Check the doll’s tag for cleaning info.
The tag lists the material and the best way to wash it. The box your doll came in should have information about what your doll and its hair are made from. The doll may also have a tag somewhere on its body with the information. Also, check the tag for customer service numbers or websites with hair care information. Some high-end dolls from large companies may have a number you can call for advice in the event that the hair becomes damaged or unmanageable. You should call customer service before attempting to wash or style to hair to avoid further damage. Synthetic hair may be rooted right into the doll’s head or woven into a wig base and glued on the head. Dolls and doll hair made out of synthetic material, such as plastic and vinyl, can safely come in contact with water and gentle shampoo. Most modern dolls bought from the toy store are made out of synthetic materials.
Take off the doll’s clothes and accessories.
This prevents any damage or tangles while you’re cleaning. Before washing or using any products in your doll’s hair, take off any clothing and accessories. Gently comb it out to make sure there aren’t any hair ties stuck in it. If your doll has blinking eyes that close when you lay her down, consider taping some cotton balls over them. This is so that the eyes don't get wet and rust when you wash the doll's hair.
Divide the hair into sections.
Detangling gets easier when you have less to work with. If you are detangling hair on a doll larger than a Barbie, you’ll want to section the hair. Aim for 2-4 sections, depending on how much hair your doll has. You can keep them separate using small hair ties or clips.
Spray a section with water and fabric softener.
Fabric softener makes doll hair more manageable when brushing. Make sure the mixture is 50% warm water and 50% fabric softener. Using your mixture, spray the doll’s hair until it is damp. You can also use baby shampoo or conditioner instead of fabric softener. Make sure the water isn’t too hot. It could damage the hair fibers. Try to avoid getting your doll’s face wet. Some dolls have moveable eyes that open and close. These eyes may rust if they come into contact with water. It’s important that you get all of the hair wet. You should also lift the hair up and spray the underside to ensure that all of the hair is covered in the mixture.
Brush the tangles out one section.
Use a comb or wig brush with metal bristles to detangle your doll’s hair. Always start brushing at the ends of the hair and carefully detangle as you make your way up. Do this for each section. Hold the doll’s head while brushing to prevent pulling out any hair. Do not detangle your doll’s hair with a brush you’ve used on your own hair. The natural oils from your hair that get on the brush will damage your doll’s hair. Avoid brushes and combs with plastic bristles. They create static and make the hair harder to brush.
Detangle the rest of the sections.
Work on sections one at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed. If your doll has a lot of hair, do not try to detangle all of the hair at once. Once you have detangled the first section, work on the next one, then work your way around. You’ll know you removed all the tangles when the brush glides easily through the hair without getting stuck.
Rinse the hair with water.
This cleans all the fabric softener out of your doll’s hair. Remove the hair sections you created by taking out the hair bands. Put the doll’s hair under running water and use your fingers to comb the doll’s hair until the fabric softener is removed. Avoid creating more tangles during this step by keeping the hair neat while rinsing.
Fill a bowl with water and shampoo.
Synthetic wig shampoo, baby shampoo, or mild dish soap all work best. You can use any container as long as it is large enough to fit the doll's hair without causing it to scrunch up. Put the bowl in your sink in case you make a big mess. Fill the bowl with cool water and mix in a few drops of cleaner with a spoon. Warm water may cause curls to fall. If your doll’s hair is a wig, warm hair may loosen the glue on the wig cap. If your doll’s hair has an odor, you can add a teaspoon of baking soda to your mixture to help it smell better after washing.
Lather the shampoo into your doll’s hair.
Turn the doll upside down and place the hair into the water. Then, gently swirl the hair in the water for 30 seconds or until the hair is completed drenched. Tilt the doll around and use your hand to get the water to the roots of the hair. Also use this time to gently lather the shampoo and finger detangle.
Soak the hair for 15 minutes.
Put the doll in a position so you don’t have to hold onto it. Make sure you get as much of the hair in the water as you can while it’s soaking to fully clean it.
Rinse the hair with cool water.
Keep rinsing until the water runs clear. Empty the bowl with the shampoo mixture and put it aside. You can rinse the doll's hair by placing it beneath a faucet and running clean, cool water over it. Be extra careful not to get the doll’s face or eyes wet while rinsing.
Dry the hair with a towel.
Squeeze the water out from the hair rather than rubbing it. Once you have finished washing the doll's hair, gently squeeze out extra water with your hands. Then lay the doll down onto a towel, and spread the hair out around her. Leave the doll in a ventilated area for the hair to dry. You can also press another towel on top of the hair to soak up any remaining moisture. Rubbing or twisting may pull some hairs out by accident.
Brush the hair while it’s still damp.
This will get out any leftover tangles. Once the hair has dried a little bit, brush it gently with a fine-tooth metal comb or brush. Don’t try to brush it immediately after washing. If the hair is too wet it will be hard to get the brush through. If you taped cotton balls to the doll's eyes to protect them, you can remove them now.
Allow the hair to air dry.
Using heat to dry the hair could damage it. Once you have rinsed out the fabric softener, gently squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Then lay the doll down on an absorbent towel to dry. It is best to let the hair dry overnight. Do not put heat from a hair dryer on the doll’s hair, especially if it is synthetic. It will cause damage.
Remove frizzy or matted ends.
Damaged hair looks very unkempt, and detangling may not fix it. Your doll’s hair may mostly look nice, but have some split, damaged ends. You have the option to trim the ends of the hair with a pair of sharp scissors. If you don’t feel confident cutting it, you can also curl the hair to conceal frizzy ends. Make sure you cut your doll’s hair evenly so you are happy with the result.
Use water sparingly on wood or porcelain dolls.
Moisture could damage these materials. For wooden dolls, moisture that touches the doll's head may cause it to rot or mildew to form, ruining the doll. If a porcelain doll’s head is cracking, water could penetrate the finish and cause the doll to completely dissolve. Always remove the hair before washing if the doll has a wig base. If the doll’s hair does not have a wig base and you are unable to remove it, make sure you don’t get any water on the doll’s scalp when washing.
Avoid water for wool hair.
Water loosens glue on a doll’s head so the hair could fall out. Wool is not usually attached with a wig base. It is typically glued directly onto the doll’s head. You never want to get wool hair wet, as water will cause matting. Consider cleaning the hair by brushing cornstarch or talcum powder onto it with a toothbrush and then brushing it off again.
Remove the wig base for human hair and mohair.
You can always glue the base back on after cleaning. These hair types are almost always sewn to a mesh wig base and glued on the doll’s head. You can remove the wig base from the scalp before washing. When removing the wig base, put your fingers under the wig and carefully pull it from the doll’s head. If you come across a tough spot that won’t come off, spray it with cold water (unless the doll is made of wood or porcelain!).
Clean yarn doll hair with fabric softener.
Yarn develops mildew if it gets too wet. Yarn hair is typically found on older dolls from the late '70s and '80s and Cabbage Patch Dolls. The yarn is either sewn or glued directly onto the doll’s head. Hair made out of yarn can be washed with caution: most dolls with yarn hair are made of fabric and may begin to rot or form mildew if they get wet. If you must wash yarn hair, only use fabric softener or laundry detergent intended for hand washing. Never brush yarn hair. The brush will unravel the yarn fibers, causing even more damage to the hair.
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