How to Clean a Squishy, Fix Small Tears and Store It Right
How you clean a squishy depends on its material, and most of them need nothing more than lukewarm water and a drop of mild soap. Foam is the odd one out because it drinks water like a kitchen sponge. Gel squishies only ever get a wipe on the outside.
Quick answer
Dab foam with a damp cloth. Rinse soft rubber and silicone squishies under lukewarm water with mild soap and let them air-dry. A small tear in foam can take tape. A leaking gel squishy goes in the bin, and no squishy should ever get heated.
How to clean a squishy in five steps
Get a bowl of lukewarm water with a drop of mild soap. A soft cloth and a towel do the rest.
- Find out what's inside. Foam feels light and dry all the way through. A shell with gel feels heavy and smooth, and you can feel the filling move when you press.
- Brush off loose dust with dry fingers or a soft paintbrush.
- Wash the outside. Rubbery squishies and silicone can go under the running tap. Foam only gets dabbed with the damp cloth.
- Rinse the soap off so no film stays on the skin.
- Pat it dry with the towel. Then leave it out in the air until it no longer feels cool or damp to the touch. Foam takes a lot longer than the rest.
Some squishies are made for a rinse. The maker says our crunchy peanut can go under running water or get a little soap when it picks up dust from the desk.
Careful
Never heat a squishy to dry it or soften it. Keep it away from the hair dryer and the radiator, and never put it in the microwave. In August 2026 France's consumer authority DGCCRF warned about squishies that burst and caused burns after use (DGCCRF). Gel and coconut oil squishies are not for children under 3 and must never be bitten or cut open.
Cleaning by material
Labels often only show short codes. PU is the light foam that rises back slowly. TPR is a soft rubber that a lot of figures and shells are made of. Taba is the name for soft silicone squishies that you can stretch and mold. You'll find plenty of foam in our slow rising collection, the PU watermelon for example.
| Material | How to clean | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Foam (PU) | damp cloth, a little soap, dab | soaking, wringing |
| Silicone (taba) | lukewarm water, mild soap | hot water, sharp nails |
| Soft rubber (TPR) | rinse under clean water | hot water, scissors |
| Gel or coconut oil | wipe the outside only | heat, cutting, glue |
The care notes come from the makers of our own products. Where a maker says nothing, the row shows the usual gentle way. Our silicone taba hamster daifuku, for example, comes with no care note at all.
Why is my squishy sticky?
Sticky and torn at the same time? Check first whether filling is getting out. It takes a few seconds.
Try it yourself
The tissue test: wrap the squishy in a dry paper tissue and press gently for a few seconds. A wet or greasy spot on the tissue means the shell leaks. Then stop squeezing it and throw it away.
If the tissue stays dry, it's usually just a film of dust and skin oil. Wash it as in the steps above and let it dry completely. Then feel again.
Still tacky after the wash? Wash it once more with a bit more soap and rinse more thoroughly. Some people then dust it very lightly with baby powder or cornflour. Like every home remedy in this guide, that's a widespread tip we haven't checked ourselves. Use only a pinch and tap off whatever stays loose.
With a coconut oil filling, a greasy film on the shell can mean a leak. The maker of our coconut oil Christmas ball says it should feel neither sticky nor oily. If one like that suddenly turns greasy, do the tissue test straight away instead of washing it.
A silicone squishy that is sticky straight out of the bag is a different story. Badly mixed silicone can stay tacky, and powder only hides it. Send us photos instead (see the FAQ).
Can you fix a torn squishy?
Sometimes. A small tear in foam is mostly a cosmetic problem. Clear tape over the spot is the quick fix many people use first.
A flexible fabric or craft glue is the usual tip for something longer lasting: a thin line into the tear, press the edges together and let it dry fully. The gluing is a job for an adult. Skip super glue, because it sets hard and the spot stops squishing.
A nick in soft rubber (TPR) doesn't take glue the way foam does, so do the tissue test above if the squishy has a filling and leave the nick alone or replace the squishy if it doesn't.
A torn gel squishy is not a repair job. Put it in a bag and throw it away, then wash your hands and every surface the filling touched with soap and water. A glued shell can burst again with the next hard squeeze. Our guide are squishies safe? explains why fillings came up in most of the 2026 warnings.
Squishy storage
Store squishies the way you'd store chocolate. Shade and normal room temperature suit them best. A sunny windowsill is a poor spot because it gets warm fast.
A closed box keeps the desk dust off, and the original packaging often does the job. Give gel squishies a bag of their own so a leak can't reach the rest. If a child under 3 lives with you, they go on a high shelf.
Foam likes to be stored loose. Under a pile of books it gets squashed flat, which is the one thing it shouldn't be all the time.
Not sure which build you have? Our overview of types of squishies shows how to tell them apart in a few seconds.
Watermelon Squishy, Slow Rising PUView
Taba Squishy Hamster Daifuku, Extra SoftView
Panda Squishy, Lying Panda in Gift BoxView
FAQ
Can you put a squishy in the washing machine?
We'd skip it. None of our makers mention the washing machine, the drum is rough and foam stays wet for a long time. A sink with lukewarm water is enough for soft rubber and silicone.
Can I use wet wipes, disinfectant or alcohol?
Better not. Harsh cleaners can damage some surfaces or wipe off printed faces. Lukewarm water with mild soap is the gentler choice.
How do I get rid of the smell of a new squishy?
Air it out. In September 2026 the Dutch authority NVWA found small amounts of volatile chemicals in 19 squishies and advised airing them out (NL Times). The maker of our TPR bao in a steamer basket gives the same advice for a fresh one.
Can a flat foam squishy rise again?
Sometimes. A day at room temperature can bring back a squishy that only sat squashed. Foam that has been squeezed hard for months is simply worn.
What if my squishy arrives broken or leaking?
Take photos and send them to support@squishyvault.com within 14 days of delivery. Don't try to fix a leaking one, just keep it away from children until we've answered.
