Doll Care 101

Since making an investment in an American Girl d0ll is a large amount for girls who are usually between the ages of 3-12, I think it's important to teach our daughters how to take good care of their dolls. I'd like to share a couple of tips that I have learned that can help keep your American Girl doll or any favorite baby doll in great condition.

Cleaning Tips:
If you get dirt or stains on your doll, there are two things I have found that work well to remove them. I always try baby wipes first. Since they are made with mild cleansers and are soft enough to use on babies, they work great for dolls. If you can't remove the stain with a baby wipe, my second action would be to try some baking soda mixed with a little water. I prefer to use a soft bristle toothbrush to scrub the area. Again, remember we want to be gentle & the soft bristle tooth brush is gentle enough that it won't scratch your doll but will enable you to scrub the area to remove the stain. I want to mention one other thing that I've found that works for stains on dolls--Magic Erasers. I do want to caution you not to use them on the face of your doll as they could remove painted cheeks, but I've found that they work great for stains on arms & legs. Don't overuse them as they could take the color out of a doll who has a darker skin tone. I have to say that it even took off pen marks that my youngest daughter Mallory made on her sisters doll when she was 2! What a stressful experience that was. Luckily it worked.

Hair Care:
The best type of brush to use for your doll's hair is a wire bristle brush. Lightly mist the hair with some water from a spray bottle first & then begin to brush the dolls hair starting at the bottom & working your way up. If you have a really bad case of "frizzy doll hair" you can also try a leave in spray conditioner. Nutrigena has a good one that we have tried with success in the past.

I hope you find these tips helpful. We'll be posting more in the future so look for those to come.