An important part of buying a toy is knowing if it can be washed and if the washing process is easy. Having a toy and not being able to play with it, or leaving it aside for months because it needs to be washed but there’s no time, is a real hassle. We’ve all had this feeling, and it’s not fun!
In this post, I will explain the recommended washing method and also share my experience after conducting several tests.
Hand Washing
- Spot Cleaning: Whenever possible, I recommend cleaning only the dirty part. Usually, moistening the area with water and gently rubbing it with a mild detergent is enough to get it clean.
- Full Wash: Sometimes, it’s necessary to wash the entire doll. Here’s how:
- Fill a container with lukewarm water.
- Add a mild detergent and mix well until it dissolves.
- Gently submerge the doll in the water and gently rub it with your hands to remove dirt.
- Pay special attention to the dirtiest or stained areas.
- Rinse the doll carefully with clean water to remove any detergent residue.
Do Not Wring
The label includes the symbol for not wringing, but why? Since the dolls are filled with stuffing, if they get completely wet, they absorb a lot of water, and drying takes a long time, especially in winter and humid days. Because they are stuffed, we tend to wring the doll to remove excess moisture. I have successfully twisted it twice, but I don’t recommend doing more because the doll may deform.
Tip: Gently squeeze the doll wrapped in a towel to let the towel fabric absorb the moisture. You can repeat this process with a new dry towel; you’ll see it’s very effective!
Dry Flat
Ideally, let the doll dry flat, but this only works on less humid days. For me, the best way to dry the dolls has been to hang them in the shade:
- For dolls and plushies with legs, I dry them upside down, clipping their feet to the line with clothespins. When taking them down, the feet might be a bit deformed, but with a little massage and maybe a touch of the iron (I’ll talk about ironing later), they return to their shape.
- Reversible dolls, since they don’t have legs, I hang them in two stages. First on one side, with a clothespin on each side of the skirt, and when dry, I turn them around.
Washing Tests
Fabric Testing: Whenever I receive a new fabric, I cut a piece of fabric about 25 x 5 cm and put it in the washing machine on a synthetic wash program (approximately 2 hours) at 30 degrees with a 1200 rpm spin. So far, I haven’t had any problems with any of the fabrics.
Machine Washing yes, but… I have washed dolls in the machine using the same program mentioned above. Except for the hair, the doll came out of the washing machine perfectly. The dress may be a bit wrinkled and the face paint may lose some shine, but generally, the structure of the doll doesn’t change. However, the hair, which has a high content of mohair and wool, tends to mat and felt.
Drying and Ironing
Drying:
- I have hung dolls in not recommended ways, and the structure hasn’t changed.
- I left them hanging in the sun during a scorching hot week, day and night, and everything was fine.
Tumble Dryer: I don’t recommend using a tumble dryer. I’m sure the hair wouldn’t withstand a cycle in the dryer due to being such a delicate fiber.
Ironing: As I sew, I continuously use the iron. The fabrics withstand it perfectly. Red tones may change colour when hot but regain their original colour when cool. On the face, instead of dragging the iron, I give it just a few touches without moving it. Everything ok.
This is my washing summary, what works 100%, but also the tests and results. I couldn’t help but share all the information so you know the whole process, even though there are methods I don’t recommend... so shhhhhhhh... I didn’t say anything!