Caring for Your Handmade Cloth Dolls

Here are some handy tips for people who collect handmade cloth dolls and want to ensure they are kept in prime condition.

These tips are very important as careless handling or positioning can result in damage to the doll, which over time may become irreversible.

The good news is that you don’t have to wrap your dolls up in a box and keep them stored away in the attic to preserve them. 


How then should I care for my handmade cloth dolls?



Light. 

Avoid exposing your handmade dolls to light, whether it is natural sunlight or fluorescent lighting. Natural lighting causes cloth dolls to fade. It also fades the colour away from doll’s clothes.

If you want to display the doll in a bright and sunny room, at least put your doll in a corner where natural sunlight won’t shine directly on the doll. The same goes for fluorescent lighting on the doll.

Storage

The best way to store your handmade dolls is to put them inside a display cupboard that has glass doors. 

This will help to keep most of the dirt and dust from getting  on your dolls. It will also protect your dolls from being damaged by children, pets or insects.

  

 

 Dust.

If your handmade dolls are displayed in the open on cabinets or shelves, make a point of cleaning the dust from your dolls on a regular basis. If dust is allowed to accumulate on your dolls, it can cause staining or yellowing which is hard to remove.

Pets.

Keep your handmade dolls up high and as far away from your pets as possible. Pets are adorable creatures, but if they are anything like mine, they will love nothing more than to use your doll as their personal chew toy.

Plastic containers. 

Never store your handmade dolls in a plastic container. Some plastic containers are waterproof and can trap whatever moisture is left in your doll, which can later develop into damaging molds that are very difficult, if not impossible, to clean.

If you do have to place your dolls in a plastic container, make sure it has holes where air can freely circulate through.



Insects.

Aside from keeping your handmade dolls dust-free and mold-free, you also need to keep your dolls bug-free.

The cloth in a doll’s hair and costume can attract moths and carpet beetles. Examine your dolls regularly for any sign of insect invasion.


 Temperature

Extreme heat or cold can compromise the integrity of the material from which your collectible doll is made of. It can make the fibers of the fabric become brittle.

The best temperature to store dolls is room temperature, the temperature that you yourself are most comfortable in.


Chemicals.

Be careful when using cleaning products near or around your cloth dolls. Most cleaning products contain chemicals such as acids that can damage your dolls.

For example, wood varnish or polish that you clean your cupboard where you display your dolls can stain or damage the doll’s clothing. To prevent chemical exposure on your dolls, line your cabinet or shelf with acid-free paper before displaying your dolls.




Handmade cloth dolls are precious and can prove to be a very valuable collector item for the future. These handy tips are easy to follow and should help to keep your dolls in good condition for many years to come.

Hope these few tips help you to preserve your dolls so that you will have them to enjoy for many years.

Take care!

Marieanne xxx