Soft toys do get dirty, but there’s no need to obsessively keep putting them through the machine. They can be kept clean without over use of detergents which could eventually damage them.

If a quick vacuum for dust mites is not enough for this stuffed toy wholesale, you can put most soft toys through a machine wash. Always check the care label before washing soft toys in a washing machine, because some delicate and older toys may not be suitable for this sort of washing.

Try washing more delicate items inside a pillow case to preserve any small parts and stop them working loose on the spin cycle. Always wash them on the correct temperature, most machine washable plush toy animals will be suitable for washing on a normal wash cycle. Washing soft toys at the usual temperature should be enough to get rid of anything nasty lurking in their fur.

Some toys are suitable for tumble drying but again, check the toy care labels before attempting this. Just brush the fur up when you take the soft toy out of the drier and it should be as good as new.

Some children can be especially sensitive to the toy mites found in toy dust and bedding – and on toys. House dust mites often thrive on soft toys, so every couple of weeks, put the toys through a hot wash just to be on the safe side, if your child is sensitive or has asthma and allergies.

Another even more effective method of getting rid of mites is to put soft toys in the freezer overnight. It won’t get rid of dirt but the mites can’t survive this, and then once you’ve killed them all, take the toys out of the freezer and put any machine washable plush toys straight in the washing machine to wash away any dead mites and their droppings.

If you can, check the stuffing of a soft toy before you wash it. Sometimes the inside filling can start to degrade, although this is unlikely with modern stuffed toy animals and very occasionally the filling can harbour insects or mould. If this happens, all you can do is throw the toy away or have it restuffed.