All through my collecting life, like most collectors, I have not had the money to simply buy mint examples of what I want, but rather what I come across and can afford. This has meant learning to care for and restore dolls and outfits to get them as close to their original beauty as possible. I thought some of you might be interested in some tips in caring for your collections.
Washing Dolls
First rule: Start with the gentlest option and only use harsher products if not successful.
What this means is that for dolls’ bodies and hair, start with ordinary dishwashing liquid and a gentle cloth or toothbrush. If the arms or legs are sticky, which happens with many plastics, try a paste of baking soda and water, which can be applied with a toothbrush, and washed off.
Soaking in a solution of denture tablets (Steradent /Polident) often helps with stickiness and also can reduce the yellowing which comes with age especially to mod era dolls. If you plan to remove the arms or head to soak them, warm the area first with a hairdryer or hot water, to reduce the likelihood of neck splits or breakages. Solvents such as Spray n Wipe can also be useful to dissolve stickiness. If there are more stubborn stains, an abrasive cleanser such as Jif can be used sparingly.
For removal of bad stains such as ink, acne cream containing Benzoyl Peroxide (10%) is often successful, but may take several applications over days or weeks. Putting the item in the sun may speed up the process. There are also products sold by Twin Pines of Maine (http://www.twinpines.com/) such as Remove-Zit, however the cost and delay with the post from the USA at present means you will probably be trying the other options first.
Alcohol can also be used, but be careful near facepaint. Acetone is a very heavy-duty option which actually removes the surface layer of plastic, so I do not recommend that unless the doll is otherwise ruined.
“Green” ears, which are caused by the reaction of the metal of the earring posts with the vinyl, is a big problem for both vintage and mod dolls. It is quite complex, so I will deal with it in another post.
Washing Dolls’ Hair
Dolls’ hair is a fibre, not human hair, although many people use human shampoo and conditioner successfully. You can wash the hair with ordinary dishwashing liquid, and condition it with liquid fabric softener or intensive-repair hair conditioner. Gently comb through starting at the ends with a wide-tooth comb, and hold the head so that it does not put strain on the neck knob. Gradually use a brush then a finer comb until the tangles are gone. When it is smoothed, place a band of plastic / Gladwrap around the doll’s forehead and let it dry. Some types of hair in the mod era should not be placed in boiling water, but earlier vintage hair often goes back to its original set when placed in boiling water. Many household items, such as drinking straws and pipe cleaners, can be used to make curls if you do not have doll-sized curlers.
Resetting a swirl ponytail is one of the most common requests I used to get at doll club meetings or when visiting another collector. Once you know the parts of hair involved, it takes some dexterity and practice, but is worth the effort. There are YouTube videos to make it easier to see, but here is a diagram:
First you need to identify the “bang swirl” which is the first two rows of hair at the forehead. Then identify the “wrap” which is a section of longer hair usually above the left ear. (Originally it was longer, but many child owners trimmed it to match the length of the rest of the hair once they took out the ponytail). You need to separate these two sections before pulling the rest of the hair back into a ponytail. Use ¼” orthodontic elastics or similar small -size rubber bands. There are packs of 10 available in the shop for $1.00.
Pull the main section of hair back and put the elastic around it. You may put the “bang swirl” into it with the last turn of the elastic, or use a new elastic for this. To tie the “wrap” around the ponytail requires some practice, as does tucking its shorter ends into the ponytail afterwards. A crochet hook may help get it under the elastic. Put another elastic at the end of the ponytail. A finishing touch is to curl the end of the ponytail using a tiny curler or drinking straw. Sit the end of the ponytail in boiling water until it cools, then remove the curler. You may like to add a small yellow ribbon above the curl.
Bình luận