Dolly Illnesses and Maintenance Recommendations/Tips

[spherogirl]

Disclaimer: This thread is a Work In Progress. All information compiled in this thread is based on feedback from the MLP Arena Community and information found on the internet. All tips/tricks/solutions are not foolproof. This thread is meant to inform fellow doll collectors. Please do not try any of the proposed remedies in this thread on a doll you love before confirming that the result works for you on a doll you don't love.

This thread will be updated with new topics over time. If you have any suggestions or come across a problem you want help with, please post here! Please do not be afraid to correct me as I am just learning about many of these issues and how to fix them.

1. Plasticizer Leaching
Problem - Plasticizer used in limbs made with soft plastic can migrate to the surface of various dolly parts. This is commonly seen on the legs of dolls produced in the 80s and on the vinyl faces of some dolls (barbie primarily?).

Solution - This problem can be temporarily resolved by giving your doll a good wash with a mild cleanser, like dish detergent, and warm water. Some other websites and forums suggest using the Formula 9-1-1 cleaner. I've never used it, so I cannot speak to its effectiveness over a simple, good, cleaning.

Suggestions to delay additional leaching include applying talcum powder to the affected areas following cleaning or to apply rubbing alcohol. I've also heard/read that rubbing alcohol can draw additional plasticizer out.

Regardless, this is a problem that will not go away. Dolls will have to be cleaned again on a periodic basis. Be aware that leaching plasticizer can ruin clothes. You should always wash your hands after handling a doll with leaching plasticizers. Do not let children play with these dolls.

2. Regrind/Age Spots
Problem - Light skin tone to white spots appear on the doll, primarily on the legs but also seen on some arms.

Solution - There is no stopping the development of age spots as this is primarily caused by the degradation of plastic. Make sure to clean your dolls and store them properly. It is possible to conceal these spots through several methods.

Painting -

Dyeing - This is suggested for Mod era dolls that have lost coloring. Dyeing is performed with RIT dyes and is described in detail at dollrestoration.com. The link is included in the resources section below. It may be possible to repair age spots with this method, however; this has not been tested yet.

Makeup Powder - Find a powder compact that matches your doll's skin tone. Rub the powder into the age spots with a powder puff. This method is said to work well on older barbies.

If you intend to sell a doll that has had age spots concealed, make sure to inform the buyer!

3. Black Dots/Cancer/Mold
Problem - Plasticizer used in vintage dolls is being eaten by bacteria and fungi that the doll has been exposed to. This can be seen in the form of small black dots in the center of the age spots (these are the roots of the fungi) or much more widespread black spotting on the doll. It's likely that this damage is a result of the doll being improperly stored.

Solution - Thourougly clean the doll with a mild soap cleanser as a first step. The black dot can be removed with REMOVE-ZIT, HOWEVER; this product is known to cause discoloration over time on some ponies and dolls (based on the coloring technique of plastic). In the case of dolls with age spots, this may not be much of a concern as the skin tone has already been lightened in these areas. It is HIGHLY recommended that this solution be tested on a spare doll first.

This product will also remove paint so be VERY careful near faces and any other painted features on your doll.

*To prevent this issue from reoccurring, make sure to store dolls in a space with less than 70% humidity. Periodically clean affected dolls. Fungi should not spread to other dolls.

4. Green Ear
There are a few products that can be used to treat Green Ear. These products include REMOVE-ZIT, CLR, and benzoyl peroxide (found commonly in acne medications). Select one product to use for this process. In general, no matter the product, the solution remains the same.

Other Tools Needed:

• Q-Tips
• Make-up squares or cotton balls
• Plain dental floss & sewing needle
• Tweezers & small pair of needle nose pliers
• Small plastic container with snap lid

Carefully remove the dolls earrings & remove head from the body. (This is a must as greening is also inside the head, not just on the outside). Remove any old verdigris that could have built up in the head (this could be little, to a lot) using a q-tip dipped with the cleaning product of your choice. Swab the inside of the head until the Q-tip is clean.

Take a needle threaded with plain dental floss dipped your cleaning product and run back and forth through the doll's earring holes until the thread is clear. This helps to dissolve what's in the ear hole itself.

Once this is done, take a small piece of cotton ball or cut make-up squares, found in the cosmetics department. Cut into small swatches big enough to cover the affected area and dip in the cleaning product. Apply to the ear area like a patty on green areas. Set the doll head on a towel and change the patties once or twice a day for several days and up to as long as a month, depending on the level of greening.

After a few days to a week, what's left is pretty much what your stuck with, as far staining is concerned, though some dolls will continue to clear further with a longer treatment. REMEMBER, TIME TIME TIME! This process is time consuming but if you allow plenty of time you will be rewarded for your efforts. Most of the time this clears it so much it can't be seen.

Some people suggest putting the doll in limited sunlight. This has no effect on the process & will create the situation of fading the dolls body and face color.
 
Also be careful to limit getting cleaner on the hair or makeup during this process. Paint can be removed by these products.

After the doll has been treated, clean with mild soap and warm water, use safe pearl earrings (not metal!!!) or none at all.

NOTE - This process does not work on MOD era dolls. Skin will turn white if these products are applied.


5. Melt Marks/Crotch Rot
Problem - Indentations in the hard plastic portion of dolls, where a reaction between the hard plastic and soft vinyl has caused the plastic to melt. Often this creates "grooves" that are about the thickness of a soft vinyl doll leg.

Solution - Carefully trim the melted part away and then sand the area smooth with fine sandpaper.

For prevention of future melting, take a very thin cardboard and cut a circle the size of the hip. Cut a hole on the inside and a slit and then position the cardboard between the leg and the body to keep the vinyl leg from touching the plastc torso. Thick paper will also work.



Proper Doll Cleaning and Storage

When done cleaning up your dolly, do not forget to store her properly! Many of these issues can be avoided with proper storage.

Always store dolls in a cool, dry room with no direct sunlight. Plastic boxes are not suggested because extra moisture and stale air can be trapped. Fabric boxes are ideal due to their breathing ability.

Make sure dolls aren't touching if you're worried about plastic melt. Acid free tissue is a good option for keeping dolls separated, though, if you have a plasticizer leaching problem, tissue may get stuck to your dolls. Boxes for individual storage can be found at the following website and come in Barbie, Ken and (vintage) Skipper sizes: http://vintagedollplaza.com/shopping/web/t-BoxInfo.aspx



Other Miscellaneous Tips and Tricks

Opening a Stuck Eye - Use a pencil eraser to push eyes open when there is no molded lash.

Reparing Scratched Acrylic Eyes - Paint eyes with a water-based acrylic gloss

Clothing Dye Transfer - To conceal existing clothing dye transfer, the best solution is to make a nude body suit out of lycre. For prevention, wrap the body of the doll in glad wrap.

Resources

The following websites have information that may provide additional help in the restoration, repair, and/or care of your doll:

http://dollrestoration.com/your_questions_answered.htm

[andibgoode]

Sounds like a good idea - I don't know if there's another thread or not. In my experience in the doll world (on Flickr mainly) I never saw terms like cancer or regrind used - I think they may just be pony things (the cancer at least, though I could be wrong)? What exactly is happening to your Barbies? Many get green (the earlier bend legs because of the metal inside) or lighter spots on their legs.

[spherogirl]

I've seen threads where people refer to the light spots on the older plastic legs as regrind. I also have rampant plasticizer leaching....lots of tacky/sticky legs. I had always assumed the "cancer" term could be referring to mold spots. I appear to have some mold spots in the legs of a doll or two...but I honestly don't know much about doll degradation. I'm hoping to learn more as it seems many of these issues are inevitable as the dolls age.

That's why I think a thread like this might be useful.

It could serve to teach people what they are seeing...and also how to repair/fix/slow the degradation.

I have some thoughts on how to do this effectively. I'm just not sure there's a ton of interest as you're the first person to reply! I'm willing to give it a go though!

[andibgoode]

Sorry - I wasn't very clear. On the Arena and TP I've seen people use 'regrind' and 'cancer' to refer to Barbie, too, but never outside of the world of pony collectors, thus far but it doesn't actually matter what it's called (I wrote my first reply when I just woke up - have less of a filter then). (Just like doll collectors use clone instead of fakie, etc).

The white spots definitely look like regrind - I suppose it would still be caused by the vinyl losing its colour (or somehow reacting to the material inside the leg that makes it bend) but I wouldn't guess that the vinyl would have been reused/re-dyed in the same way the pony vinyl was because most of the caucasian Barbies are the same skintone? (Only guesses - would be interested to know for certain).

I assumed 'cancer' referred to mould, too - I haven't seen/got any Barbies with mould, though but am starting to wonder if the ones I've washed over the past couple of years could develop it. 

As for sticky legs, if it's anything like the greasy faces the early ponytail Barbies get, there's nothing to be done to reverse it. This thread suggests using baby powder to help? http://ghostofthedoll.co.uk/Forum/index.php?topic=2956.0

And this site says this: http://www.centralcarolinafashiondollclub.com/tips-for-collectors.php

Mattel had major issues in the mid to late 1980's where legs developed white or green spots. These marks do not come off. Jewel Secrets Whitney often develops the spots. In later years, many collector dolls have developed sticky legs. This stickiness can ruin clothing. It can be treated periodically with baby powder but will return. For this reason, some collectors have swapped the original body for a safe body.

I'm lucky and none of my dolls are sticky at all (yet, heh) and have actually been stored in a plastic box for years, which I've just recently learned isn't the best place for them. Oops. They are stored in a cool (well...dark), dry room, though.

I still think is a great idea, if more people are interested (even if they aren't, I'm happy to learn and share) - I haven't had any major cosmetic issues on 80s or later dolls to deal with and have, thus far, only been researching restoring tips for older dolls.

This site has some good information: http://dollrestoration.com/your_questions_answered.htm

I wonder if the method used to recolour faded mod dolls would work on white spots on the 80s Barbie legs? Another site said they wouldn't come off but maybe colour could be put back into them? The Lady Lovely Locks dolls get the same white spots.

[spherogirl]

Here are some examples of what I'm seeing in my collection:

1. Duchess Ravenwaves - This is what I think people are referring to when they talk about regrind. It's minor right now. Just some very slightly faint lightening of the skin tone in spots.
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2. Prince Strongheart - This case is a little more severe. The lighter spots are very noticeable. The spot at the bottom of his left leg also has a rough feel to it. Will the plastic eventually just eat away? Do I have to worry about him losing the bottom of his leg?
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3. Unidentified Barbie - I haven't gotten to identifying her yet, but she is one of my worst cases. I'm thinking there may be a mold problem embedded in the broken down light spots. Maybe I'm wrong? Is this just the infamous green spot I've heard reference to?
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Front View
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Closeup
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Side View
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I didn't show a back view but a spot on the back of her legs has a dark pinpoint in the center of one of the discolored spots.



All dolls shown have that sticky/tacky feeling.

[tulagirl]

I have a method for fixing those dots...make up powder rubbed in.  May have to experiment with shade..but it makes rh doll look better.you buff it in.

[spherogirl]

Do you have any more specific instructions on how to do this? This would be very helpful! Also, do you have any pictures of your finished result?

I have a method for fixing those dots...make up powder rubbed in.  May have to experiment with shade..but it makes rh doll look better.you buff it in.

Post Merge: February 20, 2013, 07:56:25 PM

Bumping for a revised main thread. I've started to compile information. This will take me a while to put together completely. Anyone who has any suggestions or tips...feel free to post so I can incorporate them!

Thanks!! 

[andibgoode]

Remove-Zit can be used to remove green-ear too. Some people use CLR as well. I've never used either as I've not had a doll affected, yet. I've heard it's best not to use Remove-Zit on mod era dolls though as it takes the colour right out of the vinyl instead of just removing the green but you can re-colour the vinyl with Rit dye or similar. The Twin Pines site suggests artist grade markers can be used.

As for storage - similar to ponies. Cool, dry room, no direct sunlight. I've been told plastic is not a great idea so fabric boxes would be best. Probably a good idea to make sure the dolls aren't touching if you're worried about plastic melt. I'm going to get some acid free tissue or similar to slip between mine at some point. This website has boxes you can buy for individual storage and come in Barbie, Ken and (vintage) Skipper sizes: http://vintagedollplaza.com/shopping/web/t-BoxInfo.aspx

[spherogirl]

Thanks Andibgoode! I'll add this info tonight!

[Radiance]

Some dolls made from 2 different plastics (hard & soft) will get a weird reaction where the plastics meet and melt each other. It goes by several names, my favorite is "crotch rot" from the Dawn collectors! You have to carefully trim the melted part away, then sand the area smooth with fine sandpaper.

[andibgoode]

Some dolls made from 2 different plastics (hard & soft) will get a weird reaction where the plastics meet and melt each other. It goes by several names, my favorite is "crotch rot" from the Dawn collectors! You have to carefully trim the melted part away, then sand the area smooth with fine sandpaper.

I was going to mention this but hadn't looked into a way to deal with it. So thanks because I have a Havoc doll with a melted crotch. (Crotch rot is hilarious by the way).

[spherogirl]

Updated a bunch. Still working on some of this! Keep the tips coming!

[tulagirl]

All you do is get a powder compact and rub the powder into the white spots. I used specific colors based on skin tone.  I used the powder puff or whatever u call it to do this. Eventually my tnts had no spots as tint in the powder covered them.  I gave the dolls to a friend.  It worked very well on my older barbies.

For plastic melt, I take a very thin cardboard and cut a circle the size of the hip..I cut a hole on the inside and a slit ...then I position it between the leg and the body to keep the vinyl leg from touching the plastc torso..a thicker paper will work also.

For clothing dye transfer I use glad wrap on the body or I make a nude body suit for the doll out of lycra.  Also for dolls that have a foam body and are deterriating I use infant tights to make a body suit for that.

For opening a stuck eye..a pencil eraser is  a great tool for opening an eye that has no molded lash.

Not all dolls respond to the same methods..so the idea is to try things that are not permanent so you can redo if it does not work.

I don't havemy glasses on and typing on this tiny tablet is tough. Sorry for errors.

For repairing scratched acrylic doll eyes, I have used a water base gloss..it fills the scratch so you don't see it..

I have restored dolls for years..but I just lost my computer and all my data is gone. They could not recover it. 

[spherogirl]

This is great! Thank you so much! I'll keep updating the thread!

All you do is get a powder compact and rub the powder into the white spots. I used specific colors based on skin tone.  I used the powder puff or whatever u call it to do this. Eventually my tnts had no spots as tint in the powder covered them.  I gave the dolls to a friend.  It worked very well on my older barbies.

For plastic melt, I take a very thin cardboard and cut a circle the size of the hip..I cut a hole on the inside and a slit ...then I position it between the leg and the body to keep the vinyl leg from touching the plastc torso..a thicker paper will work also.

For clothing dye transfer I use glad wrap on the body or I make a nude body suit for the doll out of lycra.  Also for dolls that have a foam body and are deterriating I use infant tights to make a body suit for that.

For opening a stuck eye..a pencil eraser is  a great tool for opening an eye that has no molded lash.

Not all dolls respond to the same methods..so the idea is to try things that are not permanent so you can redo if it does not work.

I don't havemy glasses on and typing on this tiny tablet is tough. Sorry for errors.

For repairing scratched acrylic doll eyes, I have used a water base gloss..it fills the scratch so you don't see it..

I have restored dolls for years..but I just lost my computer and all my data is gone. They could not recover it.

[Blitzn]

Great thread, spherogirl (and andibgoode). Had some information I never came across before when I was researching for cures.  I don't think I have anything to contribute to the OP but I'll throw in $0.02.

What we call Cancer is described here (albeit a biased review), is caused by improper storage and exposure to things that mess up the plasticizer. It's hard to treat (I tried remove-zit but it took a lot of doing, and IMO bleach spots look worse or can make the brown spots look worse). I also tried zit cream/sun with mixed results. I came across one site that says vasaline w/sun for dark plastics but I never tried it.

My biggest advice for pony collectors, and other hollow type dolls, is to avoid getting water inside of them (avoid baths but instead surface clean with rags).  I've personally seen single sellers ruin 100s of G1s :-(.  For any doll, one should limit HEAT & chemical exposure to the plastic: avoid boiling water, dishwashers, clothes washers, pure acetone, chemicals, etc. Spot treatments such as goof off, sun, or remove-zit is to try to fix a bigger evil. And if there are more mild treatments, try those in lieu of more detrimental ones.