Lost causes?? Sunfading tedium

[Marlin]

I love sun fading. I've had some awesome results over time, but boy... these three...

These three gals have had a serious dose of stark, bleaching, uninhibited sunlight... and I'm just not getting anywhere!!!

Can I have opinions please as to whether you think I'm going to eventually get these marks out?




First up: Tutti Frutti. The marks were originally bright pink, but are now a stubborn orange and not budging.

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Second: Sunny Bunch. The spot bang in the middle of her forehead is her only flaw. It was originally bright orange, like highlighter. Now a faint pink. Worried it might be regrind and this is as good as it's gonna get?

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And lastly little Heart Throb: What the heck is this? It doesn't look like cancer up close - it kinda has an inky look to it (but please deliver me bad news if I'm delusional). Nothing is budging it! Several days in the sun not doing much good, either.

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Ideas, folks? 

[butterflybuttons]

I think they probably need a lot longer in the sun. I've had ponies sunfading over two years, and eventually it worked.

For baby heartthrob, have you tried any cleaning methods on the marks? If so maybe a little acetone carefully applied to the marks?

[mlp4me]

Yep, I'd give them more time, especially tutti frutti, I'm guessing you've been covering up the parts you don't want faded on her. Do you rotate her, like flip her upside down and turn her sideways, gotta get all angles...

I've had a baby noddins (purple body too) in the window for a good 8 months and she had hot pink allover her face. You can still lightly see the pink just like your sunny bunch.

As for baby heart throb; even if it's cancer it may fade a bit. Like Party said, if you haven't tried something to clean her you might want to.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Yeah I have a few myself that are like that.  I took them out of windows now that snow is here to stay, and several of them have to have a second spring/summer in the sunshine as the marks still have not faded.  Lots of patience! 

[Marlin]

Cheers, everyone     Le-sigh.... I've had these dearies (well, Tutti Frutti and Sunny Bunch at least) for what seems weeks in the sun. I'm worried about overdoing it. Anyone know if these ponies are prone to burning or anything?  If it's reasonably safe to continue (covering up other parts of the pony, of course!) I guess I'll just have to exercise patience! 

Re Heart Throb, she's a recent acquisition, so she hasn't had as long in the sun but I'll keep trying. I've tried magic eraser and a bit of nail polish remover very carefully on the spots and neither did anything. I don't have pure acetone. Any other suggestions?  She was re-haired by a very competent customiser so I'm reluctant to dip her in an oxy bath or something as the person who re-haired her mentioned she'd re-sealed the head with glue and I think she put some glue on the inside of her too (I can't quite remember that detail, I've have to go back in my pm's and re-check!)

[hathorcat]

In theory just about every pony can burn or discolour but those shown are not particularly known for it, so if I was you I would simply keep an eye on them.

I am going to agree with what everyone above has said...keep trying and leave them out longer. As BFB has said I have read people saying they have sun faded for months and months or even a year+ in order to shift the most stubborn stains. I am not sure where in the world you are Marlin so its also largely going to be dependant on the UV intensity of your sunlight at the moment - you may have more luck later in the year.

I would try magic eraser on Baby Heart Throb as well just in case that helps her.

[Marlin]

Thanks, Hathorcat    I'm in New Zealand, so now's the time to get those ponies cooking      I guess I'll just have to be persistent and watchful. They're all tinfoiled back up and roasting again as we speak!

And thank you, I had tried the magic eraser on heart throb earlier. Unfortunately it didn't work its magic that time!

[hathorcat]

No problem. And yes this is certainly the time to enjoy your weather then if you are in NZ . Have you tried sitting them out somewhere the UV is going to get really intense? The parcel shelf or dashboard of a car which is sitting out under the sun is usually pretty good for this.

[sd_dreamcrystal]

Baby Heartthrob's looks like tough staining, I have one pony (a G2) who has stains from road tar (don't ask) and never could get rid of it. It' might just be ingrain dirt, but it's hard for me to say really. I've never had luck with Magic Eraser, however, you still might be safe doing the oxy bath if the person who rehaired her did in fact use hot glue to hold the hair in.

You could try baking soda mixed into a past and do a good scrub down

[Marlin]

Cheers again everyone for your welcome advice! 

Yeah, Baby Heart Throb a strange one... I could give that baking soda a go - anything's worth a try, right?    I don't think it's ingrained dirt... it's very odd... it's sort of greeny brown. I'd take a closer picture if I could but the camera gets out of focus which wouldn't help much. I think you're right though - some sort of staining in the vinyl. Not tar though, luckily!

[pineapple]

No problem. And yes this is certainly the time to enjoy your weather then if you are in NZ . Have you tried sitting them out somewhere the UV is going to get really intense? The parcel shelf or dashboard of a car which is sitting out under the sun is usually pretty good for this.

That'll get it very hot but unless the car is really ancient the glass is UV treated, and even plain glass blocks UV rays shorter than 350 nm. For restoring ABS plastic the desired wavelength is 300-350 nm in conjunction with a peroxide formula (a more scientific version of the Transformers method of putting the toy in a tupperware full of peroxide and leaving it in the sun).

[Loa]

Thank god its a Kiwi summer coming up, one week with the ozone hole and they'll be fine!

[NovelNerd]

I know some people swear by this and others say it does nothing, but I can say if you're worried about burning the girls try the peroxide method. I had someone mention to me that it helped avoid burning, and I actually had a girl that was fried and sunburned badly. She looks better than she did before now and lost her burn for the most part (except on the side I didn't leave out long enough still has a bit). Dunno how it helps, but it did my girls.

[Marlin]

That'll get it very hot but unless the car is really ancient the glass is UV treated, and even plain glass blocks UV rays shorter than 350 nm. For restoring ABS plastic the desired wavelength is 300-350 nm in conjunction with a peroxide formula (a more scientific version of the Transformers method of putting the toy in a tupperware full of peroxide and leaving it in the sun).

What the?!

hee hee... love it! 


Cheers for the peroxide mentions - I think that'll be a last resort for me, though - I might try and exercise patience first!

And Loa - lol! Yep... I've been considering that hole and wondering if it might have one troublesome advantage. So far though it's only burned me!   ...reaches for sunscreen....

[mlp4me]

Unfortunately peroxide can dry out hair. You've got ponies that really need paint covered up and peroxide will help to quicken paint discoloration/fading.
How lucky you are to be in an area with sun! Winter is sliding in here and sunfading is now going to take forever x5... LOL.

Let us know how things are going with the sunfading in a few weeks??