A well-designed dollhouse can keep your kids occupied for hours on end. It also introduces them to valuable skills such as household chores, and even creative design. However, all this depends on the type of dollhouse that you purchase. That’s why it’s important to make use of reviews like, We Love Dollhouses, to learn what makes for a good dollhouse. Nonetheless, with all the advantages of that come with a dollhouse, they don’t come cheap. As such, you need to teach your kids how to take good care of their dollhouses. For best results, here is how to care for your heirloom dollhouse.
Clean up the rugs
Due to the nature of child play, dollhouse rugs end up accumulating lots of dirt. If not cleaned up well, these rugs can give your child bacteria and other germ-related illnesses. To avoid such, get your child to remove the rugs and wash them regularly. It is an easy process that you can even do together with your child as you bond. One way to clean the rug is to wash it like normal clothing. The other technique is to blow it with a vacuum cleaner. Whichever method you use, just make sure the rug is clean.
Clean the doors
As kids regularly open and close the dollhouse doors, they end up accumulating dirt on the hinges and other areas where the kid touches most. As such, you should encourage, and help kids clean up these areas. All you have to do is give them is to give them some soap and a scrubbing tool. You can use it as an opportunity to teach them how to clean their room doors. It’s a good way to teach children how to be responsible.
Vacuum the large areas of the dollhouse
Just like the main adult house accumulates dust, your kids’ dollhouse accumulates dirt too. As such it is important that you help the kids clean it up. One easy way to get rid of dust in the dollhouse is to vacuum it. Just try and use minimum pressure to avoid hurting the structural integrity of the dollhouse. You can also choose a less intensive method for cleaning it up. One easy way to do it would be to help the kids’ dust it off with a wet cloth. It works perfectly, and the kids will learn some useful skills they can apply in dusting off their bedrooms.
Vanish the exposed wooden parts
It’s natural for kids to pour water and other liquids on their dollhouses. Since most dollhouses are made of wood, too much exposure can cause them to rot, and naturally, this shortens the dollhouse’s lifespan. To protect the dollhouse from such problems, have a professional paint, or vanish it. Oil-based paints and varnish act as a protective layer even when the dollhouse is exposed to water. However, you can cut costs by taking a DIY approach. Just buy paint, and a brush, and then paint it with your kid. It’s cheap, and you will also be working on improving your kids’ creativity and sense of responsibility.
Detach it for storage
Kids will always be kids and as long as the playhouse is in their view, they will want to play in it. This can cause it to depreciate it fast, and cost you more in replacement. To avoid this problem, just have the kids detach the dollhouses when not in use. By doing this, the kids can only use it at select times. Besides, it helps you train your kids on the importance of time management. They get to learn that there is a time to play and a time for other serious issues such as studying.
Always store it indoors
Just like too much liquid on the dollhouse can ruin it, exposing it to the other elements can lead to the same outcomes. To avoid this problem, have the kids store the dollhouse inside unless they want to play with it outside. Without exposure to the elements, one dollhouse can last a long time, and even serve children several years apart.
If you follow the above steps, a dollhouse should keep your kids happy, and give you value for money. However, equally as important, is buying a good quality dollhouse. A good quality dollhouse makes maintenance easy, and your kids get much more out of it as they try replicating experiences of a real house. The goal is for the kids to be happy, and the better the condition of the dollhouse, the more happiness they will derive from it.
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