How-To Restore a Garage/Yard Sale Doll

If you are an avid doll collector, or even a casual one, you will find it difficult to pass up a doll just because it might not be in top condition. And nevermind about passing up a doll that one of your daughters wants, despite its 'played with' condition. If you are a collector or just someone who loves a deal than it is worth it to you to consider doll restoration. You can spend a great deal of money professionally for this (and you should if it is a genuinely antique doll), but why waste the cash on something you can fix up with just some fabric softener and nail polish remover?

Restoring Barbies

Barbie dolls might be the most popular fashion doll, but this category includes Bratz dolls and My Scene dolls that are similar in size and construction. Here are some tips in beautifying your garage sale Barbie.

Taming Unruly Hair

The hair is probably the most tragic part of a played with Barbie because of its handling appeal for little girls. If you found a great fashion doll with matted hair, don't despair-it can be manageable again! Using a small bowl or tub, mix hot tap water with some mild soap or fabric softener (you only need a few drops). Place Barbie's hairs into the water, making sure that her body isn't also submerged, and let her soak for a few hours to overnight (depending on the severity). Remove her from the water and brush through with a small comb (a child's size comb works best because the bristles are close together to get at tangles). Don't worry if some of the hair comes out while you do this; it is normal to lose some of the synthetic hair when getting out the tangles. Her hair should be now be softened and easier to manage. If it is still in terrible condition or it is cut, than your other option is to re-root the hair.

When re-rooting the hair, you will need felting needles and a package of synthetic hair. You can find these online or in most craft stores locally. If you have trouble working on a somewhat miniature scale, than this isn't for you; but if you are ambitious about your dolls, than this is the best option. The hair must first be cut to the roots, and the 'plugs' must be pulled out with tweezers. If the head can be removed safely from the body, than this would make re-rooting easier; if this isn't possible, than you can do it without the removal of the head. Be sure to buy the correct sized hair plugs for your doll and a color that will match the original. If you choose a totally different hair color, like blue, than you will need to repaint the scalp a light blue color so the new hair will blend into the scalp.

Re-rooting a full head of hair will take hours of carefully placing the plugs in the existing holes in the doll's scalp, so don't expect it to be done in one day. Sometimes it may be necessary to only replace a few hair plugs for the doll to be in great condition again. Make this decision wisely, as it can be time-consuming.

Body Marks

There isn't really a cure for bite marks; that being said, you can cure small nicks in the face and body of the fashion doll with sandpaper. Just rub some sandpaper back and forth over the nick like it was made of wood until it vanishes. However, keep in mind if the scrap is too deep this will not work.

In the event your Barbie has crayon, marker, or other blemishes that were inflicted by little hands, you can get these off with a little alcohol or nail polish remover. Using a cotton swab for better accuracy, dab some nail polish remover onto the end and rub it against the blemishes. Be careful not to touch her facial paint or it will come off as well. Dirt should come off with a fingernail scrub brush and some soft soap; if this doesn't cut it than try alcohol on a cotton swab. Allow doll to dry before placing on fabrics.

American Girl Dolls, Baby Dolls, or Vinyl Talking dolls

Larger dolls will follow some of the same tactics as the Barbie dolls, but with a few exceptions. The AG dolls have a cloth body that needs to be dealt with differently than an entirely plastic doll, and the talking dolls need to be handled with special care so the mechanisms inside them are not harmed.

Facial Paint worn off

Many larger dolls are prone to have their facial paint wear off. Because their faces are usually huge compared to their bodies, you can easily fix this problem without being too much of an artist. You can find craft paints in small tubes for under a dollar at craft stores. These all-purpose paints work great for touch ups. Look for paint colors that are similar to the original paint used on the face of your doll. If it seems too dark, purchase a white paint tube as well to mix it with; if the bottle color is too light than consider finding a complementary color to mix it with to darken it (refer to the color wheel for complementary colors). Using a very fine tipped brush, mix the desired color and apply directly to the places on the face that need to be retouched. Use the original paint as a guide, and be sure not to apply too much paint on each application. Allow it to dry and see how it blends in; if more is needed to even it out, then go ahead and make the change. Once you have everything touched up, use a sealer for vinyl or plastic to seal your work.

Bad Hair

Although the hair of larger dolls is longer than Barbie's, it is similar in the way it should be treated. You can replace hair plugs much easier on a doll this size and the hair should be easier to tame using the soaking method described earlier. As with Barbie, be sure not to submerge the entire doll-just the hair.

Body Marks

If the body is cloth, than it is pretty much impossible to remove marks that have been there for an extended period of time. You can try to use some warm water and soft soap, but don't try to wash it in a washing machine or use harsh stain removers; this will damage the fibers more than the mark being there will. For Vinyl bodied dolls-talking or not-you should carefully remove body marks with nail polish remover as explained under the Barbie section. Some permanent marker blemishes will not come off and may be painted over or simply covered with clothing.

So, next time you see that perfect doll, with just a few problems, consider restoring it to its natural luster using these easy techniques. Everyone deserves a second chance, right?