By Richard Cerda, Vice President, JC Toys
Bath time with a baby of their own
Some of the sweetest moments of the day happen in the tub. A little one tests the water on their wrist, washes their doll's hair and wraps their baby in a towel, because that is exactly what you just did for them. We wrote more about that kind of play in how baby dolls help children develop empathy.
Here is the short answer. A water-friendly bath doll stays clean and fresh with three small habits. Rinse it in clean water when bath time ends, pat it dry with a towel, then let it finish drying in the open air before it goes back in the toy box.
What makes a bath doll water-friendly
A bath doll is made from smooth vinyl, all the way through, so it can go in the water with your child and wipe dry with a towel. Soft body dolls are different. A cloth body soaks up water, so it should stay out of the bath unless it is labeled bath-friendly.
Most of our vinyl bath dolls are made for the water. The openings in the body are sealed so water does not get inside. Small caps fitted inside the arms, legs and neck keep those openings closed. You will never see them.
Because the body is sealed, there is nothing to do inside it after the bath. Please do not try to open a bath doll or take off its arms, legs or head. The parts are not designed to come off at home and may not go back together.
After every bath
- Rinse. A quick rinse in clean water takes away soap and bubbles before they dry on the vinyl.
- Pat dry. A soft towel over the face, body, arms and legs does most of the work.
- Air dry. Leave the doll somewhere open to finish drying, rather than in a closed bin or a wet tub caddy.
- Wash the extras. Towels, washcloths and bath accessories dry faster on their own.
- Store it dry. Keep dolls out of sealed plastic bags and damp rooms, which hold moisture against the vinyl.
For a deeper clean, sticky vinyl or stains, our guide on how to clean and care for your baby doll covers each kind of doll, weighted dolls included.
Are there mold free bath toys?
It is one of the first questions parents ask, usually right after a squeeze toy sputters out a cloud of black flecks. Mold grows where water gets trapped inside a toy and stays there in the dark. When researchers from Eawag, ETH Zurich and the University of Illinois cut open real bath toys from family homes, they found slimy layers of bacteria and fungi growing on the inside walls (Eawag).
We would not promise that any bath toy, ours included, can never grow mold. What helps is choosing toys that do not hold water inside and drying everything properly after the bath. Toys with no squeeze holes, toys that open up so every surface can dry and dolls with sealed openings all keep water from sitting inside. The habits above do the rest.
Bath sets with water play built in
Some bath sets use water on purpose, because that is the fun of them. Our Lil' Cutesies twin baby doll bathtub playset comes with a real working shower, so two little dolls can have their hair rinsed just like a big kid.
Our bath dolls
Our family has been making dolls for over 30 years. Our dolls are designed in Castalla, Spain and manufactured in our own factories. Testing runs from the raw material through the entire manufacturing process. Every doll in our catalog is BPA-free and latex-free. You can read more in what actually makes a baby doll safe.
These are our bath ready dolls.
- Lots to Love Babies 14 inch all-vinyl doll with hooded towel and bath accessories, in African American, Asian and Hispanic
- Lots to Love Babies 14 inch all-vinyl doll bathtub gift set, with a tub and a rubber duck
- La Newborn 12 inch all-vinyl nursery gift set, a realistic all-vinyl newborn
- Lil' Cutesies twin baby doll bathtub playset, two 8.5 inch dolls and a tub with a working shower
- Lil' Cutesies 9.5 inch all-vinyl doll bathtub gift set, a little doll with her own tub
Some sets sell out between deliveries, so a favorite may be waiting on a restock when you visit.
Questions parents ask
What kind of doll can I put in the bath?
Choose an all-vinyl doll made for the water. Most of our vinyl bath dolls have sealed openings so water does not get inside. Soft body dolls should stay out of the water unless they are labeled bath-friendly.
What kind of doll can go in water?
A water-friendly vinyl bath doll. Check the box or the product page before bath time. Keep soft body dolls out of the tub.
What is the black stuff inside bath toys?
It is usually a layer of bacteria and fungi that grows where water gets trapped inside a toy. Researchers who cut open used bath toys found this kind of growth on the inside walls.
Should you throw away moldy bath toys?
If dark flecks are coming out of a toy and you cannot open it to clean the inside, it is time to replace it.
Years from now, the little one wrapping a doll in a towel tonight may be warming a towel for a baby of their own. We hope they remember how gently it was done for them.