Question: If Gizmo is not allowed to come in contact with water, then how is he so clean? Since they can't wash him, wouldn't he be smelly and covered in grime?
dizzyd
3rd Dec 2018
Gremlins (1984)
Answer: There's a possibility that Mr. Wing, Gizmo's first caretaker, used dry shampoo to keep him clean.
Answer: Google "dust bath" it's something a number of small animals do to keep clean in the absence of water (pet animals too, like chinchillas).
Chosen answer: In the original script it was mentioned that mogwais could not reproduce if the water was below 25° (which is why the snow doesn't cause them to multiply). So it's feasible they could be washed with ice water. In addition, there are other methods of cleaning that don't require water (e.g. dry cleaning).
Bishop73