Doll Care

Madame Alexander Dolls are designed to be fun, to be loved and to be cherished. To help maintain your special doll, we offer a few care tips from the Madame Alexander NYC Design Studio team.

GENERAL CARE

• Keep your doll's clothes and hair dust-free with a damp cloth.
• Do not submerge your doll in water.
• If your doll gets marked up, immediately use some mild soap (like Ivory®) or a small amount of Woolite® detergent to wash the mark off as soon as possible.
• For stubborn stains, like marker, consult a professional.
• Do not overbrush your doll’s hair. Instead, use a dedicated small doll hairbrush.

STORAGE

Our dolls are made to be played with and loved, so make them part of your home! However, if you must store your doll, here are some guidelines to follow :

• Do not store your doll in a damp area.
• Avoid storing or displaying your doll in areas affected by direct sunlight or severe heat.
• For collectible dolls, we recommend storing your doll upright on a stand whenever possible.
• Laying the doll down for extended periods of time in storage may affect the blinking ability of the eyes. If you must store the doll lying down, we suggest checking the eyes every couple of months and keeping the doll wrapped in white tissue paper.

CLEANING

• Use a small quantity of mild soap, such as Ivory®, and a soft cloth to wash/clean hard plastic and vinyl body parts.
• The same soap, applied with a toothbrush in gentle brushing motions, can be used to clean away dirt gathered on a cloth body.
• Air dry dolls after cleaning.

CLOTHING CARE

• Wash doll clothing by hand in a basin of warm water. We recommend using Woolite® detergent.
• Never scrub the clothes; rather, gently squeeze or knead them until the soil comes out, then rinse in warm water.
• After washing, do not wring, but gently squeeze excess water out.
• Lay flat to dry.
• Once dry, press only iron-safe fabrics with a warm iron.

HAIR TIPS

The following steps can be taken to fix a doll's hair curls if they straighten or flatten:

• Gather small portions of the hair and wrap them, one by one, around a small finger using a damp comb or a small doll brush. (Using a doll brush is better than a human brush: brushes for human hair may have oils or product on them that can cause damage to doll hair.)
• Secure each curl with a clip, and then remove the finger or small brush.
• The next day, remove the clips and gently open the curls a bit with your fingertips.
• We do not recommend using hair product, such as hairspray, on your doll.

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Madame Alexander prides itself on making quality dolls designed to be played with and loved for years to come. The most cherished dolls may occasionally require repair to stay in their best condition. In the tradition of the original Madame Alexander Doll Hospital, we recommend consulting one of these fine independent doll repair experts in your area.*
QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE SELECTING A DOLL REPAIR EXPERT

Before you engage in any doll repair, Madame Alexander recommends asking the following questions:

• How long have you been restoring dolls?
• What is your background in doll repair?
• Are you experienced in doing the type of repair I am requesting?
• Can you show me before/after pictures of your work?
• Can you supply references from past clients?
• Will you supply a written estimate of repairs?
• How long will the repairs take?

BEFORE SENDING YOUR DOLL IN

• Be aware of the value of your doll. Make sure the doll is insured for its replacement value when shipping to the Doll Hospital and for its return to you.
• Take pictures of the doll before shipment for insurance purposes.
• Do not ship your doll to a repair person until they have authorized it.

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