Scratched Eyes on Your ESSA? What You Can Safely Do
ESSAs get a lot of love. They go to school, on sleepovers and on long car journeys, and sometimes they get dropped, thrown or scuffed along the way. One of the questions we are asked is whether a scratched eye can be fixed. This guide explains what is safe to try at home, what to avoid, and when it is better to ask a professional.
The short version
- Check the eye is still firmly fixed. A scratch on its own is a cosmetic mark. What matters for safety is that the eye stays securely in place.
- Light scratches: an adult can gently polish the eye with a little plastic polish on a soft cloth. This can make fine scratches less noticeable.
- Avoid clear nail varnish and nail varnish remover. Both can cloud or mark the eye, and nail varnish is hard to remove without scratching it further.
- Deeper scratches: these rarely polish out completely. A teddy bear hospital or soft toy repairer can usually fit a new eye from the inside.
First, a quick safety check
The eyes on Douglas plush toys are made of plastic and are fixed in place when the plush is made. A scratch does not change that, so a scratched eye that is still firmly in place is a cosmetic issue rather than a safety one.
It is still worth looking the eye over every now and then. If an eye ever feels loose, wobbles or starts to come away, please put the plush somewhere safe, out of reach of young children, until it has been repaired. Small parts that come loose can be a choking hazard.
Light scratches and scuffs: what you can try at home
Many small scratches sit only on the very surface of the eye, and a gentle polish can make them much less noticeable. Please make sure an adult does this, and take your time.
- Protect the fur. Tuck a tissue around the eye, or cover the fur with a little low-tack masking tape, so that nothing gets onto the fur.
- Clean the eye. Wipe it with a cloth dampened with a little mild washing-up liquid and water, then dry it.
- Polish gently. Put a very small amount of plastic polish on a soft cloth or cotton bud and rub in small circles, working right out to the edge of the eye. Some owners use a small amount of ordinary toothpaste instead (not gel toothpaste) for very light scuffs.
- Wipe clean. Wipe away all of the polish with a clean damp cloth, then dry the eye and remove the tissue or tape.
- Check in good light. If the scratch is still there, it is probably too deep to polish out, and that is okay.
Go gently. Polishing works by smoothing away a tiny amount of the surface, so rubbing too hard, or using something too rough, can leave the eye looking cloudy instead of shiny.
What to avoid
- Clear nail varnish. It is often suggested online, but owners regularly report that it leaves the eye cloudy, turns yellow over time or forms bubbles, and that removing it can scratch the eye further.
- Nail varnish remover, acetone, paint remover and strong alcohol. These can fog or damage plastic, sometimes permanently.
- Sandpaper and scouring pads. Coarse abrasives can turn a small scratch into a cloudy eye.
- Glue, paint or coatings on a toy that a young child plays with. If a young child is likely to put the plush in their mouth, keep anything you use on the eye simple and wipe it off completely.
Deeper scratches: fitting a new eye
A deep scratch or chip usually needs a new eye rather than polishing. Douglas does not sell spare eyes, so this is a job for a teddy bear hospital or soft toy repairer. Searching for "teddy bear hospital" or "soft toy repair" will usually find one, and some work by post.
Fitting a new eye means opening a seam, so that the eye can be fixed in place from the inside. If you go down this route:
- tell the repairer that the plush is played with by a child, so that they fit a proper safety eye with a locking back;
- ask whether they can match the eye colour, or whether they would suggest replacing both eyes so that they match;
- ask for a quote and how long it will take before you send your plush, as times vary.
We do not recommend replacing an eye yourself unless you are confident with sewing. The old eye is held by a locking back on the inside, which can be very hard to remove safely.
Keeping eyes looking their best
- Washing: follow the care label. If you do machine wash, tie the plush inside a pillowcase or zip it into a mesh laundry bag, so that the eyes and nose aren't knocked against the drum. Never put a plush in the tumble dryer. Our ESSA Care Guide explains washing step by step.
- Brushing: brush around the eyes, not over them. A wire brush can scratch the eye.
- Pets: keep your ESSA away from rough play with dogs and cats, which can damage or pull at the eyes.
- Out and about: a bag or backpack pocket helps protect your ESSA's face on busy days, such as school or travel.
Was the eye damaged when your plush arrived?
If an eye was scratched or damaged when your plush arrived, please email us with a few clear photos and your order number, and we will look into it for you.
