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If you’re just getting started on your silicone doll search, I bet you have many questions.
When I first discovered silicone dolls, I was thinking up question after question but unfortunately was having trouble easily finding the answers to my questions.
Luckily for you, I have compiled a list of my questions and the answers I found to them after spending hours doing research, watching YouTube videos, and talking to seasoned veterans in the silicone doll community.
Being aware of these different things as well as knowing the answers to your questions will help you not only during your search for purchasing or adopting a silicone doll, but also for taking care of them.
How do you take care of a silicone doll?
This question can go a million different directions.
Your silicone doll was expensive so of course you want to know how best to care for it.
Because I don’t know your specific intention with asking this question, I am going to answer it every way I can see it going.
For starters, silicone babies are very fragile!
If they are not properly cared for their skin may rip, tear, or peel.
Because of this, it is recommended that you only change their outfits one to two times a week or even less to prevent any excessive shearing forces on their already fragile skin.
There are special powders that are made specifically to help preserve your baby’s skin (or you can also use regular unscented baby power).
If you use powder on your silicone often, this may result in a build-up of powder in their creases (arm folds, neck, armpits).
If you notice this, you can wipe them down with a damp washcloth or choose to give your silicone baby a bath.
Another thing to note is that silicone skin is like a magnet to hair or lint.
You may notice this stuck all over their arms, legs, or face.
Frequent care of the skin keeps your doll clean!
If fuzz or powder build-up gets pretty bad, you can choose to give your silicone doll a bath.
Because silicone babies typically have full silicone bodies, they are able to be fully submerged in water and bathed.
It is important to note, however, that they should not be bathed very often due to the fragile nature of their skin.
Due to their fragility, some people recommend that you do not give young children silicone dolls if it is difficult for them to understand how to best take care of and preserve these beautiful pieces of art.
Some silicone dolls may have rooted hair.
If this is the case with your doll, it is important to properly care for it so it doesn’t fall out or get pulled out.
As with their bodies, you can use a gentle baby soap to wash their hair.
We also recommend using a gentle baby comb or brush to maintain their hair and prevent it from getting too crazy after they wake up from their naps.
The key when combing or washing their hair is BE GENTLE!
Their hair took hours and hours to root and looks so realistic, so take good care of it.
How do I store my silicone doll?
So now you know how to take care of your doll, but where should you keep it?
Let’s pretend you’re like me and don’t have a spare room to dedicate to a nursery for your dolls.
I recommend you wrap your doll up in a nice, soft blanket and lay her somewhere safe in a closet or closed cabinet.
There are a couple big No No’s when it comes to storing silicone dolls.
Avoid bright, direct sunlight – if your doll is continuously exposed to sunlight, it will cause paint damage and can be drying to the silicone
This can cause irreparable damage.
Avoid extreme hot and cold – as with sunlight, prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures will result in damage to the silicone doll’s paint and skin
No smoking around your doll – the smell of the cigarette smoke will seep into clothes and the doll’s hair.
It can also alter clothing or skin colors if the Nicotine settles. It’ll give off a yellowish tint.
This will also make the resale of your doll difficult if you ever choose to sell.
Not many people would be happy receiving a beautiful new silicone doll smelling of cigarette smoke.
Don’t let them get dusty – use a damp washcloth or give your doll an occasional bath in order to get all the dust off of them
Keep away from pets – This of course depends on the demeanor of your cat or dog.
You would be devastated if your dog decided to use your doll as a chew toy or your cat was pawing at the hair and pulled it out.
If you have the space for a reborn or silicone doll nursery you can use cribs or bassinets to store your dolls.
This presents a realistic environment for you and your dolls and also will keep your dolls off the floor and in a safe spot.
What do you need for a silicone baby doll?
Just like you’d prepare for a real baby, you can also prepare for a silicone baby doll.
Many of the necessities are almost the same as for a real baby.
Let’s talk about them all a little.
Diapers
Sure your doll doesn’t actually use these diapers, but they just look so cute.
Most silicone dolls wear size Preemie or Newborn diapers.
It’s recommended that you ask the doll’s artist what size will fit your doll best.
Clothes
Depending on if your doll is full silicone or has a cloth body, you can choose outfits to best fit them, their body, and their personality.
If your doll has a cloth body with only silicone limbs and head, they may not be able to wear sleeveless shirts or dresses.
If you care about them looking as realistic as possible, you may want to cover the cloth/silicone areas with onesies, t-shirts, or long-sleeved shirts.
Again, ask your doll’s artist or previous mommy or daddy about what size best fits your silicone doll.
Many wear preemie, newborn, or 0-3 month clothes.
Bottles
If you like to role play with your doll, you definitely will need some bottles.
Any baby bottle will do, but if you’re looking for some ideas check out this article about the best baby bottles and homemade formulas for silicone dolls.
Bathtub
If you plan to bathe or doll or even pretend to bathe your doll and if space allows, get a baby bathtub.
You can check Target or Walmart, online, or even local garage sales for affordable baby bathtubs.
Blanket
While this isn’t a necessity, it surely makes a sweet addition to your new doll and will keep her nice and warm.
Towel and Washcloth
If you plan to bathe or even clean your doll with a damp washcloth, you may want to invest in at least one towel and a washcloth.
I recommend selecting a light-colored option as dark fabrics may bleed onto the silicone skin when wet.
Pacifier
Many silicone dolls are created with the ability to use a magnetic pacifier or sometimes even a real pacifier.
It is best to check with your doll’s artist or seller to find out what type of pacifier is appropriate for your doll.
Car Seat
As with other items, this isn’t a complete necessity, but can be fun to have.
Check out my article about car seats for dolls for many top-rated car seats and choose the one that is best for you and your silicone doll.
Stroller
If taking your doll out for walks, to the park, or grocery shopping is important to you, then you should look into getting a stroller.
It will be much easier to keep your doll safe and comfortable and will definitely cause many people to believe you have a real baby in there.
If you’re on a tight budget, check out a local resale, Goodwill, or garage sales to find a pre-loved option.
Diaper Bag
So I’ve just recommended a lot of items that can be useful for a silicone doll.
Naturally, you’ll need some way to tote them around or store them.
A diaper bag is a perfect solution and has over 15,000 reviews on Amazon.com.
Crib
This is completely optional and is dependent on the available space you have in your house.
If space is no issue, this is the crib I’d recommend…
It’s classic, stylish, comes in a variety of color options, and has a ton of great reviews.
Baby Carrier
If you plan to spend a lot of time loving on your silicone doll, a baby carrier will allow you to do that hands-free.
Then you can carry your doll all around the house while going about your normal day or even take her out for a walk.
There are TONS of options out there for baby carriers.
Just pick one that’s easy to use and functional for you.
Can you put a silicone baby in water?
As I pointed out earlier in this article, silicone baby dolls are very fragile.
An FBS or full-body silicone doll can be put into water.
However, it is highly advised that you do not do this often (some collectors will even say not at all).
If you do choose to put your baby in water to mock a bath or swimming, please do so with caution.
I recommend using mildly warm water as extreme hot or cold can damage the silicone skin.
Be sure to dry your doll off completely when you are done to prevent mold growth or damage to the silicone.
If you have a partial silicone doll, meaning it has silicone arms, legs, and head attached to a cloth body, you can not put this doll in water.
This will ruin the cloth body and the stuffing material.
It can also lead to mold growth in or on the cloth due to prolonged dampness.
How do you clean silicone babies?
As I stated above, you may choose to give your silicone doll a bath in order to clean off powder, lint, or other fuzz stuck to their arms, legs, or head and face.
If you are not too keen on fully submerging your doll in a bath, you can use a damp or wet washcloth to gently clean her hair, face, arms and legs.
Use a gentle baby soap that won’t damage your doll’s skin.
Be sure to completely wipe off all soap and completely dry your baby off when done.
If your silicone doll has an opened mouth, you can use a Q-tip to gently clean out her mouth as sometimes fuzz or dust can get trapped in there if you use a pacifier or bottle frequently.
If your doll has rooted hair and it needs a wash, use gentle baby soap and warm water to wash it.
Never use lotion on your silicone doll as this can damage the paint and silicone skin over time.