Cleaning toys isn’t always the easiest task. And natural toys such as wooden blocks and Waldorf dolls tend to need a little more care and attention when cleaning than your standard plastic toys that can be sprayed with antibacterial spray or even put in the dishwasher.
Dolls tend to be extremely well-loved. Meaning they get cuddled and chewed and taken on adventures so they can easily get pretty grubby over time. However, washing cloth dolls such as Waldorf dolls isn’t as simple as putting them in the bath with the kids.
Step 1. Can your Doll Go In The Washing Machine?
First up check the labels for washing instructions. While some dolls will need to be hand washed or even just spot cleaned, many cloth dolls are designed so that they can go in the washing machine.
If they can be machine washed most will require a cool cycle and often they may prefer a wool or delicate wash. You should also make sure you use a gentle detergent. Rubens Barn dolls for example can all be machine washed at 30 and even tumble dried on a low heat making them incredibly easy to care for. Other dolls may need to be hung out to dry.
However it is worth noting that the clothes should be hand-washed so you need to make sure you undress them before you put them in the machine.
Hand Washing Your Dolls
If your dolls can’t be put in the washing machine then you will need to clean them by hand.
The first option is spot cleaning using a soft damp cloth and a mild soap or detergent. Brushing with a soft brush can be a good idea first to remove any loose dirt and stop it from being rubbed into the fabric or soaking in with the moisture from the cloth. You should then be able to remove marks and stains with a gentle dabbing motion being careful not to rub too vigorously as this can damage the fabric.
Keep using a clean area of the cloth until you are happy you have cleaned it as much as possible, then rinse with a clean damp cloth and use a dry cloth to dab out the moisture. You can then either leave the doll to air dry or use a hairdryer on the cool setting to dry it more quickly and reduce the risk of leaving a watermark.
While some dolls may be surface clean only, again you need to check the washing instructions, others you can hand clean more thoroughly as you might a woollen jumper. This method involves soaking the doll in cool water with mild soap and spot cleaning any visibly dirty areas. You then need to squeeze out as much water as possible using a towel before leaving to dry.
However you clean your dolls it’s really important that they are allowed to dry thoroughly as quickly as possible to avoid them staying damp and potentially getting mouldy.
Next Up: What Is a Waldorf Doll
