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The importance of clean

Oct 21, 2016

    1. I have no idea about latex being bad for dolls - I barely touch my dolls mainly because I can't be bothered to wash my hands AGAIN - so they get a dust off and change of clothes every few months, but other than that they just sit there looking pretty :whee:

      you should be able to change wigs with less than clean hands though - I only hold the doll's ears when I change wigs, and they're hidden under the hair anyway
       
      #21 elve, Oct 21, 2016
      Last edited: Oct 21, 2016
    2. Even though I don't own any dolls as of yet, I feel like I wouldn't use gloves either. It does take away from the experience of handling the dolls and like others have said, as long as your hands are clean or don't have anything that could tarnish the doll or stain them than you'll be alright.
       
    3. I have eczema on my hands too. It's been pretty bad lately, now I'm wondering if I need to start looking at new soaps. This is the second time I've found someone for whom the problem is soap in two weeks!

      Weirdly I also don't have a latex allergy, though I am allergic to whatever they put in latex-free things =_=

      I don't wear gloves when I handle my dolls - I'm the same way, I just can't function in gloves. I need my fingers free!
       
    4. To be honest, I don't think about it much - I just pick them up and play with them and put them back down. If they get dirty I clean them ( most dirt will wipe off a doll and can be washed out of clothes), bu it doesn't happen that often unless I've taken them to a meet where they've been posed for photos in grubby conditions like trees or on the ground outdoors ( and not often even then).

      Even at this meet, the dolls didn't get noticeably dirty:
      http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums...malion meet Aug 2014/IMG_2052_zps4a3eaee4.jpg

      Teddy
       
    5. When I handle my personal collection, I make sure that my hands are clean and try to touch the face as little as possible, to prevent any damage from happening. I also mostly touch the dolls where they are clothed alone, the doll itself gets rarely handled.
      Gloves, like some of you said, prevent you from feeling what you're doing even if you're using latex ones. Plus (and I learned this the hard way), if you need to use wire to restring dolls, for instance because the shafts are very narrow, it's very easy for the wire to get stuck in the gloves and pierce right through your finger. Yup, that hurts.

      When I'm working on my dolls for sale, I clean my hands and tools with soap before I start and only use gloves when face-upping, to prevent staining. When restringing the dolls, I use my bare hands, so I have full control, but I do clean the doll afterwards, just to make sure. Nobody wants to buy a dirty doll :).

      They're not. These gloves (well, nitril gloves) are actually recommended to use when pouring resin. Latex works too, but they aren't able to completely protect you from liquid resin.
       
      • x 1
    6. Tbh I find gloves excessive and restricting. For my habits anyway. My dolls aren't precious cabinet decorations. Playing with them is supposed to be a casual thing.
      And I wash my hands so often during the day that I don't bother washing them right before touching my dolls. I wash my hands when I touch anything "weird" so not a lot gets accumulated, and the little bit there is doesn't feel like enough of a threat.

      Plus, dolls can be washed! If they have irreplaceable faceups, then just avoid touching the face and the rest you can clean as often as you'd like!
       
    7. I wash my hands if they're dirty, but I don't take unusual precautions and I don't wear gloves. Off topic, but if you chipped the faceup with cotton gloves, it sounds like a rather fragile faceup. Usually they're more durable than that.
       
      • x 1
    8. So far the response to this thread has actually been really interesting. It's good to know what other people do when handling their dolls. For whatever it adds, usually (minus the current problems, which were all caused by the "can't wash hands" part) I would be on the "just wash your hands" side as well. The ideas I have been given on ways around usuing gloves for the time have also been really helpful. I will be trying again later today when bubby goes for a nap.

      It's more just some rubbing and slight marks where my hands have slipped from her wig or ears. But yeah, it is a bit fragile.

      Ouch. I've gotten sewing needles through my fingers mulpitple times (bad shakes), so I can mostly understand.
      Hmm, must have got something I read there mixed up. I'll give some latex a try on one hand and see how I go for feel.
       
    9. These comments let me know the important of cleaning!!!! So important!!!!
       
    10. I have really dry hands. I don't attract much dirt, and I only clean my hands after cooking or using the bathroom. I don't bother washing my hands before handling my dolls.

      And even when handling my dolls, I'm not too fussy about how I do it. They're objects of enjoyment for me. I take care of them, but I don't view them as objects of art that are not allowed to be dirtied.
       
      • x 1
    11. So, the question stands, where do you draw the line between the need to be clean around your dolls, and the risk of hurting them.[/QUOTE]
      what about a thin latex type [they are made out of other substances too if you are allergic] they are thin enough to where you can still feel everything. Also, I'm concerned for you with your hands, maybe take some immune builders to help your skin not be so sensitive and see what is causing it. There are nonwater cleansers you can use too as if they are blistering they can get infected. i'm dealing with a major infection in my system right now and they can be a pain to get rid of!
       
    12. I don't wear gloves when handling my doll, but I do try to wash my hands before I handle them, since I do a lot of art and am almost always covered in glue or paint, or glitter. But if my gal's faceup gets chipped or she gets stained (and she already is a bit stained lol) I'm not too concerned about it. I can always redo her facup and stains can be hidden with carefully placed blushing ;D
      I just feel like if I worry about it too much I just wouldn't ever enjoy her, so I try not to worry.

      That being said I do get why people want to preserve their dolls! A nice pristine doll is a sight to behold.
       
    13. That's a really good idea Shai, I'm going to take that on board and use one glove. I'm a newbie here so little tips and tricks like this are really useful. Not only that but my girl's head has just gone for a face-up and when she gets back I can put this into practice on her freshly painted little head. I do like the feel of her when not wearing gloves and I think certainly cotton gloves don't grip well which gives more chance of her slipping out of my hands.
       
    14. hmn... i always wash my hand before touching em... because there is this one incident... where im drinking coffee with my doll beside me... and play with her hair...and foundout that the is a cofee on my pinky... got really really dissapointed in myself after that
       
    15. I am slightly OCD about washing my hands, as in I often get up from the table while eating to wash my hands 4 or 5 times per meal. So, I never worry about it. I have had BJDs for 8 years, and there has only been one incident in which one of my dolls was damaged. I had a doll very firmly braced against an oak armoire, but somehow his feet slipped and he smacked his hand against it and broke off his thumb. Their faceups are all perfectly intact. I store them naked and bald in their boxes, so they stay nice and clean. If I redo a faceup, I scrub the entire doll thoroughly.

      On the subject of skin problems - I am allergic to pretty much all soaps, the best products I have found so far are: Burt 's Bee baby wash and shampoo, Neutogena liquid soap, and Eucerin baby wash, all of these are hypoallergenic. I recommend them highly for anyone with skin problems.
       
      #35 rosalynmouse, Nov 16, 2016
      Last edited: Nov 16, 2016
    16. I am a very tactile person, so wearing gloves is out of the question for me. Even when I am doing faceups, I can't wear any gloves because it hinders my mobility.

      However, I do wash my hands when handling my dolls, and I often try to protect the resin from staining by giving them silicone head caps, dressing them in light colors, or storing them back in their boxes after I'm done. If I notice any stains, I try to use the magic eraser on sll affected areas.
       
    17. I dont own any dolls yet but I really dont see myself wearing gloves to handle my (future) dolls. :p
       
    18. If I'm going to be handling a lot of bare resin or if it's something I want to keep nicer, I'll wear nitrile gloves. For my older dolls though, I usually just wash my hands.