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How to Make Stuffed Animal Soft Again

Written By Wednesday, June 1, 2022 Add Comment Edit

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After being subjected to years of relentless hugging, squishing and being dragged through the dirt, your teddy bear will harbour grime that it has accumulated over the years, will have failing seams through which the stuffing is falling out, and won't be soft and cuddly anymore. But no teddy is ready for the trash; your teddy can likely be rehabilitated and made ready for the next generation, as this 25 year old bear was.

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  1. 1

    If your bear does not already have a hole in a seam through which the stuffing can be removed, very carefully open a straight seam (such as the back seam) by cutting the seam thread with a pair of scissors, a very sharp knife, or a seam ripper. Remove all of the stuffing and discard.[1]

  2. 2

    Very gently hand-wash the now empty fur in warm water with a mild laundry detergent. Rinse well with warm water. Repeat these steps as necessary, until the wash water no longer becomes coloured with the dirt that may come out of the fur. Gently squeeze (do not wring) the fur to remove most of the water.[2]

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  3. 3

    Remove the excess water by placing an old towel on the floor, placing the bear on the towel, folding the towel over the bear, then standing on it. This will squeeze excess water from the fur without wringing it, which could damage the fabric.[3]

  4. 4

    Blow dry the bear with a blow dryer, being careful not to scorch the fur. Allow it to further air dry overnight to ensure the seams are completely dry.

  5. 5

    Tease out the matted knots if the bear's fur was matted, after the bear is dry. A dental pick works well. Work the pick through the knots, being careful not to pull the fur out.

  6. 6

    Turn the teddy bear inside out to examine each seam for holes and to examine the thread which may be, if the teddy bear is very old, weak and rotten. Sew the holes closed and reinforce the seams as needed, using either a needle and thread or a sewing machine. If a needle and thread is used, be sure to place the stitches close together and pull each stitch tight.[4]

  7. 7

    Turn the bear right side out. Examine the seams and areas you've stitched to ensure the seams are tight and the stitches are invisible from the outside. Tight seams are crucial!

  8. 8

    Replace missing eyes if necessary. Buttons work well.

  9. 9

    Fill each of the legs and arms using a ball of polyester fiberfill approximately 6 times the size of the volume of the cavity to be filled, packing each very tightly. Using one ball for each arm and leg is better than filling them with many smaller balls of fiberfill.[5]

  10. 10

    Fill the head and body cavity, using one large clump of fiberfill for each. Pack tightly, ensuring there is enough fiberfill to make the arm, leg and neck joints firm.

  11. 11

    Sew the seam closed that you've packed the fiberfill through.

  12. 12

    Comb the fur to make it fluffy.

  13. 13

    Dress your teddy in nice, clean clothes, if you and (s)he agree on it.

  14. 14

    Take care of your newly refurbished teddy. It'll be good for decades to come.

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Add New Question

  • Question

    I have a new teddy bear that has filling that sounds like it might be hay or something coarse. How do I go about replacing the filling?

    Community Answer

    You may be able to use the filling from pillows. Alternatively, craft stores sell stuffing in large bags that would be suitable.

  • Question

    How could I do that to my teddy? He has feelings.

    Community Answer

    Tell him he is going to hospital and has to have an operation and make it fun. After all, he will love his new look at the end and so will you.

  • Question

    Can I use this method if my teddy bear has a zipper?

    Community Answer

    Yes; because of the zipper, it will be easy to replace stuffing. Just unzip it and take out the old stuffing, replace with new stuffing and zip it back up.

  • Question

    Where can I get filling?

    Community Answer

    Most superstores and dollars stores carry it.

  • Question

    Do you think I will need to do all that if I bought it at a thrift store?

    Community Answer

    It depends how old the teddy bear seems to be. If it looks to be in good condition, great! If you can see loose stitching and matted fur, it might be time to refurbish.

  • Question

    I have a teddy. She doesn't need to be re-stuffed yet, but her paws are filled with bean bag beans. The rest is stuffing. How would I go about this?

    swaggycooldragon

    swaggycooldragon

    Community Answer

    You can put dried rice in the paws, or take some bean bag beans out of a bean bag.

  • Question

    My teddy is fine, but its head is dangling slightly like there is no stuffing in that area. What can I do about this?

    Community Answer

    You could cut the bear on a seam and fill it with more stuffing in that area.

  • Question

    If my teddy bear's fur is made out of very expensive material, should I still do this?

    Community Answer

    It depends on how bad the bear's condition is. If it has rips and tears, yes.

  • Question

    What do I do if the fur is very knotty?

    Community Answer

    Dampen the fur and brush it lightly (if you do it too hard, the fur might rip out), then wait for it to dry.

  • Question

    My dog ripped the face off my collectible teddy bear. How can I fix this?

    Community Answer

    If you still have the face, try to sew it back on. If not, you could use some fabric and button eyes. The teddy may not look perfect this way, but at least it'll have a face.

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  • Use a heavy duty thread. Our example bear was stitched with a thread suitable for sewing denim.

  • If your bear does not have a hole that needs to be repaired through which you can remove the stuffing, be sure to make a hole just big enough to remove the stuff, as you will have to sew this hole closed when you are finished.

  • When sewing with a needle and thread, use an overcasting stitch.

  • Make sure you put a generous amount of stuffing in your teddy or he/she might feel old and saggy.

  • If your teddy feels a bit dusty or makes you cough, gently tube vacuum it! It works great! You could wipe him/her with a wet wipe if she/he is dirty.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

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  • Do not wring the water out of the fur! Doing so will damage the fur.

  • Use caution when refurbishing a collectible teddy bear -- it could lose its value.

  • Don't overstuff your bear. This will cause your teddy bear to be hard, not fluffy.

  • Do not immerse a bear with hardboard and metal joints. The joints will rot and/or rust. Surface wash it only!

  • Use a thimble if sewing with a needle and thread.

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Things You'll Need

  • Heavy duty thread, in a colour similar to the colour of the teddy bear
  • A fine pick, such as the dental instrument illustrated
  • Needle or sewing machine
  • Scissors
  • Thimble (if sewing with a needle and thread)
  • A bag of natural cotton or polyester fiberfill (approximately six times the size of the bear)
    • An alternative to fiberfill stuffing is worn out panty hose. If you choose to use this you won't need to take the stuffing out of the bear next time you wash it. You will be able to machine wash and dry it using gentle cycles.

About This Article

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 177,754 times.

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Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Refurbish-a-Teddy-Bear

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