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TOY CRANE / Caring for plush prizes

Caring for Plush Prizes — Washing, Drying and Storing the Plushies You Win

The plush you worked so hard to win slowly gathers dust and flattens on the shelf. A little care keeps it looking the way it did the day it dropped down the chute.

Last updated: 2026-10-30 · GOGOCOM

1. Start with the label

Before cleaning anything, find the care label, usually a small fabric tag in a side or bottom seam. It typically lists the outer fabric and filling, washing symbols, the maker and any age warning.

• Materials: polyester fabric with polyester fibre filling is usually washable. Long-pile fur or fillings that include small pellets or beads need more care.
• Symbols: a tub with a hand means hand wash; a crossed-out tub means do not wash in water; a number in the tub is the maximum water temperature. A circle inside a square relates to tumble drying, and a cross through it means no dryer.
• Warnings such as "surface wash only" should simply be followed.

Some prize plushies have no label or one only in another language. In that case start with the gentlest method, spot cleaning, and move to hand washing only if you must. Never submerge a plush with a sound box, batteries or electronics; remove them first if you can, otherwise stick to spot cleaning.

2. Spot clean small marks

Most of the time a full wash is unnecessary.

1. Remove dust with a soft clothes brush or clean toothbrush, following the direction of the pile. A vacuum with a brush head on low suction works too; avoid eyes and decorations.
2. Mix a mild solution: lukewarm water with a little gentle detergent, such as wool wash or a few drops of mild washing-up liquid.
3. Dab, do not scrub. Use a well-wrung cloth or sponge; scrubbing mats the fur and causes pilling.
4. Rinse by dabbing with a cloth dampened in clean water. Leftover detergent attracts dust later.
5. Press dry with a towel, smooth the pile and air-dry in the shade.

Test any new detergent on a hidden spot like the sole of a foot, and dab dark plushies with a white cloth first to check for colour transfer.

3. Full washes: by hand or in a mesh bag

If the label allows water washing, hand washing is the safest choice. Use lukewarm water and mild detergent (hot water can mat fur and loosen glued parts), then gently squeeze and release like a sponge rather than rubbing or twisting. Rinse in fresh water until no suds appear so no detergent stays in the filling. Press water out with your hands, then roll the plush in a large towel and press firmly.

If the label allows a machine:

• Put the plush in a mesh laundry bag sized to fit, so it does not tangle or snag its decorations.
• Choose a wool or delicate cycle with cold or lukewarm water.
• Keep the spin short and gentle; a hard spin distorts the shape and clumps the filling.
• Adding a few low-lint towels cushions it in the drum.

Hand wash old plushies, weakened seams, bead-filled or long-pile ones. Always check seams first and sew up even small holes, or filling may escape.

4. Drying and fluffing

Drying matters more than washing: a plush that stays damp inside can smell or grow mould.

• Dry in a shaded, airy spot; direct sun can fade colours.
• Lay it flat on a rack and turn it now and then. Pegging it by the ears or tail can stretch them.
• Large plushies often stay wet inside after the surface feels dry. Give an extra day and squeeze the body to check.
• A fan on low speeds up drying.
• Use a tumble dryer only if the label allows, and only on low heat; high heat stiffens fur and can loosen glued eyes.

Once dry, fluff it up: brush lightly along the pile, knead clumped filling back into place and pat it into shape. Brushing matted areas while still slightly damp makes them easier to loosen.

5. Odours, dust mites and sun fading

Odours: for plushies you cannot wash, put the plush in a bag with a little baking soda, shake, leave for a few hours to a day, then brush or vacuum out every trace. Test on dark fabric first, as powder can leave white marks. A day hanging in an airy, shaded spot also helps. Spraying strong fragrance directly can stain and just mixes smells.

Dust mites can matter to people with allergies:

• Wash regularly if the label permits. Hotter washes are commonly recommended, but never exceed the label temperature.
• For unwashable plushies, a common approach is to seal it in a bag and freeze it overnight, then let it return to room temperature, dry off any condensation fully and brush or vacuum it.
• Keep only one or two plushies on the bed and display the rest elsewhere.

Sun fading: plushies by a window often fade on one side only, and bright pinks and blues show it quickly. Display them out of direct sunlight, or use curtains and rotate them occasionally.

6. Storage and display

• A glass-fronted cabinet is the best dust defence and means fewer washes. On open shelves, brush them lightly about once a week.
• Long-term storage needs airflow. Sealed plastic in a humid room invites mould and odours. Use cotton bags or breathable boxes with a moisture absorber, and make sure plushies are fully dry first.
• Avoid crushing. Over-packed boxes flatten shapes and set the pile. Big plushies at the bottom, small ones on top.
• Keeping tags? Many collectors keep paper tags intact; a small clear tag protector helps, and tags should stay dry. Some keep a display copy and a play copy.
• Display by theme, by series, colour or animal, just like organising TOY CRANE's collection book.

7. Safety for small children

Arcade plushies often end up with younger siblings or children. Check these points first:

• Read age warnings. Some prize plushies are not made to toy-safety standards for young children and may carry an age warning. Keep those for display.
• Look for small parts. Plastic eyes and noses, buttons, ribbons, bells and keychain rings can come loose and are a choking hazard. Tug gently; if anything wobbles, do not give it to a small child.
• Check seams and filling, especially in bead-filled plushies, and repair or set aside any that are splitting.
• Remove long cords and loops that could wrap around a neck.
• Keep plushies out of a young baby's sleep space, as is generally advised.
• Wash before gifting, following the label, since prizes may have sat in a machine for a long time.

A well-kept plush keeps the memory of the win alive. Both the real one in your hand and the one in your in-game collection are worth looking after. To sharpen your instincts before your next arcade visit, read the how-to-play guide and How claw machines work.