Maintaining a Silicone Doll

Excerpt from The Dainty Loft by KrisC   thedaintyloft.blogspot.com

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1. When you pick your baby up support them by the head and a hand on their back, never let the head tip back.  If the silicone is Eco 20-30, the silicone can slip from the rings or joints. 

2.  DO NOT pick them up by the arms or legs, they will tear or come loose if a cloth body or rip the seam in the armpit of a silicone and dislocate armature wires. IF the baby is 20-10 shore, the joints of the baby will tear easier.  DO NOT pull or tug on arms or legs. IT CAN RIP AT JOINT.

3. DO NOT force your Silicones arms into a position they will not comfortably go, this can cause tearing under the arms or inside near the elbows and break armature wires with repetitive bending.  

4. DO NOT force the legs into a full sitting position this can also cause tears, do not bend the legs forwards at the knees as it can tear behind the knees.  

5. Be careful with your silicone’s hair, it is not sealed on the inside so some shedding will occur over time, if you ‘play ‘ with your baby then you will expect some hair loss. Brush gently. 

6. If your baby becomes a little ‘fluffy’ nearly all silicones will eventually attract dust and fluff, you can use a good quality makeup blush brush to dust off your baby and then brush over a fine layer of baby powder or matting powder) if your baby has any shine or makes dressing them easier. Usually, a little bit of tape over the skin will pick up any lint, as well.

7. Some say it is all right to bathe your silicone and some do not recommend it. I do not recommend it. If you choose to, do not do it too often. It will wreck your paint (not the sculpts). Rinse well, do not rub hard or you can damage the paint. NEVER RUB YOUR SILICONE.

8. Dry your baby carefully, pat dry, then leave on the towel and air dry fully, using a cotton bud make sure all the water is out of the ears, behind the ears and around the eyes, for open mouth babies make sure the inside of the mouth is dry.

9. Do not pick or scratch or rub your babies skin. This will affect the paint.

10. Continually rubbing, sliding (in and out of a pacifier) or touching  (oily fingers) can cause the silicone to get a shiny spot or a paint rub.  

11. When dressing you can wrap the limbs with saran wrap first and then dress. It will allow the cloth to slide along the limbs easier and save the life of your paint.

12. DO NOT use baby lotions on your baby.  

13. All Silicones have slight imperfections this is normal and is part of the OOAK making, mold making, casting and pouring and putting your baby together.  

14. When using a pacifier, only use a SILICONE nipple/teat, do not use a nipple/teat that is too large for your silicones mouth as it will stretch it.  Gently place one pinky in the mouth and lightly pull open. Insert pacifier. 

15. Do not leave a magnetic dummy/pacifier on for long periods of time as this can dent the silicone.

16. Make sure all dark and bright dyed clothing has been prewashed to prevent any staining on your silicone.  Sometimes even after washing dark clothes, they will still stain. This also goes for anything they may come in contact with that is dark.

17. Try not to powder areas of the doll that are meant to be wet or shiny looking. ie. lips, nails, eyelids. The powder can sometimes act as an abrasive against these parts and cause the silicone to peel.

18. DO NOT use any latex products with your silicones, either sponges to paint, gloves or latex pillows, some baby pillows and mattresses are latex so its best to check as it will react with the silicone.

19. Do not leave your silicones laying/sitting on a hard surface for too long. It can flatten the silicone.

20. Do not leave a magnetic pacifier in one spot on the mouth for too long, it can dent the silicone. Softer the silicone, the more risk.

21. DO NOT jam your finger (or let anyone else) into your baby’s mouth as the corners can quickly be split ~ tip by Laura Tuzio Ross

22. If you have a drink and wet baby only use water to feed your baby. Otherwise, it could cause mold and mildew in your baby's insides.

23.  Even though one can make their paint as permanent as it can be, paint and matting on silicone dolls can be rubbed off if rubbed too hard or too often. They are not vinyl dolls and should not be handled as such. Their paint is still delicate and should be treated and touched with care.

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In Edition: 

You doll is an art work and not intended for daily use. If you choose to handle your piece of art regularly, expect wear. 

24.  Direct sunlight can cause your baby’s paint or hair to fade. 

25.  "Certified Skin Safe - Cured Ecoflex™ 00-20" is skin safe and certified by an independent laboratory (Smooth-On, Inc.).             Allergies can still occur. 

35.  Bending ARMATURES  in arms excessively  will cause them to become misshapen, break,  and begin tearing through         

         the silicone. 

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Maintaining a Vinyl Doll

DM-H Studio Vinyl Doll Care Sheet 

CLEANING and GENERAL CARE:

☐ Do not submerge the entire doll into water.

☐ Gently wipe down only when necessary with soft sponge or cloth; blot dry.

☐ Avoid touching the baby with unclean hands as they may transfer oils and other elements onto the vinyl. Oils in lotion and hair products will leave your doll shiny.

☐ The more you change your baby’s clothes, the more likely you cause the paint to rub off or the limbs to get shiny. 
☐ Your baby is not a toy but a collector’s item; should you allow children to play with it, their handling of the doll may cause marks on the vinyl or other damage that may not be repairable. Small parts may come lose and be harmful to your children. 
☐ The materials inside the body tend to shift over time and with handling. Gently massage the filling materials to reposition within the body. 
☐ Hair may be gently combed with a soft brush. Avoid adding oils.  
☐ Contact me with questions.  

EXPOSURE TO ELEMENTS: 
☐ Heat will cause the vinyl to become soft and may permanently cause damage such as melting (i.e. inside a car). 
☐ Pressure on the seams may cause the seams to come open and could possibly cause cracking. 
☐ Magnets inside the head are strong and may cause damage to electronic devices and are not safe around individuals with pacemakers, hearing aids, or metal implants.  
☐ Direct sunlight can cause your baby’s paint or hair to fade. 
☐ Extreme cold could cause your baby to crack; package the baby well before placing it in a storage facility or in a garage in the winter.  
☐ Dyes and inks in new clothing (or other materials) can stain your baby. Wash new clothes. 
☐ Household pets can also cause damage to your baby. Keep out of reach of pets.