Whether you’re a vintage doll collector or your child has a cloth doll, chances are she takes it with her everywhere.
And now that your own tot is the one clutching onto the doll, as adorable as it is to see her show affection, but at some point, the doll will eventually become dirty. You might be concerned about the germs and bacteria she’s cuddling up to on that cloth doll’s surface.
Yuck! You may want to wash your doll’s cloth body if it is stained or smells bad.
The good news? The cloth doll is fairly easy to clean. Keeping that special doll clean and safe by applying a variety of cleaning techniques that limit your child’s exposure to potentially harmful agents is important.
You may be looking for an answer to your question “how to clean a cloth doll body?”; you’ve come to the right place.
How to Wash a Doll’s Hair?
Use liquid fabric softener as a shampoo for mohair wigs or regular shampoo for human hair to wash the doll’s hair. Be VERY careful not to get any water on your face or head. It is possible that you will need to brush your hair before washing it.
When detangling mohair, use a bamboo skewer or toothpick as you would a hair pick. Mohair will become matted over time, and this will remove the mats. Use a wire wig brush on human and synthetic wigs.
You will experience some hair loss, so brush only sparingly. While the hair is still damp, place it on foam rollers, home perm rollers, or pipe cleaners cut into rag rollers for very small dolls.
Washing Instructions
1- Wet a clean cloth in warm soapy water and spot wash your doll. Use neutral soap or a natural soap without color or fragrance
2- If your doll needs a full wash, submerge her body, arms and legs in a pail full of warm soapy water and let her soak for about an hour. Spot wash if needed.
3- Pull out and gently squeeze the water off the doll’s body, arms and legs.
4- If you can avoid washing the wool from the hair is best, but if you can’t, submerge the hair as well.
5- Air dry on top of a clean and dry towel. It might take a day or two to dry completely, depending on where you live (dry or humid climate)
6- DO NOT wash the doll in a washing machine, and DO NOT dry in a dryer either.
7- Wash clothes, cardigans and shoes by hand, and air dry.
8- Babies, toddlers, PapAmor and kids dolls can be washed and dried in the same manner.
Other Methods
Use a damp cloth
If you’re dealing with a light stain or a little dirt, you can use a damp cloth to clean your doll. First, make sure you use warm water and avoid using soaps. You can also add a touch of white vinegar to remove odors and help the cloth stay fresh. For best results, gently rub the cloth over the stained area until the stain fades. If your doll is made from denim, it may bleed. To prevent this, you can heat the water to a high temperature before placing the denim inside. When you’ve finished cleaning, be sure to rinse the fabric thoroughly to remove any soap residue. Finally, you can use a mixture of baking soda and water to clean your doll’s face. This will not only remove dirt and stains, but it will also help to remove oils from the surface of the cloth.
Dry cleaning with fragrance
While you may not be able to machine-wash your doll, you can dry clean your doll with an appropriate solvent. You can purchase solvent at a local dry-cleaning store or online. Always make sure to read the instructions and safety information before cleaning your doll. You can dry clean your doll with a fragrance of your choice! Find a fragrance that best suits your doll and its personality. When choosing a fragrance, keep in mind that most solvent varieties are not recommended for fabrics containing spandex or polyester. You can also add a few drops of essential oils to the solvent. When the solvent dries, it will leave your doll with a soft, pleasant aroma.
Conclusion
This is How to Clean a Cloth Doll Body, created in cooperation with Cleaners Advisor.
If you’re looking for similar guides, visit their website and check out their other helpful guides on cleaning.