Guest Author - Susan Kramer

Vinyl dolls will look their best for the longest period of time if they are regularly cleaned and cared for. Because dolls are companions and played with daily, sometimes, this means keeping up a regular regime for their maintenance.

Before putting your vinyl doll in the washing machine be sure it is washable. First look at the box it came in - don't have it anymore, do a search engine check on the internet to see if the doll company has a web site. They probably have some hints for cleaning the vinyl on their brand of dolls.

If you have a doll and don't know the brand, or it is an older doll, definitely do not put your doll in the clothes washer. It is only a few very modern dolls that can be tossed in and come out okay, and in my experience this only applies to some baby dolls that will most likely be getting a lot of use from the youngest doll lovers.

I have a couple of vinyl Gotz baby dolls and they can be washed in the washing machine inside a pillow case. Personally, I like the mesh bags that are recommended for lingerie.

After going through the washing machine it is recommended that the Gotz dolls be left to dry face down, and not put in a clothes dryer.

Moving on to another technique for cleaning that I have used successfully is putting my vinyl doll on the kitchen sink. Then wetting a wash cloth and dabbing on clear liquid dishwasher detergent on the cloth. Then making little circle motions on the dolls to clean a small section at a time.

I carefully rinse and dry each section of vinyl as I go.

If you are washing a doll this way for the first time do it in an area that will not show damage so much, like the back of the doll body.

Under no circumstances should you use scouring liquid or powder to clean stubborn stains - it will remove the nice finish on your doll.

Another substance I've had success using is clear hair shampoo, rather than dishwashing liquid. Since shampoo removes hair oil it is a good degreaser for the vinyl dolls. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and dry.

As with any regime of cleaning, it is easier to keep up with it often with a damp washcloth so the liquid soaps aren't even needed.

If you have an older doll proceed like this to best preserve the vinyl finish - start with the wet washcloth and circular motions, moving to a new area of washcloth often. If that does not work, go to the back of your doll body to experiment with products, starting with liquid dish detergent and hair shampoo.

I would leave anything that remains on the dolls after that step because a stronger solvent would change the feel and look of the vinyl on your doll.

Article by Susan Kramer