Splish splash I was taking a bath...

Sunday was Uri's weekly bath day, and it had occurred to me I haven't posted here about doll maintenance. So without further ado, here's a little "how to" on doll grooming!

Disclaimer: These processes are specific to my dolls and to my own choices. There are plenty of threads on DoA and other places that discuss all the cleaning products available as well as the risks and benefits of each. That being said, please do your own research as well! I use what works best on my own dolls because of what they are sealed with, where I take them, etc.

Uri is on a weekly/monthly cleaning schedule that helps keep him stain free. Since I take him everywhere, cleaning is important not only for appearances, but also for general upkeep of the doll. Dark clothes can leave dye stains, and frequent handling also leaves marks on the doll. The quicker you catch these things the better, as it prevents permanent staining.

Each week he gets stripped down and washed with a magic eraser, then dried. If necessary each month he's unstrung and washed with a dish soap, then cleaned with a bit of acetone and magic eraser, and then washed again with dish soap.

Weekly Cleaning
Need:

• clean surface/towel- I usually use a soft white towel to sit him on.
• magic eraser- These things work wonders. I only use the "original" version as I don't know about the chemicals of the newer updates.
• paper towels- I use these for drying. Multiple towels allow you to use one only a few times, trapping any leftover dirt/grime in that individual towel.

Steps:

1. Remove all the doll's clothes/jewelry.
2. Make sure both your hands and the surface the doll is sitting on are clean, hence the white towel.
3. Wet the magic eraser and scrub away. I generally focus on one spot at a time, going back to dry it off with a paper towel after the dirt is removed.
4. Once the whole doll is clean and dry you can put their clothes back on. It is important to make sure you never wet the elastic, or if you do make sure it dries fully! If water gets into the elastic cavity dry it off before restringing as the water can mold and damage the elastic.

Monthly Cleaning
Need:

• clean surface/towel- I usually use a soft white towel to sit him on.
• magic eraser- These things work wonders. I only use the "original" version as I don't know about the chemicals of the newer updates.
• paper towels- I use these for drying. Multiple towels allow you to use one only a few times, trapping any leftover dirt/grime in that individual towel.
• dish soap- I use Dawn or a similar soap.
• acetone- I used a straight, pure acetone bought from the hardware/home improvement section of most stores. This way there are no other unknown ingredients or dyes that can interfere with the cleaning.

Steps:

1. Remove all the doll's clothing and jewelry.
   
2. Unstring the doll. I generally set the head off in a safe place as some of the solutions we'll use can damage the face up.
3. Wash each part with the magic eraser, and then soap and water. This gets off any surface grime.
4. For more stubborn stains use some of the acetone. Generally I pour a small amount into a glass bowl and use a toothbrush to clean the doll. *Important* Acetone can eat away resin. It's use is hotly debated in the doll community so please use at your own risk. Never leave a doll soaking in it for long periods of time as it will degrade the resin. I scrub the doll with it, then immediately wash the doll off with soap and water.
   
5. Lay the pieces out to dry as you wash the others on a clean, preferably white surface. You can then go and dry the pieces once you're done.
   
6. Restring your now clean doll and enjoy!

So there you have it, that's how I keep my dolls clean and stain free! If you have any questions don't hesitate to comment.