come from www.fabhow.com (for full details go to this link also):

• Machine washing: While this approach can be rough on stuffed toys, there’s a simple step that can prevent damage to the toy -- just put it inside a mesh laundry bag and then wash it in the machine. Make sure you remove any attachments -- chains, crowns, slippers, etc. -- before washing the toys. Toys made with foam balls instead of regular cotton wadding, or those made with electronic equipment like a music box inside, should not be washed in the machine or with water. So after washing the non-electronic toy, remove it from the mesh bag and stretch it to restore its original shape. Clip it on a hanger and let it air-dry. Don’t put the toy in the dryer, because the heat can cause the glue and fur on the stuffed animal to melt.
• Washing by hand: The simplest and gentlest way to clean stuffed animals and toys without damaging them is to do it by hand. Use liquid dish soap in a large bowl of water to disinfect and gently clean the outer surface; just remove all the attachments and wash the different pieces of attire separately. Make sure you don’t submerge into water any toys that have electronic parts, because doing so will not only damage the equipment but also might give you a nasty electric shock. Thus, with a non-electronic toy, rinse it with clean water, then wring out excess moisture and let the toy air-dry.
• Dry washing: Baking soda is a great way to clean your furry toys. It absorbs oil and other impurities from the fur of the stuffed animals, leaving them clean with a pleasing fresh scent. For this method you’ll need plastic wrap in addition to the baking soda. First, stretch out a long piece of the wrap. Put the stuffed animal on top of it and cover it with a light coating of baking soda. Then wrap the stuffed toy completely in the plastic wrap and shake vigorously. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes; proceed to unwrap the stuffed animal and brush off the baking soda.
• Vacuum: For a basic surface cleaning of your “kids,” use a vacuum cleaner with a small attachment. Just turn it on at a low setting.

After using one of these methods -- or more than one, depending on how many furry friends you have  -- you can give the stuffed animals back to your children, or to your significant other as a sparkling surprise on Valentine’s Day or any other special day.
After all, we all want clean kids, right?