Rag dolls can be passed on from one generation to the other if they are properly maintained and cared for, even if they appear to be rather fragile items. There are no hard materials in their compositions, which make them ideal as gifts for children, but this also means that these very special dolls need some care to last for years. Don’t worry, there’s nothing complicated about this, just a few simple but very efficient rules that will keep rag dolls in your family for an unlimited time. The following guidelines will help you take the best of care when it comes to your rag dolls, so it is worth having them in mind.
Avoiding stains
Even if a rag doll is made out of textile materials, it doesn’t mean that you can wash it as often as you want. Rag dolls should be washed only if it is a must and only using a gentle program of your washing machine, at a low temperature, and preferably wrapped in a protective bag, just like you’d do in the case of sensitive clothes.
Washing it too often or with the wrong washing program may produce damages to your rag doll or the fading of its beautiful colors. So, make sure the doll is placed somewhere where it can’t be stained. This is why it is a good idea to explain to your children that having snacks and juice while playing with a rag doll is not a good idea. Also, keep away from the rag doll any sharp or pointy items, as they can produce tears and damages.
Prevention goes a long way
A rag doll means that we can finally let go and enjoy playing just like we did when we were children. If you offer a rag doll as a gift to your child, it is always a great idea to play along with the young ones because you will find a great deal of happiness in these small gestures. But, even so, playing with care and seeing the rag doll as a fragile item will help everyone in the family practice prevention and keep the doll away from any unfortunate accidents.
Sharing the dining table
We all know that children love playing pretend, enjoying tea parties with their dolls or picnics. While there’s nothing wrong about these fun games, it would be great if the kids would only pretend to eat or to drink and not bring any food or drinks to the tables where they play.
While they get lost in their fantasy world when playing, they can easily forget about the presence of the food and drinks and accidents may happen, in the detriment of the innocent rag doll, which can get stained. In some of the most unfortunate cases, the stains are hard to remove and the entire aspect of a rag doll will be ruined this way.
Pets like rag dolls too
The truth is that not only children enjoy playing with rag dolls. Pets love them as well because they are soft and chewy. But, no matter how cute it is to see your dog or cat playing with a doll, it is not recommended at all to allow a rag doll to become their toy. Pets can easily destroy a rag doll in a matter of minutes, due to their sharp teeth and claws, even if they intend no harm. So, place a rag doll away from the reach of pets and tell your children not to let the dolls laying around once their done playing with them because they can get between the teeth of your pet and that is not something that will end well for the doll. Check out this article from Maids by Trade for more information about cleaning rag dolls and other toys when your pets get to them.
A rag doll can actually live forever and be passed from generation to generations, as a symbol of childhood and children’s purity, but for this we need just a little bit careful when he handle and put away such a doll. In comparison with a plastic doll, a rag doll is slightly sensitive, which gives its unmistakable charm. The truth is that a rag doll can stir in us the desire to be children again, careless and adventurous, so it is worth the effort to take care of a rag doll, for us and our children alike.