Mums on social media have come together to share their frustration over Bunchems activity kits after their little ones got the squishy toys stuck in their hair.
A woman named Jasmine started the conversation on behalf of her friend Elisha Squidge, whose daughter had gotten a load of Bunchems (also known as Bunchamals) matted in her locks.
The pair were desperate for any way they could remove the multi-coloured toy balls, as nothing seemed to work.
Taking to Facebook, Jasmine shared a snap of the little girl sitting in the bathtub with the mess in her hair, writing: “Any ideas how I can get these Bunchamals out of her hair. Tried oil conditioner and was recommended peanut butter nothings budging them.”
Her post quickly went viral, garnering over 9,000 likes and more than 8,000 comments.
Many responded saying the toys should be banned, while others were sympathetic and shared their own Bunchems horror stories.
One fellow parent admitted it took her six hours to get the balls out of her child’s hair.
“It took us six hours to remove from my daughter’s long curly hair. It was horrendous. Don’t use water. Oil helps. Starting from bottom helps. You may need to cut some of them out too,” they wrote.
(Image: THV11)
Someone else said that her daughter lost half of her hair while they tried getting them out.
“My daughter lost half a head of hair to these evil toys, four years later her hair still isn’t the same. Poor girl.”
A third replied: “This happened to my stepdaughter I sat for a good few hours gently teasing them out with a tail combe bloody nightmare.”
A different user branded them the “work of the devil” while another proclaimed: “These are a big no no!!”
Others shared their top tips for removing them from hair.
These included using oils such as olive oil, argan oil or coconut oil to soften up the hair, while some had tried applying melted butter or fabric softener. They then brushed through with a good detangle comb.
Most eventually gave up and resorted to simply cutting the toys out after they failed to budge.
The toy’s packaging does warn users to keep them away from hair.
The maker of Bunchems released a video shortly after they were launched in 2013, explaining how to remove them from hair.
The experts advise using vegetable oil or hair conditioner to soften the hair. The next step is to brush the hair below the Bunchems, to remove any tangles, then gently pull and slide the Bunchems to the hair ends.
They add, if they don’t budge, apply more oil or conditioner and keep combing underneath the Bunchems before removing.
What’s the worst thing your child has gotten stuck in their hair? Let us know in the comments below.