These are general tips for crocheted items. We have not published a tested wash method for our animals, and wash guidance is still being confirmed. What we say is that they are easy to clean.
Start with the lightest option
- Brush off dust with a soft, dry brush or the flat of your hand.
- Wipe a mark with a clean cloth dampened in cool water.
- If the mark stays, put a tiny amount of mild soap on the cloth and dab. Do not scrub.
- Dab again with a cloth wet with clean water to lift the soap.
- Let the animal dry in the air, in a shaded, airy place.
The close, even stitches on this giraffe's neck are easy to dab. Light colours show marks more than dark ones, so check a cream or white animal in good light before you put it away.
Manes and fringes
A mane of loose yarn strands, like this lion's, catches dust the way a fringe does. Brush it gently in the direction the strands lie. Pulling hard can tangle them.
What we would avoid until we know more
- Soaking a whole animal, because we have not confirmed how the filling behaves when wet.
- Machine washing, for the same reason.
- Direct heat, such as a heater or a hot sun, which can change how yarn feels.
- Hard scrubbing, which roughs up the surface of the yarn.
Test first
On any animal, try your method on a small hidden spot first, such as under an arm or on a foot. If colour comes off onto the cloth, stop.
How often, and where to keep it
Clean only when there is something to clean. Most crocheted animals need a gentle brush now and then, not a wash. Keep them somewhere dry with air around them, and not shut in a sealed bag, so that damp does not collect.
When to message us
Send a photo of the mark and we will tell you what we know. If we do not know, we will say so.
Care advice will grow as we confirm more. When it does, it will go on the care page first, and this post will point there.
