This section is about how to clean, store and lubricate your Realdoll, about positioning and handling and about damage and repair. The care guide was made by Realdoll, and when you should buy a new Realdoll, you'll get your own copy of it. If you have no care guide, here you can find all the information needed ( going to quote the guide word by word ). But my care guide is from 11/2005, when I was delivered. I don't know if this is subject to change some day, so maybe someone with a newer care guide could please inform me if Realdoll changed things.

CLEANING YOUR DOLL
Your Realdoll is made of silicone, a very resilient material which will last a long time with proper care. When you first receive your doll you may notice a slight tackiness on its skin. This will lessen over time but is initially remidied with the application of baby powder. A regular powdering of your doll's skin is suggested to give it a smooth, lifelike feel. Powdering is especially recommended after bathing your doll, which should be done at least once a month when used on a regular basis. Bathing can either be done in an actual bathtub or in the recommended "sponge bath" fashion. When cleaning your doll, be as gentle as possible, especially around pubic hair, eyebrows and any painted areas. Also, a word of advice, brush your doll's hair on a regular basis or it will quickly become unmanageable. The wig is easily removed and makes brushing it easier when off your doll. - Clean your doll's entries after each use ( see use of the cleaning kit ).

USE OF THE CLEANING KIT
Included with your Realdoll is a bulb type syringe, sterilizing detergent and a sponge tool. When cleaning your doll's entries first place a towel under your doll and the area to be cleaned to catch overflow. Fill the squeeze bulb with hot water, add approximately 10 to 15 drops of the concentrated sterilizing detergent, replace nozzle and shake to mix soap solution. Insert the nozzle end into the entry you wish to clean and squeeze the bulb to irrigate the area. When releasing your squeeze on the bulb you are drawing the water back into the bulb. After you have squeezed the buld a few times, remove the nozzle. Empty the bulb, rinse and refill with fresh, hot water and repeat the procedure to rinse out any soapy residue. Allow any excess water to run out and then use the sponge to soak up any remaining moisture.
Special note for cleaning the oral entry : Carefully remove the tongue from your doll's mouth with your fingers; it should come out easily when the mouth is lubricated. Rinse the tongue separately and replace once the orifice is clean. To ease the tongue back in, use a small amount of fresh lubricant.

LUBRICATION
To avoid damage to painted areas such as face make-up, nipples and the vagina, avoid rubbing these areas without the presence of lubrication. It is better to have too much lubrication than not enough as dry rubbing can erode the layer of silicone paint. This is particularly true of the oral and vaginal entry, so be sure to generously apply lubrication prior to insertion. If the area starts to become dry, take the time to add lubrication rather than risk the possibility of rubbing the paint off. Should your doll's paint come off, contact us for instructions on how to remedy the situation. It is recommended by the silicone manufacturer that a water-based lubricant be used in lieu of one that is oil-based. We have included a lubricant sample with your doll.

POSITIONING AND HANDLING
Your Realdoll's internal skeleton is joined much like a real human being, however, certain positions are stressful on the joints. NEVER force a limb to bend if you feel a resistance. This is especially important when dressing and undressing your doll which requires a great deal of patience and care. Take your time ! Use the hanging hook when dressing your doll.
We strongly suggest garments that button-up from the front or back as they are easiest to put on and remove. Always remember the farther away you push a limb from its original sculpted position the more stress you are putting on the joints and the silicone ( i.e. bringing the legs up to the chest ) and you do so at your own risk ! The original sculpted position is close to seated with legs parted and arms away from sides. In other words, your doll is NOT meant to be put in unusual or un-natural positions ! Try to stay reasonably close to the original position as much as you can. If a joint appears to "lock up" while positioning, return the limb to the original relaxed position and gently move the joint in another direction. For instance, when trying to position your doll's arms above the head and you bring the arms up sideways, they will stop when pointing straight out. Return the arms to their original relaxed position and then gently move the arms in a radial motion swinging forward and up. Note : Do not attempt to bring your doll's arms completely above the head as this is not possible given the position they are sculpted in. Attempting this could result in damage to the silicone and / or the shoulder joints.
Also, do not position your doll doing the "splits" or spread the legs in an extreme fashion as the silicone will likely be damaged as a result. There are internal joint stops to help minimize the chance of this type of damage, but please use common sense. Always be as gentle as possible when positioning your doll. Be careful with your doll's fingers ... they can easily be damaged. When posing the hands, grasp the wrist and hand, not the fingers.
The silicone dolls weigh as much as a real woman. The weight has a lot of force behind it, which can damage the internal structure if mishandled. There are certain positions that are not advisable due to the weight factor. Prolonged kneeling is not advised due to the stress placed on the knee joints. Another position that is difficult to attain is "doggie style" as this places considerable pressure on the elbows, shoulders and knee joints. We advise hanging your doll's lower body off an elevated surface such as a bed or couch, allowing the floor to support the doll's knees and the elevated surface to support the doll's upper body. It is very important that if you place your doll in these positions you use care and patience. The main reason is that the limbs cannot hold your doll upright unsupported. The knees and elbows have a special design to allow them to lock and support your doll's weight for limited periods of time, however, it is not advised that your doll be left standing for longer than 15 minutes as the weight could start to damage the silicone feet. For standing poses, we do advise creative uses of the neck hook. See our website http://www.realdoll.com for position examples.

STORAGE
Watch for compression wrinkles. IF the legs are too close together, wrinkles will be present in the crotch area and these wrinkles will weaken the area over time. The silicone should be smooth, not folded in any areas. The neck hook can be removed when not in use if desired.
It is also recommended that your doll should be stored nude. Dark clothing which may be dyed with a low quality dye can stain the silicone if your doll is stored clothed with these items or for great periods of time. As a precaution, wash all dark and vibrant colored clothes before putting them on your doll. If a stain occurs, it will usually fade within a couple of weeks on its own. Very tight or binding straps left on your doll over an extended period of time can form dents in the flesh, much the way it does on a real person. These are some of the reasons it is preferred to store your doll in the nude.
Unlike a real person's flesh, however, the silicone can lose shape memory. In other words it is okay to dress your doll in tight straps, etc, but do not store in these types of clothing for extended periods of time.
Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight as this can damage the silicone color.

DAMAGE AND REPAIR
Small tears eventually happen. Addressing them immediately to halt tear prolongation is important. The silicone adhesive included with your doll will repair most damages that may occur. If a tear occurs, immediately remove any stress from the area to halt the damage. If you need further repair silicone or have severe damage contact us (760) 471-8418 or dollorders@realdoll.com to order a repair kit as shown on our website http://www.realdoll.com - Our repair kit contains the highest quality silicone sealants.
Alternately, you can also repair such tears with CLEAR silicone sealant ( caulking ). The recommended brand is Dow-Corning. Please test alternate silicones for proper curing against your doll's skin ! Many types of caulking will not cure on Realdoll's silicone.
To repair a tear, clean the damaged area with rubbing alcohol and apply the sealant to the damaged area. Close the rip and allow 24 hours to full curing. Take your time and you shouldn't even see any evidence of the damage once repaired.
Internal damage - damage to your doll's skeleton structure is very unlikely, however, if you believe something internal is broken ( not loose ), please call us for information and to determine if, in fact, something is broken. The exception to this is the finger armature wires. Eventually these wires can break due to repeated posing or trauma. Wire breakage will not cause any complications.