Washing stuffed animals

When I was last in the states my mom made me bring home some of my old stuffed animals. They're the ones I had when I was a baby, so they're nearly 30 years old. A couple of them have little music boxes in them.

I want to wash them before I let the girls play with them. Any recommendations? Firstly, I'm assuming the ones with music boxes are just the little metal boxes and will be fine in the wash. If they've lasted this long, surely they'll last a wash? Secondly, what kind of wash would you put them in?

Finally, I don't have a dryer, so I'm worried they'd get musty. Would you put them out to dry or put them on the radiator? Which would dry quicker? I'm more afraid that the filling will get yucky.

You might want to check for a zipper or handy seam to see if you can remove the boxes (you might be able to) or even the "outsides" of the toys and just wash those--I'm not sure that they would survive the water w/o any issues..and it wouldn't necessarily be too difficult to rip a seam, remove the box, and then stick it back later. (which would also allow you to check and make sure the insides had dried...).  I had AWFUL dust allergies growing up, and my mom washed my toys all of the time--I would say that you need to be really vigilant about the drying bit.  If you have a nice warm and sunny spot, go for outside, but if not, maybe wash one or two at a time in hot water and really try and get them as dry as possible as quickly as possible on the radiator.

Try washing them in a pillowcase on a gentle cycle, older toys don't always survive vigorous washes.

There's a way of dry washing stuffed toys by sprinkling liberally with baking soda and then brushing it all off - which is good for toys that won't survive a wash.

Yep, tie them in a pillowcase and go for a cold, gentle cycle.

I use this stuff from Lakeland made for laundering delicates, but Woolite or even a squidge of Johnson's baby shampoo will do.

Perfectly okay to dry on the radiator, but if the weather is good I have pegged cuddlies out on the line by the ears/tail, etc.

Something to keep in mind is that babies and kids can vomit quite a bit, so more special cuddlies should be for playtime as they get older rather than in the bed/cot with them (for older babies and children, of course).

I've laundered things with music boxes and such (see 'babies and kids can vomit quite a bit) and as long as you remove any batteries or bits in general it's fine.

Cheers guys. There's no way I can remove the music boxes unless I cut open the toy and I don't want to do that because my sewing skills are non-existent. I don't think they're mechanical, so there's no batteries or such to remove. You just wind it up and it sounds like those little metal prong music boxes, if you know what I'm talking about.  I'm more afraid of it rusting.

I'll give it a go on a gentle cycle. Thanks for your advice.

I would maybe use Persil Silk and Wool, as it's gentler.

If you're worried about rust just dry the metal bits by hand first, right after it's been washed, and rub in a little baby oil with a paper towel.

If you can't get to the music box part and it's metal, I would not wash them in the washing machine - I'd think they'd get ruined. I'd sponge wash them and dry them in the best sun you can get them into. Wait until summer if you have to.