How To Care For Your Dolls
Receiving a new doll means endless amounts of adventures, memories, and exciting new stories! Every year, I watch my little cousins drag around their dolly’s, taking them everywhere they go. Although they have so much fun being able to take their favorite pals around, it also means there’s a good chance their doll is going to get a bit dirty.
If your child’s doll gets an unwanted mark from a younger sibling, their hair gets unruly, or their clothes get stained - have no fear! We’ve come up with 5 tips on how to best take care of your dolls!
ONE: How To Wash Your Doll's Hair
No matter how careful you are, everybody's hair gets dirty after a while. Yours does, mine does, and dolly's hair gets dirty too. How do we clean it?
1. Grab a big bowl and fill it half way with cool water. Do not use warm/hot water, it can relax your doll’s curls.
2. Gently stir in a quarter-teaspoon of baby shampoo
3. Undress your doll, and cover her in a plastic bag up to her chin to ensure her body stays dry
4. Put your doll's head into the bowl, and gently swirl it around until the hair is completely wet
5. Gently rub the shampoo into her hair - be careful not to pull or break it. Let the hair sit for about 10 minutes.
6. Empty the 'shampoo' and refill the bowl with cool clean water, swirl and rinse three times
7. Hold the doll upside down so her hair hangs, and gently shake out the rinse water
8. Wrap the hair in a soft cloth like an old towel, and gently squeeze out the water. Do not twist or wring your doll's hair.
9. Brush out her hair when most of the water is gone, but while it is still damp
Remember: Do not brush wet hair, ONLY brush damp hair. Do NOT use a blow dryer, it will melt your doll’s hair!
Link to original article here.
TWO: How To Clean Your Doll's Skin
- Baby Wipe Your Doll: Over time, all of our sweat and oil eventually builds up and can leave traces on our dolls. Especially since most dolls are made of vinyl skin, excess oil and dirt can stick to the doll’s skin. As an oldie, but a goodie, if your doll has simple smudges and marks, take a baby wipe and gently wipe down your doll’s face. Make sure to not rub too hard, or you might accidentally remove some of the doll’s facial painting.
- Dishwashing Soap: Another simple, but effective way to clean your doll is to take a damp washcloth and add a drop of dishwashing liquid. Gently dab the area until clean. If it’s gentle enough for animals stuck in oil, then it will do the trick for your dolls!
Link in original article here.
THREE: How To Keep Your Doll Accessories Together
Getting a new doll means there will be lots of outfits, shoes, and accessories that can be hard to keep track of! Make sure you keep all of your doll’s items together in a simple carrying case. When you order a doll from Playtime by Eimmie, she comes in her very own backpack case that allows you to keep everything together and not lost!
FOUR: How To Get A Stain Off Your Doll's Face
Materials:
- Acne cream with at least 10% benzoyl peroxide
- Plastic wrap
- Q-tips
- Water
- Toothpicks
- Optional: hair dryer
Instructions:
- Dip the toothpick into the benzoyl peroxide and apply to the stain, enough to cover it
- Using the blow dryer, apply the air onto the mark for 5 minutes. Make sure to avoid the mouth or eyes.
- Remove the cream with a Q-tip
- Repeat process until the stain is gone
If that does not work, try the alternative method:
- Dip the toothpick into the benzoyl peroxide and apply to stain
- Then, cover the stain in a piece of plastic wrap
- Place the doll in the sun for about 2 hours, facing her eyes and mouth away from the light
- Remove the cream with a Q-tip and water.
Link to original video here.
FIVE: How To Wash Your Doll's Clothing
Hand wash doll clothes only in very mild soapy water and air dry them. If the outfit is special and you are in doubt send the clothes to the dry cleaners!
Link to original article here.
We hope that this list of doll care tips helps ensure the longevity of your doll and continues all of the wonderful playtime's that are to be had! New dolls are exciting, but they are also a responsibility, so let’s make sure we’re taking the best care of our dolls!
Warmly,
