# How to care for a handmade plush toy

> Washing, drying, storing and repairing a handmade plush toy so it stays soft and loved for years. Simple rules that work for any embroidered-face plushie.

![Two hands gently wiping a soft pink pipyaka plush toy clean with a white cloth on a bed.](https://pipyakas.com/articles/plush-toy-care-guide.jpg)

A handmade plush toy is built to be loved hard: carried everywhere, slept on,
occasionally dropped in questionable places. With a little care it will stay
soft and presentable for many years. These rules apply to all pipyakas and,
honestly, to most handmade plushies with embroidered faces.

## Washing

**Hand wash, cool water, mild soap.** That is the entire secret. Fill a basin
with cool water, add a small amount of gentle soap or baby shampoo, and let the
toy soak for ten minutes. Squeeze the water through the body softly; do not
scrub embroidered faces, just dab them.

**Do not wring.** Twisting a stuffed toy breaks up the filling and it never sits
quite right again. Press the water out between two towels instead.

**Skip the machine** if you can. If you absolutely must machine wash (life with
toddlers is real), use a laundry bag, the gentlest cycle, cool water, and accept
a small amount of risk to the face.

## Drying

Air dry, always. Lay the toy on a towel near a window or radiator, flip it every
few hours, and give it a full day. A slightly damp toy that goes into a toy box
becomes a science experiment. When fully dry, fluff the fabric with your fingers
or a soft brush; velour and minky come back to life beautifully.

## Everyday upkeep

- **Surface dirt:** a damp cloth and a drop of soap handle most accidents.
- **Flattened fur:** brush gently with a clean, soft toothbrush.
- **Dust baths:** toys that sit on shelves like a monthly shake-out.
- **Sun:** long direct sunlight slowly fades fabric; a spot out of the direct beam keeps colors true.

## Repairs

Handmade toys are very repairable, which is one of the best things about them. A
popped seam takes five minutes with a needle and matching thread: pinch the seam
closed and use small ladder stitches. If a pipyaka needs a repair you do not
feel confident doing (a face repair, a reattached ear after a dog incident),
write to us at pipyakasworld@gmail.com. Repairs of our toys are free forever; you pay
only the postage. We are not kidding, we would rather fix a loved toy than have
it retired.

## Storage

Store clean and completely dry, somewhere breathable. Paper bags and cotton
pillowcases are perfect; sealed plastic is not. If a toy will be stored for a
long season, add a silica packet nearby and it will come out exactly as it went
in, minus the hugs it missed.

That is all. Care is mostly common sense plus patience, exactly like the sewing.

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Source: [Pipyakas](https://pipyakas.com/), handmade plush toys sewn one at a time. Most are one of a kind. Guide page: https://pipyakas.com/articles/plush-toy-care-guide