To clean the head of the doll, it is best to remove the wig. If the head of your doll must remain attached to the body protect it by sliding a plastic bag at the neck which will wrap the entire body of the doll.

In both cases, the old assemblies are fragile, so it is necessary to pay close attention to this level. Never immerse the head of the doll entirely in water as this will peel off the mounting plaster, as well as the eyelashes and wax from the open/closed eyes.

WARNING
- Broken and glued doll pieces can hold surprises and come off on contact with water.
- Restored dolls: Some restorers use paints dissolving in water. In this case make a test on a hidden place and for surface cleaning use a brush and a blower (spray for computer).

Never scrape old glues from porcelain heads. When the layer is very thick it can cause splinters. Very old glues peel very well with boiling water and for more recent ones you can try acetone (only on porcelain, to be avoided absolutely on the composition and celluloid).

Above all, never use strong glues. Prohibit cyanolite, neoprene, glue gun and epoxy from this work. A simple white vinyl glue is sufficient and has the advantage of becoming transparent on drying (provided that the correct thickness is respected) and of peeling off with water. Do not put a big thickness of glue, it is useless, but place it on the strategic places top of the skull, at the temples, the forehead and a point behind the head. It is always easier to stick a wig whose size matches the head.

Before cleaning a doll wig, you must first identify the material and the condition.

They can be classified into three main groups: human hair, mohair, and synthetic hair. If you cannot identify the material, you can do the flame test with a very small amount of hair, which you will have previously cut and placed on a non-flammable support. Human hair and mohair ignite and give off a smell of toasted hair, mohair compared to human hair has a woolen appearance. Synthetic hair burns without igniting and forms a plastic amalgam. Sometimes they give off an acid odor (depending on the type of synthetic fiber).

On an old wig, we generally know nothing about where the hair came from, or how to care for it, and even less about the conditions in which it was stored. So consider the softest possible treatment. The fabric net on which the hair is sewn is sometimes damaged, it is important to mend it, by fixing pieces of fabric of a similar color on the missing parts. So we can comb on solid bases. The implantation of the hair must also be observed. If they are broken at the level of the net drop any combing because the hair will remain in your hands.

On old wigs with human hair, it is important to avoid water as much as possible. You can remove the dust by combing with soft brushes. Brush wick by wick, always holding the base of the hair by the inside of the wig to avoid falls as much as possible (unfortunately they do not regrow). For persistent knots you can help yourself with a pick, like a nail or a comb tail, always holding the hair upstream. It is important to untangle from the bottom up. Once the knots have taken off, you can give the wig a new shape using styling water spray and rollers that will not damage the nature of the hair. Important: if you use styling water, it must left absolutely no dust on the wig. If there is too much left dust, there is a risk that large dandruff will appear.

Synthetic wigs when they are removable, it may be easier to change them. If not for a vinyl doll where the hair is sewn on the skull it is advisable to disentangle it as for the human hair. However, only a good hairspray can help give them a shape.

If despite all your efforts the wig turns out to be very dirty but in an excellent condition, you can soak it in lukewarm water with a very mild shampoo. Above all, don't forget the detangler, soak it on for at least 15 minutes, this will limit falls.

In all cases, great patience is recommended. Preferably choose a calm place where you can start again for example the next day. This avoids nervousness: the first enemy of wig cleaning.