A doll is an indispensable toy for any girl. Mom should understand that children's toys need to be washed, as many germs collect on them. But not everyone knows whether dolls’ hair can be washed. In fact, this is not only possible, but also necessary. After all, during the game, the doll’s hair begins to get tangled and dirty. Even if the toys are on the shelf, they can also use cleaning using water procedures. How to straighten a doll's hair after washing? Even the most hopeless hair can be saved. You should not cut the doll's hair: it will lose its appearance. But there are many ways to help correct the situation.
TOP 3 methods and all general rules
A doll's hair can become dirty or tangled not only from play, but also during storage. For most dolls, the methods for tidying up the hair, which we will look at in this article, work: boiling water, fabric softener or baby shampoo. They are safe. Most doll hair, whether on plastic or fabric dolls, responds well to these methods.
The first step is to find out what is wrong with the doll. Some just need brushing, while others need washing. Sometimes, if you buy used dolls from auctions, the doll's hair may be trimmed to hide split ends or tangled ends.
By the way, washing is required not only for dolls, but also for other toys with hair, for example, pony figurines with manes and tails.
Start by cleaning your doll's hair: go through the entire head, comb it, and try to untangle as much as you can with your fingers. Do not comb straight from the roots down, as this can lead to deformation and damage to the fibers; start from the ends and gradually work your way up (as you would with your own hair). Plastic will create static charges, a wooden or metal comb is better
.
Oils cause the doll's hair to become very fragile over time. It's good for us, but not for them.
If the doll has curly hair, then comb each curl separately.
Do not use your own brush because it collects a lot of natural oils from the hair; these oils can damage the doll's hair.
If the doll's hair is mostly fine but the ends are tangled and frizzy, the ends can be trimmed with sharp scissors. However, keep in mind that this change will be permanent. The doll's hair does not grow back.
Preparatory activities
At the first stage, you need to comb and untangle the curls with your fingers as much as possible. The following recommendations will help in this matter:
- First, start with those knots that can be untangled by hand, and only then use a comb.
- Comb your hair starting from the ends, gradually moving higher.
- A wide-tooth plastic comb is a great tool for untangling knots. But if you need to “reanimate” a Barbie doll’s hair, it is better to give preference to a fine-tooth comb.
- For curly dolls, you need to comb each curl separately.
- It is better to proceed to particularly heavy nodes after treatment with one of the products described below.
What can a doll's hair be made of? Which ones can be washed and which ones can’t?
Before you decide to wash your doll's hair, you will have to determine what it is made of.
Dolls made from synthetic materials such as plastic and vinyl can safely come into contact with water (as can their hair). Most modern dolls bought at a toy store are made from synthetic materials; you can wash and clean them without worry.
Dolls made of wood or porcelain need special care when cleaning their hair. Moisture that touches the head may cause rot or mold, destroying the doll.
Made from real hair and mohair, doll hair can be washed, but with caution: most dolls with this hair type have wigs glued to their heads (rather than sewn in).
A wool doll's hair cannot be washed.
Yarn - Can be washed with care: most of these dolls are made of fabric and can rot or mold if they get wet. Wash yarn with fabric softener or hand wash detergent.
Hot water
The plastic that dolls' hair is made from is a low-temperature plastic, so it is actually pliable in boiling water.
. Dolls' hair gets jagged over time (like our split ends), so by soaking in boiling water and combing, we actually restore the strand.
Hot water helps detangle doll hair. Some materials can withstand boiling water, and some can only withstand hot water, but not boiling water. Try with hot water (usually you need something hotter than what comes out of the tap).
Without shampoo and soap, you can restore tangled, but not dirty, doll hair. This is the easiest way
.
You know how a doll's hair gradually becomes a "loofah": at first everything is smooth and shiny, and after a few years the poor toy looks as if it fit into an electrical socket. And no amount of cleaning solves the problem. It just makes overly tangled curls less tangled. Boiling water comes to the rescue.
First remove all knots. Then boil water, pour it into a shallow bowl, dip the doll’s hair and comb it, and so on many times in a row. It's amazing how well this works.
Once your hair is smooth, towel dry it, comb it so it lays the way you want it, and then dry it.
But this will not fix heavily soaked ends. You will have to cut the doll's hair a little.
Baby shampoo and conditioner, which are discussed below, slightly enhance the effect of boiling water, and at the same time wash away the dirt. They can be used in colder water, although boiling water is most effective.
Fabric softener (conditioner)
Soak hair in fabric softener (rinse aid). Choose a branded, high-quality mouthwash. Pour into a bowl or cup. How much you need depends on the amount of hair on the doll. You need to completely soak the doll's hair. To avoid wasting excess rinse aid, start by adding a small amount and gradually add more.
Place the doll's hair in a bowl and use your fingers to massage the product into the scalp, detangling the entire length of the hair. Continue until hair is completely covered with product.
Set the doll aside. Leave the softener on your hair for at least an hour. If the doll's hair is in terrible condition, you can even leave it overnight. If they have time to dry overnight, wet them again in the morning, let the doll lie down to drain off excess moisture, and then work on.
Next, comb directly with the softener in the hair, it should act as a conditioning agent, smoothing the doll's hair along its entire length. For larger dolls, if you don't have a wig brush (which works best), any wide-toothed brush will do. Comb slowly to avoid pulling hair. For a smaller doll like Barbie, a comb may work better than a brush. Metal combs for pets work well.
Next, rinse your hair under cool tap water in the sink, rinse the product out of your hair completely because if left on, it can damage your hair in the long run. Periodically wring out your hair until completely clean water flows from it.
Dry with a clean towel or simply let dry without wiping.
Never blow dry your doll's hair:
They are thin and delicate and react poorly to such a procedure.
When your hair is dry, comb again with a fine-toothed comb to straighten your hair and remove any tangles if any remain.
How to straighten your hair without an iron, curling iron or hair dryer
To straighten unruly strands, it is not at all necessary to use a curling iron or other electrical appliances. Pay attention to other methods!
Shampoos, masks and balms for straightening
If for some reason you do not want to straighten your hair with an iron or hair dryer, then buy a mask or shampoo that is designed specifically for this purpose. You can easily find a similar product in any large cosmetic store by contacting a consultant. The composition of such products includes active chemicals, thanks to which the curls curl much less than usual. The desired effect is provided by silicone, castor oil, panthenol. In addition, the composition can also contain natural ingredients such as wheat or silk proteins, as well as various useful components.
Oils and sprays for hair straightening
As we already mentioned, you can use oils to straighten your hair. We are talking about both natural oils and cosmetic ones. In addition, there are also very effective hair sprays. On the labels of such products you will often notice mention of various oils, such as olive or avocado. Thanks to this spray, you can achieve smoothness of the strands, as well as their softness and shine. In addition, the ingredients of such a product usually include keratin, as well as amino acids, due to which the straightening effect is longer lasting.
Baby shampoo
You don't need to use shampoo too often as this can damage your hair. Hair conditioners contain oils that can eventually damage your doll's hair, so it's best to choose shampoo instead.
Fill a bowl or cup with cool water. Choose a bowl that is large enough to hold all of your doll's hair. The water temperature should be cooler if your doll has curly hair. Hot or warm water can cause hair to lose curl.
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Add half a teaspoon of baby shampoo. Mix shampoo with water until completely dissolved.
Do not replace baby shampoo with regular shampoo!
Shampoo for babies is definitely safe for dolls, but the same cannot be said about regular shampoo. A shampoo for sensitive skin or weak colored hair may be suitable, but the best product is one that is suitable for bathing babies from birth.
Soak your hair and rub the product in with your fingers. Continue massaging the doll's hair until foam appears.
In addition to baby shampoo, you can dilute dish soap in water.
Leave for 10 minutes. This will help remove tangles and make your hair soft and shiny.
Rinse thoroughly, several times, until the water is clear.
Dry your hair a little. You shouldn't comb your hair when it's wet, but if it's a little damp, you should. To dry, you can hang the doll upside down and let it drain a little, or dry it with a towel.
When the hair is dry but still damp, we begin the combing process, as in the previous method.
Unravel the strands using starch
If you need to comb slightly tangled strands, you can use the simplest remedy, corn starch:
- If possible, comb the doll's strands, avoiding only the most tangled areas;
- Stir a teaspoon of potato starch in a small volume of warm water;
- The toy’s head is lowered into the solution, trying to ensure that it completely covers the hairstyle;
- Wet curls are combed with a sparse comb. The procedure will have to be repeated several times to achieve the effect;
- Without washing off the starch, the doll is dried in the fresh air.
These tips can be used if you need to comb your doll's synthetic hair.
General rules for caring for doll hair
The doll may have plastic crepes, bows, bandanas, hairpins or other accessories in its head; we remove all this before starting work.
If you want to prevent tangles or hair damage, groom your doll's hair regularly. After your child plays with the doll, comb the hair before putting it away. And periodically wash with baby shampoo.
Avoid excessive styling; it’s better to simply braids and ponytails, then the doll’s hair will remain smooth and soft for much longer.
Some types of dolls come with special hair care instructions. For example, American Girl dolls have hair types that you should not wash yourself.
If the doll has mechanical parts, be careful: if water gets into them, it can ruin the mechanism. In this case, the doll’s body can be wrapped in plastic film.
Straightening curls with boiling water
Another way to straighten Monster High curls is boiled water. Be extremely careful not to get burned by the steam.
The doll should be placed on the edge of the sink, upside down. After the water in the kettle boils, gently pour over the strands.
It is important that the toy must be of good quality, since the hair of cheap analogues can be completely deteriorated from such a procedure. If you are not sure about the “origin” of the doll, it is better to use the first method.
