Cleaning and Restoring Your Doll

 You can download my Doll Repair Handbook on Amazon https://amzn.to/2GBHCdX

Hardcopy also available at Magcloud http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/895768

Created with Cabbage Patch Kids in mind, these restore tools can also be used on other dolls.
Learn how to remove ink stains, buff out scratches, remove smudges, repair popped stitches, whiten yellowed shoes, and more!

Check out my restore albums on facebook!

I no longer sell the repair kit, but here are some quick tips to cleaning your doll.

Supplies Ink Remover (10% Benzoyl Peroxide Zit Cream or Face Wash) and/or 40 Volume Creme Developer (can be found at Sally’s). Buffer (Bar Keeper’s Friend) Magic Eraser Sponge Awesome cleaner Laundry detergent, shampoo or baby wash gloves cuticle cutters, nail scissors or wire cutters to remove ziptie rags baking soda hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice or vinegar thick marker or similar round object Delta Stencil paint or other creamy paint Long doll needle 14” zip tie embroidery floss or upholstery thread (I use these colors) needle.

Disclaimer: Not all repairs are guaranteed.  Always use caution when using chemicals. Results may vary.

CLEANING YOUR DOLL

For basic whole-body cleaning, either use a sink with laundry detergent, or take the head off and wash the body in the washing machine. If using the sink and you have sensitive skin, use gloves. Laundry detergent is hard on skin. Try not to get water in the head. If you have to, take the head off by snipping the zip tie with cuticle cutters or wire cutters. You will have to replace it with a new zip tie when you reattach the head. If using the washing machine, place the body inside a pillow case or laundry bag with a load of towels on gentle cycle. If it does not need whole-body cleaning, lightly dampen a wash cloth and put a tiny bit of laundry detergent on it, then rub the areas that need cleaned. Use Shout stain remover for tough stains. Use “Carbona Stain Devils Rust & Perspiration Stain Remover” to remove rust stains. Choose a hot summer day to air dry the doll outside, or put him in a dryer (if the head is detached). I have used the wash machine spin cycle to drain most of the water out.

TIP: Try using Baby Wash that smells like baby powder to get that baby powder smell back on the doll.

For hard-to-clean spots on the head, (including white scratches) on the head, use a magic eraser sponge. Again, use gloves if you have sensitive skin. Very lightly dampen the tip of the Magic Eraser, then scrub the head, being careful to avoid the painted parts of the face. I like to break off a chunk of the sponge to use a little at a time.

The following pictures are before and after using the sponge.

Hair- Fill a sink full of warm or hot water, dunk the hair in the water, gently work shampoo into the hair, then dunk to wash it out. I use shampoo rather than laundry detergent because it's gentler on the hair than laundry detergent, and I like the smell. For very dirty hair on light colored yarn, add Oxy-Clean to the water and soak. To dry the hair, I wrap a towel around it to get most of the water out, then let it air dry. If there is a lot of hair and it's really wet, I quickly swing the doll back and forth, holding onto the body so that the hair goes back and forth. This throws the water out of the hair. Make sure you do it in a place that doesn't matter if it gets wet, like outside or in a shower. Water will go everywhere when it flies out of the hair.

For clear rubs and scratches on the head, use Bar Keeper’s Friend. Dampen a wash cloth, and put a tiny bit of powder on it, then rub the area until you are satisfied with what it looks like. Be careful around the eyes, eyebrows, and cheeks. It will take off the paint. It does make the face shiny if used a lot, which makes reblushing difficult.

 

For ink removal on vinyl, use 10% benzoyl peroxide (BP) zit cream or 40 Volume Hair Developer (HP).  

*I have been experimenting with these two and have many YouTube videos and posts on facebook with my results. Always test a hidden area on the vinyl before using, as it can permanently fade vinyl.  I also have a post with all the experiments.

Place just enough cream to cover the ink and place it outside in the direct hot sun. The sun is the key ingredient!  The hotter it is, the better. I like to wait to work on my dolls when it’s going to be in the 90s. Placing it in the window does not work as well.  Placing it inside takes several days, placing it outside takes a few hours or a couple days depending on the severity. Check each day to see if it is gone. If it’s on for too long, it could fade the vinyl. Be especially careful on the darker vinyl as on African American dolls. It will fade the color.

Note: KT and early tag Jesmar 'Kids have been shown to fade horribly, using any kind of whitening/lightening creme.

Below are before and after pictures of ink that was removed from the mouth. It took several days because I didn’t have sunlight in my area. The weather was overcast.

You can even use it on shoes:

For ink removal on fabric, you may be able to get it off with Awesome spray, depending on what the ink is made of.  You can also use nail polish remover with acetone. Lightly pour it on the affected area, then wash out with water and soap immediately. Follow the warning labels on the bottle and don’t have it on for too long or it will fade the fabric. If it does not work, try pure acetone, but be very careful when using it.

For strong odors such as cigarette smoke, soak doll in a sink with water, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda. You may have to change the water every few hours, depending on how bad the smell is. You may also replace hydrogen peroxide with vinegar or lemon juice. Depending on how strong the odor is, it could take a few days to get rid of the smell.

Pox - Caused by an interaction between the vinyl ingredients used to make the mold, pox are tiny dots (either dark or light) on the vinyl. P and PMI factory ‘Kids, and BBB (Bean Butt Babies) are most susceptible to get Pox. They are also more susceptible to forming in humid environments. Unfortunately, Pox is irreversible, and I have not had any luck removing them. Although, I have heard of collectors using a product from Twin Pines. I have also heard of bleaching the inside of the head and using the ink remover and white sponge repeatedly until they have lightened, but they do not completely disappear. Others have used 5% benzoyl peroxide with luck after many repeated applications.

Yellowed Shoes – Use 10% benzoyl peroxide zit cream and/or Creme Developer (40 or 50 Volume). Apply it just the same as the directions for ink removal on vinyl. I have used many different things to get the old yellowed shoes to become white and this was the only thing that has worked for me.

 

REMOVING THE HEAD AND REPLACING THE ZIP TIE

1. Use Cuticle Clippers or wire cutters to snip the old zip tie.	2. Pull out the zip tie and discard. The head will come off.
3. To replace, use a new zip tie. Thread it through the casing of the neck.	4. Adjust it on the groove of the neck on the head, pulling the zip tie until it’s in the correct place and tighten.
5. Snip the end with cuticle clippers.	Finished

TRIMMING HAIR FUZZIES

For looped hair, use a fat marker or something similar to put through the loops. Pull the fuzzies up with your fingers. Trim the fuzzies with sharp thread scissors or nail scissors. Continue through all the loops this way, being careful not to snip the loop.

REBLUSHING

Use Stencil paint. It’s creamy and blends well. First peel off the dried paint.  Then dab some paint on a q-tip or rag, dab it on the cheek, then with a cotton ball or rag, rub it into the cheek. If you mess up, you can use a magic eraser to take it off and start over.