How to Wash a Doll’s Hair with Boiling Water

Your doll has hair that looks perfect when it comes out of the box, but after much brushing and styling, the doll’s hair starts to get dirty and messy. If you want your doll’s hair to look as good as new, one of the easiest methods is to wash your doll’s hair with boiling water. Although relatively simple, this method can seem a bit intimidating if you have never tried it. Luckily, we’ve found the answers to the most frequently asked questions about this method to help you clean your doll’s hair and style it.

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What kind of doll hair can be washed with boiling water?

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The boiling water wash method is most effective with Saran and Kanekalon hair. Doll hair is mostly synthetic. Saran, Kanekalon and some other forms of nylon are the most common materials used to make doll hair. Barbie and other Mattel dolls often have Saran or Kanekalon hair. ^{[1] X Research Source}

This method may not work very well with dolls with nylon hair, but it usually won’t damage the doll’s hair and can make it easier to manage and comb.
American Girl dolls have acrylic hair that is not suitable for washing with boiling water. Doll hair can melt when exposed to high temperature. ^{[2] X Research Source}

How do I know what material my doll’s hair is made of?

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Touch the doll’s hair to guess what material it is made of. Kanekalon hair is not as shiny as Saran’s hair. It is soft and silky, quite brittle and will burn if you use a straightener when your hair is dry. ^{[3] X Research Source} Saran’s hair is sticky to the touch, pliable and often very shiny. If you use a straightener to straighten Saran’s hair, it will come out immediately. ^{[4] X Research Source} Unlike Kanekalon or Saran’s hair, nylon hair does not break easily. It is usually shiny and colorfast. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

If you don’t know the doll’s hair type by touching it, you can go to the manufacturer’s website to check. However, be aware that large manufacturers, such as Mattel, often use different hair types for different types of dolls, even for different factories that produce the same doll.
Vintage and porcelain doll hair can be made of wool, animal hair or human hair. ^{[6] X Research Sources}
Doll collection groups may also have information on this, but you should be careful before trusting a person’s judgment, even if they are a reputable collector. They may be wrong, or their experience does not apply to all dolls, even if it is the same doll made in the same year. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

What tools do I need to shampoo my doll with boiling water?

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Usually, you only need a comb, pot, and heat source to boil water. It’s a good idea to clear an area on the kitchen table or in the kitchen sink to give plenty of room to work, especially if you plan to clean multiple dolls’ hair. Spread towels on the kitchen table to give the doll space to brush her hair and let it dry after washing. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Prepare another small comb and iron brush to style the doll’s hair after washing. Don’t use the comb you’ve already combed – the oil from the comb can spread to damage the doll’s hair.

How should I boil the water?

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You can boil water on the stovetop or in the microwave. There are many methods to boil water, and it doesn’t matter which way. Use whichever way you find most convenient! Make sure the pot or bowl is large enough for you to wash all the dolls you want to wash. ^{[9] X Research Source}

If you wash one doll more than once or wash multiple dolls, change the water and reheat as needed to clean the doll’s hair.

How long should I leave my doll’s hair in boiling water?

Leave the doll’s hair in the boiling water for a few seconds to several minutes depending on the hair type. If your doll has Kanekalon hair, don’t just submerge the doll’s hair in boiling water and leave it there. Gently dip your hair in the water and lift it out a few times, then leave it in the water for a few seconds and then lift it out. With Saran hairdolls, you can soak them in water for a few minutes to soak up the hair. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Place the doll against the side of the bowl so that the hair is submerged in the water if you are going to soak it for a few minutes and don’t want to stand there holding the doll. Do not immerse the entire head of the doll in water as the water can seep in.
If the doll’s hair is heat resistant, you may need to soak it for several minutes for the boiling water to work. That’s okay, because you don’t have to worry about the doll’s hair melting. ^{[11] X Research Source}

What can I do to most effectively wash my doll’s hair with boiling water?

Comb the doll’s hair while it’s wet with a tight comb. Take the doll’s hair out of the water and spread it on a towel. You will then comb the doll’s hair from root to tip. Pay special attention to the part of the hair near the doll’s scalp, which has the most tangles. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Remember to flip the doll’s hair down and brush the bottom side of the hair as well.
When combing the doll’s hair, look for the doll’s natural hair and part it properly. This will make it easier for you to style the doll’s hair.
After washing with boiling water, dip the doll’s hair in warm water mixed with a few drops of fabric softener. Brush the doll’s hair in fabric softening water to make it softer and easier to manage. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Can I dry my doll’s hair after washing it?

Yes, if you alternate between cool and warm air blowing. When drying your doll’s hair, you need to be careful not to get it too hot, as this can cause the hair to melt or be damaged. Continue to dry and comb the doll’s hair so that the wind blows evenly throughout the hair. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Brushing your hair also makes it less frizzy. If you want to keep the curls of the doll’s hair, you should use a wide comb so as not to stretch the curls.

Can you wash nylon hair with boiling water?

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Yes, but just washing with boiling water is not always effective. There are different types of nylon used to make doll hair, some respond better to boiling water than others, but this one is well worth a try. Usually the doll’s hair will be a little easier to comb than before, although boiling water won’t give the nylons the same shine as Kanekalon or Saran’s hair. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Nylon hair is commonly used on some Bratz, Disney Store, Moxie Girlz dolls, and dolls from companies like Play Along, Galoob, and Hasbro.

How many dolls can I wash in boiling water at once?

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Start washing one doll at a time until you get used to it. If you only focus on one doll, you can pay more attention to the doll’s hair when washing in water. Once you get used to it, you can handle 2-3 dolls at a time, unless they have a lot of hair or the hair is too bad. ^{[16] X Research Source}

This depends on the size of the bowl or pot in which you boil the water. If you use a larger bowl with more water, there will be more room to soak more of the doll’s hair – but be careful! Don’t put too much hair in at once or some will soak for too long, and others will cool as you cycle between the dolls.

Can you fix a doll’s frizzy hair with boiling water?

Yes, you just dip your hair in water and gently brush it. Heat the water on the stove until it comes to a boil and remove immediately from the heat. Dip the doll’s hair in the water and comb the tangles to straighten the hair in the water. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Continue brushing until all (or at least most) of the tangles are removed. It is possible that a few hairs will fall out in the water – this is normal.
If boiling water does not fix the tangled hair at the ends, trim the ends with hair clippers.

Can I use boiling water to curl my doll’s hair?

Yes, you can use a human curling iron to curl the doll’s hair. Buy curling irons online or at cosmetic stores – they are quite cheap and are best suited for curling dolls. To curl the doll’s hair with boiling water, simply roll the doll’s hair into the desired curl shape, then dip it in boiling water for about 20 seconds. Leave the curlers in place until the doll’s hair is dry, then remove to remove the curls. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

If you don’t like the curls you just curled, you can wash the doll with boiling water again and brush it out, then try again. Since you don’t use any other products, you can do it many times without damaging the doll’s hair.
Different hair types require different treatment times, and some hold curls better than others. Saran hair needs longer processing time and does not hold curls well. Kanekalon and nylon hair curls faster and also holds the curl longer.
If you don’t want to buy a curling iron, you can use any cylindrical object, such as a straw, that will work. However, you may find it more difficult to wrap your hair. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Warning

Avoid using heat on the American Girl doll’s hair. Acrylic hair is more prone to damage and can bleed. ^{[20] X Research Source}

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