Barbie dolls have been common amongst kids for many years now. Kids love to take their Barbie dolls wherever they go, let it be bathrooms or outdoors.
People usually worry and question ‘can Barbie dolls get wet or go in the water?’ The answer is simple, yes, they can go in the water.
Barbie dolls are specially made to meet the habits of kids, knowing that they are likely to take them in the rain, pools, baths, mud, and many other places that require the use of water on them. Hence, they can withstand moisture and water as they are made of plastic.
Although most Barbie dolls are designed to withstand water some of the parts of the Barbie dolls hold water in them, ruining them with time.
5 Ways to protect Barbie dolls from water damage
Barbie dolls that can go in water are at risk of developing fungus within their body parts due to water being stored for a long time. This can raise a lot of risks for your children’s health.
There are some ways you can use to protect Barbie dolls that can go in the water from developing mold.
The steps include:
#1 Fully Dry Out Barbie Dolls
Children are very fond of their Barbie dolls and they want to take them everywhere they go. However, in some instances, the Barbie dolls end up getting wet. Make sure you dry out the Barbie dolls once out of the water to avoid the breeding of mold within them.
Plastic toys usually get prone to mold if they are not being washed regularly or when they are kept in places with high levels of moisture for an extended period. Hence, drying them out is essentially important.
Some toys are specially made for taking them in the water. Even those toys require care when it comes to drying them to keep them free of moisture.
#2 Avoid Fully Immersing Barbie Dolls in Water
All parents must keep their children’s toys germs-free. Hence, to do so, washing them regularly is important. This requires exposing Barbie dolls in water, but avoid completely immersing them in the water.
Yes, water is important to clean Barbie dolls but it isn’t important to completely soak them in water. The job can be done equally well with minimal water usage.
#3 Avoid Extreme Temperatures (Too Hot or Too Cold)
Barbie dolls are made of extremely durable plastic which can be ruined with extreme temperatures.
Too hot temperatures can melt the plastic and reshape them.
Too cold temperatures can crack the composition of the Barbie dolls.
#4 Avoid Dust Accumulation
Keeping dolls clean is very important. Dust is the first step towards the formation of mold.
If your kids have their toys displayed in an open cabinet, make sure to dust them regularly.
#5 Store in Dry Places
Storing dolls in dry places or closed cabinets is the easiest way to keep dolls safe and mold-free.
How to Sanitise Barbie dolls from mold?
Barbie dolls that go in water can breed mold if the water stays in them for a long period.
If you spot some mold in your children’s plastic toys, don’t just throw them out instantly. There are a few steps you can follow that can help remove the in-built fungus.
Step #1
Add 1/4 cup of bleach, make sure that it’s color-safe, in a gallon of water.
Don’t add too much bleach as the strong chemicals can damage the components of the Barbie dolls.
Step #2
To be perfectly sure that you’re getting rid of all the mold, you could remove the parts of the Barbie dolls that are removable. This will make it easy to rinse.
Soak the entire body of the Barbie doll in the solution you’ve made. Cleaning all parts separately enables a more detailed sanitizing process.
Step #3
Make sure that you submerge the moldy parts in the bleach solution completely.
Mold doesn’t instantly just break down. It requires time. But you will see considerable results.
Change the position of your doll from time to time to ensure that the doll is fully soaked and the solution is thoroughly cleaning the mold.
Step #4
Leave the doll in the solution for about three minutes to let the bleach solution do its job.
Step #5
Once it’s been submerged for three minutes, now it’s time to scrub.
Make sure to wear rubber gloves while scrubbing the Barbie doll as bleach can affect the skin adversely.
Step #6
Once you’re done scrubbing, use a soft towel to dry out the Barbie doll.
Be careful when drying out the face as some manufactures use ordinary paint that can easily come off. This could ruin your child’s Barbie doll for them.
Step #7
Use toy-friendly shampoo for the hair of the Barbie dolls after you’re done with the above steps.
Shampooing the hair is important to remove the harmful chemicals from the hair of the Barbie doll.
Step #8
Spread a towel and place your dolls on it. Let the dolls rest on the towel for a minimum of 12 hours before you give them to your children again.
Change the position of the dolls frequently to ensure they are completely dried.
Step #9
Once the dolls are fully dried, you can put back their removed parts. If the mold issue persists, then you have no other option but to throw them away.
Perfect Way for Cleaning Barbie Dolls (Frequently)
To clean the Barbie dolls effectively, use a soft cotton cloth with soapy water (not too concentrated).
Rather than soaking the Barbie doll in water completely, wipe the body of the Barbie doll to get rid of dirt.
Keeping wiping the doll with soapy water which is warm until you are satisfied.
Make sure to dry them once they are cleaned. Don’t let your children play with them until they are fully dried up.
The mold that builds inside dolls can make Barbie dolls smell awful and also cause skin problems for your children.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to get water out of Barbie dolls?
Rinse the Barbie doll by submerging the doll into lukewarm water. Once you’ve thoroughly cleaned the dolls, spread them on a soft towel. Change the position of the doll and par to remove the extra water.
Should you detangle wet or dry Barbie’s hair?
Make it a point to brush hair when it’s wet. Dry tangled Barbie hair is impossible to detangle.
Conclusion
Barbie dolls are ought to get wet. Children love taking their dolls everywhere they go and end up getting them wet.
However, that isn’t a big issue unless it turns into one. It is important to follow all steps when it comes to dealing with barbie dolls that can get wet.
Water is stored in Barbie dolls over a long period may lead to inbuilt mold. Mold can be extremely harmful to kids and should be dealt with immediately.
There are different ways to avoid the breeding of mold which include drying the dolls thoroughly, avoiding full immersion in water, storing dolls in a dry place, avoid dust accumulation, and many more.
There are ways to remove in-built mold but it doesn’t always work. Barbie dolls are made of plastic and need to be well taken care of.
