Can You Fix a Squishy? 6 Quick Fixes to Save Your Toy

Horror of horrors: your faithful squishy—your stress ball, your fidget, your beloved toy—is torn or deflated! What can you do? First off, don't panic: we're here to help. Second, there are actually a few different things you can do to fix your squishy, whether it's a silicone squishy filled with gel or water (like a Needoh) or a foam squishy (like a Mochi). This helpful guide will explain exactly how to glue your silicone or foam squishy back together, and provide a quick fix when you don't have glue handy, with wikiHow-exclusive advice from a squishy & Needoh expert. We'll also take you through other squishy repairs and provide squishy care tips. Let's go!

How do you fix a squishy?

Apply silicone glue to the edges of a tear in a silicone squishy, hold the split together for 2-3 seconds, then let it cure. Repair a rip in a foam squishy with the same method, except with permanent fabric glue. If a large piece breaks off, spread glue over the broken sides, push them together, and let it cure.

Section 1 of 8:

How to Fix a Torn Silicone Squishy With Glue

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Soak the squishy in warm, soapy water for 5-10 minutes. It’s important to first wash your squishy with dish soap, says squishy & Needoh expert Bryce Morris.^{[1]
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Bryce Morris
Squishy & Needoh Expert

Expert Interview} Fill your sink or a bin with warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap. Submerge your squishy in the water and let it soak for 5-10 minutes. Next, rinse the squishy off and pat it dry with paper towels.^{[2]
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- If you don't clean your squishy first, the glue may not stick to it!
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Bryce Morris is a squishy & Needoh expert. He specializes in squishy hunting and blind boxes, and provides knowledge on where to go to get sought-after squishies.
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Squeeze a thin bead of silicone glue on the edge of the tear. Silicone glue is strong, so you don't need much—a thin bead or even just 2-3 drops should work! The creator in this TikTok tutorial by @momma_hedder notes that you can always add more glue later if you discover gaps in the tear once the first layer of glue has dried.
- Silicone glue is the best adhesive for silicone squishies because it's flexible and long-lasting. If you use regular Krazy Glue or Gorilla Glue, the bond may hold for a few days, but then it will dry up and crack.
- A lot of squishy enthusiasts on Reddit recommend using Shoe Goo if silicone glue doesn't work, but one commenter on this Reddit subthread notes that you should apply it in tiny amounts. Larger globs of Shoe Goo are more prone to breaking off down the road, ripping the tear back open.
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Press the torn edges of the squishy together for a couple of seconds. Put your thumbs or two fingers on either side of the tear and press the edges together so they bond. You may notice excess glue seeping out of the split. If so, quickly wipe it away with a paper towel or a facial tissue.^{[3]
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- After gluing the squishy, Morris recommends wrapping it with plastic wrap.^{[4]
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Wait up to 24 hours for the silicone glue to cure. In general, Morris says to let the squishy sit overnight.^{[5]
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Bryce Morris
Squishy & Needoh Expert

Expert Interview} Check the back of your silicone glue tube for instructions on how long to wait for it to cure. For some, it's a few hours, but others recommend waiting a full day.
- In the meantime, set your squishy somewhere safe where it won't be moved or messed with.

Section 2 of 8:

How to Fix a Torn Foam Squishy With Glue

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Clean the foam squishy with warm, soapy water, then dry it. Plop your squishy in a sink or bin full of warm, soapy water and leave it there for 5-10 minutes. After soaking it, rinse and dry it off with paper towels. If it still feels damp, let it sit out on a table or a countertop for a few minutes to air-dry.^{[6]
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- Make sure there's no dirt or oil left on the squishy, especially in the area with the tear.
- It's okay to get some water on the foam stuffing as long as you dry it off with a towel or let it air dry.
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Squeeze a generous bead of permanent fabric glue around the edge of the tear. Apply more glue than you think you'll need to the perimeter of the tear. Use a small paintbrush to spread the glue further into the gap, or to fill in any small cracks on the surface of your foam squishy.^{[7]
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- Popular brands of permanent fabric glue include Liquid Stitch, Aleene's Super Fabric Adhesive, and Eclectic Fabric Glue E6000.
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Press the torn edges together and secure with masking tape. Apply gentle pressure to the sides of the tear to encourage them to bond. Don't compress your squishy tightly, or it might look deformed after the glue dries.^{[8]
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- Note: If your squishy is missing a big piece or is broken in half, spread glue over the entire surface of each broken section. Secure the big piece with masking tape while it dries, so it doesn't move.^{[9]
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Let the glue dry completely before playing with your squishy. Read the instructions on the back of your permanent fabric glue tube to find out how long you need to wait for the glue to dry. Set it in a safe place where it won't roll away or be disturbed.^{[10]
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- Fabric glue dries clear. You'll be able to tell where you glued it if you hold it up to the light, but from a distance, the repair will look seamless!

Section 3 of 8:

How to Fix a Ripped Squishy Without Glue

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Some internet sources, like this TikTok by @realdoctorsquish, say you can cover the rip in your squishy with duct tape. Others mentioned using a pimple patch, such as Mighty Patch. These could be good temporary solutions if your squishy tears while you're at school, at work, or hanging out with friends. But if you want to save your squishy, you should repair the breach with glue as soon as you can!

Section 4 of 8:

How to Fix a Deflated Squishy

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Inject air into an air-filled squishy with a needle syringe. Pick up a syringe with a needle at the end and lift the plunger to fill the syringe with air. Next, stick the needle into the squishy and push the plunger down to inject it with air. Repeat this step as many times as needed to inflate the squishy to your liking.
- This TikTok by @brandyrosetv shows how to inflate several different types of squishies using just a needle syringe!
- Warning: Never use a needle syringe or any other sharp objects without your parent or guardian's permission! You can also ask your parent or guardian to fix your deflated squishy for you.

Section 5 of 8:

How to Refill a Squishy

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Pour sand, beads, or leftover squishy filling into a stuffed squishy. If you have a stuffed squishy that has lost some of its filling, stretch the hole that the filling came out of over a plastic bottle opening or a squishy maker. Next, pour sand inside the hole to make it pliable again. You can also layer in beads to give it a crunchier texture. If you have another squishy you don't want anymore, Morris recommends transferring some of the filling to the one you're trying to fix.^{[11]
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Bryce Morris
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- Consider filling the squishy with something similar to its current filling, Morris advises. For instance, you might use shaving cream or petroleum jelly.^{[12]
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When you're finished filling the squishy, take it off the bottle or the squishy maker and glue the torn edges back together. If the stopper fell out, spread silicone glue around it and stick it back in the stopper hole.
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Remove excess air with a needle syringe. Next, depress the plunger in a needle syringe, stick the needle in the squishy, and lift the plunger back up. This will remove excess air and make your squishy more, well, squishy!
- This YouTube Short by @doctorsquishshorts shows how to use a squishy maker to layer sand and beans in a broken squishy. The creator also demonstrates how she repairs her squishies with silicone glue and removes air to make it easier to squish!

Section 6 of 8:

How to Fix Sticky or Tacky Squishies

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Spray the squishy with dry shampoo until you can't feel the stickiness. The more you play with it, the more your silicone squishy will develop a patina of sticky oil and dirt. To get rid of it, wash it in warm, soapy water, then rinse and dry it. Once it's completely dry, this TikTok by @ashleyellix says to alternate between spraying it all over with dry shampoo and squeezing it. That should take away the tacky feeling!
- If you don't have dry shampoo, try sprinkling a layer of cornstarch over your squishy instead!

Section 7 of 8:

How did my squishy break?

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Squishies are designed to be, well, squished—but not too much. Most squishes and stress balls hold up under gentle kneading and squeezing, but overstretching, tight squeezing, and throwing your squishy around can make it weaker. Other things that can cause your squishy to break are always handling it with dirty hands and improperly storing it.

Section 8 of 8:

How to Stop Breaking Squishies

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Squishies last longer when they stay clean. If possible, clean your hands with soapy water before getting your squishy out to play with it. This will remove excess dirt and oils that might weaken the squishy's surface.^{[13]
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Rough handling, tight squeezing, and stretching may increase the risk of tears, rips, and cracks. Use gentle pressure when manipulating this toy, and try not to throw it around or pound on it.^{[14]
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It might sound fun to cut open your squishy with scissors or poke at it with a knife or a needle. But these sharp objects are highly likely to rip your squishy open, and it might even cause the squishy to deflate or its contents to seep out.
If you're not playing with your squishy, don't just shove it into the bottom of your backpack or your purse, where it will get dirty and pushed around. Instead, place it in a clear acrylic display case or secure it in a resealable plastic bag. Before storing it, wash the squishy in warm, soapy water, then let it dry completely.^{[15]
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