Can I Machine Wash Felt Toys?

Why do I have to be Careful with Felt Toys?

Felt is made by compressing, heating and meshing wool or synthetic fibres together. This process involves heat, water and agitation and gives felt its distinctive appearance and qualities. However, it does make it a little bit more difficult to clean felt because the cleaning process typically involves heat, water and agitation which can ruin the felt.

Can I make my own Felt Toy?

Yes you can. It can be really easy to make a  felt soft toy.  We have a free pattern for a mini felt bear which is really easy to make and a perfect project for beginners. If you click here you will be able to read the tutorial about how to make the mini stuffed toy and then when you subscribe, you'll receive the free pattern with the full instructions. When you've read through this blog you'll also have all of the information that you need when the mini bear gets dirty and needs to be cleaned.

Why Would Heat Ruin the Felt?

Because the fibres have already been treated by heat, water and agitation, they have formed themselves into a fabric. The nature of this fabric means that if these processes are applied to the felt again, it will continue to shrink together and become even more tightly interwoven and become even more felted. If the felt has been made into a felt toy, the last thing you want to happen is for the toy to shrink and the felt to become thick and distorted from it's original shape.

What do you do when the Felt Teddy Bear gets Dirty?............

Surface Cleaning is Best

If possible, the best way to clean the dirt off a felt toy is to surface clean it. That means, clean the dirt off the surface without having to submerge the toy into water. First of all leave the dirt to dry. When it is completely dry you can either use a small hand hoover that is not too powerful or very carefully use a soft brush to gently brush the dirt off. Do not brush too hard or you will make the felt bobble and you could wear some of the felt away into a hole.

Hand Washing is the Next Best Option

If surface cleaning does not work, the next best thing is to hand wash the felt toy. Fill a bowl of water with cool or cold water. Do not use hot water under any circumstances because that will distort the felt. Add a very, very tiny amount of gentle detergent, preferably one that is intended to be used to wash wool items. Very gently submerge the felt toy into the water and gently squeeze the water out. If there is dirt in a particular spot then gently rub it off. Squeeze the toy again several times.. Hang the toy up so that all of the water can drain out and let it air dry. The felt may feel a little bit stiffer when it dries but with a little bit of handling, it will soften up again.

Add a Lemon

If the toy has something spilled on it such as milk that will smell if left, squeeze a lemon into the bowl of hand-washing water. The anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties of the lemon will get rid of any germs and leave a nice smell. If the felt contains wool, the wool has natural anti-bacterial properties but not enough to be able to leave the toy with a large amount of dirt on it.

Finally, use the Washing Machine

If the toy is really dirty and can't be cleaned by surface washing or hand washing, use the washing machine. It will need to go on the most gentle setting on a cool wash. Only use mild detergent that is intended for wool products and do not use the tumble drier under any circumstances as that will shrink the felt and ruin it.

What Next?

If you have enjoyed this blog post, please share it with your friends on social media. Subscribe and you will receive a free beginners felt toy pattern and also get all of our news and stories.