Has your child’s cuddly toy torn? Has its arm or leg broken? Is the stuffing starting to leak?
Don’t panic! These things happen quite often. And that’s no reason to throw it in the bin or replace it. In any case, a comforter can be repaired.
And you don’t have to call in a specialist surgeon to do it. With the right tools, you can repair your child’s soft toy yourself. But how can you do it?
That’s what we’re going to explain in this article! But first..
Why repair a soft toy?
A soft toy in poor condition doesn’t have to be thrown away! Everything can still be repaired. Plush repairs are an excellent way of saving money. You won’t need to take out your wallet to buy a new one.
But more importantly, it allows you to keep the object with which your baby has formed a strong bond. It’ll be hard for him to get rid of it if it’s not time yet. The cuddly toy is unique and baby won’t want to be exchanged for anything else. In fact, his little companion plays an important role in his psychological development.
Want to find out more? We invite you to read our article on why a cuddly toy is important for a child.
What’s more, if it was yours when you were little, a comforter repair can give it a second life. Seeing your old childhood companion will certainly bring back pleasant memories. And when it’s mended, you can give it to your child as a present, so that it can become his or her best friend.
In short, there are many good reasons to repair a damaged or torn plush toy. All we’re saying is that it’s better to keep and repair than to throw away. What’s more, it will do our planet a world of good! So let’s get back to the main subject of our article: how to repair a damaged comforter?
How do you repair a teddy bear?
Has your baby’s teddy bear been damaged? Or do you simply want to bring an old teddy back to life?
The type of repair you need to adopt depends on the condition of the soft toy you want to repair. If it’s new (or recent), but just damaged, you may not need to gut it. A simple stitch may be enough to restore it to its original condition.
On the other hand, if it’s an old cuddly toy that you want to bring back to life, cleaning will be essential. To avoid any risk of infection or allergy, you’ll need to remove the dust and other dirt it has accumulated while it’s been in the cellar or attic.
All you have to do is follow these five simple steps for a successful comforter repair:
Step 1: Gather the materials you need to repair your comforter
A good surgeon needs to have all the materials and accessories necessary for the operation he’s about to perform. In our case, just four things will suffice:
- A scalpel or a pair of scissors;
- A textile thread that matches the original colour of the cuddly toy;
- A needle;
- A thimble.
And that’s it! You should already have most of these materials at home. If you don’t, you can probably find some at the DIY shop next door.
Step 2: Empty the comforter
Now that all the comforter repair materials are in place, you can move on to the next step: emptying the stuffed animal.
Remember, you don’t need to go through this stage if the comforter is new or recent. In either of these cases, you’ll need to go straight to step 5, or step 3 if the toy hasn’t been cleaned for a while.
In short, to empty the stuffed toy to be repaired, you need to use a scalpel or scissors. The tool will allow you to detach the main seam of the cuddly toy.
This is usually on the back. But it’s also possible to find it elsewhere. If the toy has long fur, don’t be afraid to pull it apart so you can see the seam behind it.
Once you’ve found it, all you have to do is cut out the seam (but not all of it) and extract the stuffing. You’ll see, it will smell of mould and won’t be very healthy. So it’s best to get rid of it as soon as possible and replace it.
Otherwise, now that the comforter is empty, don’t hesitate to clean the inside thoroughly to remove any odours left by the old stuffing. To simplify the task, you can turn the plush skin inside out. Then just vacuum it up to make sure all the dirt has been removed.
Once that’s done, you can move on to the next stage of the comforter repair: cleaning the plush.
Step 3: cleaning and washing the plushie
Vacuuming isn’t enough to completely disinfect your plush toy. You’ll also need to wash it thoroughly to ensure it’s completely clean. There are three ways to do this:
- Machine washing ;
- Dry cleaning;
- Hand washing.
Note that the first option is not suitable for all plush toys. Some models are not machine washable. Before cleaning your soft toy, you should start by reading the product label. The appropriate cleaning method is usually indicated on the label.
If it can be machine-washed, make sure you wrap it in a pillowcase before putting it in the washing machine. Don’t forget to add fabric softener and a special liquid detergent for wool.
For a gentler, more effective dry clean, you can use different products. Among the most commonly used are a mixture of bicarbonate and flour, dry shampoo and potato.
Finally, if you prefer the good old-fashioned method of washing by hand, use lukewarm water and a mild cleaning product. In general, we recommend using drops of shampoo. But before you do anything, always take the time to check the label and see if your baby’s comforter is hand-washable or not.
In short, here are a few methods of washing your baby’s comforter that you may find useful in your plush repair process. If you’d like more details on how to do this, our article on how to clean a soft toy will give you some.
Step 4: Stuff the plush
Now that the plush is clean, you can proceed to stuffing it. But first, make sure it’s completely dry. After washing, it’s best to leave it to dry in the sun for a few hours, or even a whole day. Once that’s done, all that’s left is to stuff it.
Of course, there’s no question of putting back the padding you removed. It’s better to replace it with new stuff. Naturally, you can choose between different types of padding. But for greater softness and comfort, opt for cotton stuffing.
When it comes to stuffing, it’s important to start with the head. Make sure you don’t forget its various parts, such as the nose, ears and trunk if it’s an elephant plush.
Then move on to the cuddly toy’s limbs: its arms and legs, as well as its tail if it has one. At this stage, the cuddly toy repair is almost complete! And there’s just one last step to take to make the cuddly toy as good as new again.
Step 5: Sew up the comforter
When it comes to stuffing the body, first grab the sewing thread, needle and thimble. You’ll need to sew up the back of the cuddly toy until there’s just enough space to put your hand.
Not too comfortable using a needle? Don’t panic! Sewing a comforter is a fairly straightforward operation that you can probably manage. All you have to do is use a fairly large needle and make loops with the thread. That’s the easiest way to do it! But if you have a better technique, don’t hesitate to use it.
After sewing, taking care to leave a small space for your hand, you can continue stuffing the body and back until the comforter is quite full. When it is, all that’s left to do is the final stitching. The comforter repair is now complete!
Your child’s cuddly toy, or yours, is as good as new. He’ll be able to play with it again.
Conclusion on how to repair a soft toy
Now you know that you can repair a soft toy without having to spend a fortune or go to a professional. You can repair your soft toy yourself. All you need is the right tools for the job. And the list is short. You won’t need much equipment: just a needle, a textile thread and a pair of scissors or a scalpel.
If you follow it carefully, the procedure we’ve described in this article will ensure a successful comforter repair. However, not all damage can be repaired. If your child’s cuddly toy is too badly damaged, it’s sometimes better to replace it with a new one. And on My-plush.ie, you can find a wide range of plush toys that will make excellent cuddly toys for your little one.