Various cleaning and grooming questions regarding G1 ponies

[Hammocker]

I've lurked around in the forums looking for information about my questions here, but haven't entirely found answers. I hope you all won't mind if I ask them here, and please correct me if I'm doing this wrong. Pardon the severely unprofessional nature of any pictures included. In any case, I'll split this into categories.

Glitter symbols and UV fading
My personal favorite pony is Glory and she's been the first pony I've chosen to work on. The one I initially got has a pretty faded and de-glittered symbol, so I'm not quite as scared to work with her, but I ended up buying another one with a much more in tact symbol that I really don't want to damage.

I did some UV fading on the first Glory (hope it turned out well, not sure if I should do any more), and I'd like to do the same on the second. I'm really bad at cutting out masking tape to size, so I've been using tempera paint to protect symbols, blush, and eyes, but I'd like to know if the paint makes for acceptable protection and particularly if it might harm a glitter symbol in any way. I know there's methods of taping the non-sticky side of tape over glitter symbols so as not to damage them, but again, I'm bad as it is at taping over eyes and blush. In short, what are my options for protecting glitter symbols in the UV process?

Pardon the more faded Glory's head and taillessness, I'm currently working on her mane and tail, as I'll talk about later.

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So-soft cleaning and patching
I've got a few so-softs, Hippity Hop, North Star, and Cupcake. I wanted to try my hand at cleaning Hippity Hop first, but, while working her head off to check for rust or anything else that might be lurking, I rubbed off quite a bit of flocking around her neck and ears. I feel terribly guilty about this, but live and learn and all that.

So, first, as I understand, flocking can be patched with a flocking gun or just putting some glue on a pony and sticking flocking on it. I'm not sure what the preferred method is or just what you guys might recommend if you have experience. I've heard that the texture of the original flocking is hard to match, but any particular brands of flocking that you like? Any advice is welcome.

Also, maybe a silly question, but is all G1 flocking the same? I ask because I'm not sure if flocking colors are a factor, or if flocking just appears slightly different in color because of the ponies' different colors or yellowing over time.

Second, preventative measures. I do like to take the heads off of ponies if only to make sure that there's nothing scary lurking beneath. Hippity Hop is practically immaculate inside, thankfully, but I'd still like to check the other two. Do you guys open up your so softs or is that just not recommended? And if so, how do you go about avoiding damage? I've considered that some kind of rubber grip might help reduce friction, if that's the issue. I confess I wasn't wearing gloves while removing Hippity Hop's head when I probably should have, but not sure if just the gloves would be entirely preventative.

More a nervous question than anything, but how do you prefer to clean so-softs? I know you're not supposed to use warm water, but other than that, is it just being gentle with a toothbrush? That's mostly what I've understood.

Again, excuse the state of Hippity Hop. I haven't done anything to her out of fear of causing more damage.

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Hair
Possibly the scariest subject for me personally. I've done the basics, shampoo, conditioner, and combing out Glory's mane and tail, and they both look much, much better. I've removed the tail to work with it, and I'm not sure if that's good or bad or makes no difference, but I'd be interested to know. Mainly I'm wondering if I should continue trying to defrizz the hair. I haven't left conditioner in the mane and tail for an extended period so far, but that may be my next step. I know a lot of people will use conditioner and a flat iron for that, but I don't have an iron at this point, so I was wondering what peoples' experiences are with boil washing. Is it effective at all, is it harmful at all? What's a good next step?

Before:
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Current:
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This post got longer than I originally intended, and I'm sure a lot of these are just noob problems and overthinking, as I tend to do. Once again, if I'm in the wrong place or asking too much at once, let me know. I appreciate your patience and any time you might take in answering my questions. Thanks much in advance.

[Artemesia's Garden]

There is a lot here so I will dive in with the UV fading. Personally, I think that it's OK on certain ponies but only for a day or two because it damages the plastic and can cause worse problems long-term. The effect is only ever temporary. So I'd say that having brightened her up, enjoy for a year or two. When next you get her out of storage though she will probably go back to looking the same. So I'd limit the sunfading in which case you don't need to be as picky about covering. I just make 2 bands of tissue paper and wrap 1 around the eyes and blush and 1 around the symbol. Both your Glories look fabulous in my opinion. The sunfading effect is great to freshen up some blue and white ponies for sure. But UV light damages plastic, there is no getting away from it. You can't return the plastic to it's original condition, only slow the ageing process using good storage conditions (low UV, low hiumidity, stable temperature, avoid contact with other types of plastic, use acid free tissue paper for storage, allow air circulation).

With so-softs, yes it's all the same as far as I know, but there will be batch variations like anything that affects the ageing of the glue and fibres. The glue has usually degraded causing flocking loss, so test a tiny area under the hoof with your thumbnail if possible to see how stable the glue is. In any case I would say the best approach is to use a tiny amount of soap in tepid water first. Perhaps use a soft clean makeup brush if you want to try cleaning as such. I would only use a toothbrush for de-flocking. Then rinse off with cold clean water. There aren't many options but definitely avoid anything oily, abrasive or chemically harsh.

With hair, I'd say it's fine to remove the tail since if you've removed the head (breaking the neck seal) then you might as well be thorough. Peronally I remove and check the washer for rust, coat in a clear acrylic varnish if I plan to return it to the body. I never remove the clamp. Personally I have never found a rusty G1 clamp and find that removing it spoils the character of the tail. Even G1 ponies with straight hair usually have a bit of bounce to it especially if they were made in Hong Kong. I think this is worth preserving. I only used a flat iron once for a pony who I think had already been ruined by someone using a flat iron. I improved it that's all I can say. I use conditioner, boiling water and curlers to straighten the hair, allow to dry and then repeat to style.

Hope this helps.

[honor_h]

The mane and tail look fine. I'd just put a load of conditioner in and leave for a while. Personally, I don't think the hair needs straightening at all.

[Artemesia's Garden]

The mane and tail look fine. I'd just put a load of conditioner in and leave for a while. Personally, I don't think the hair needs straightening at all.

I agree, all looks good to me.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

Lots of good advice! I'd also echo that the hair looks just fine to me. I tend to not remove heads unless I can see damage from the outside.

[LadyMoondancer]

Agree that the hair looks fine.  The lovely curl in her tail and mane is natural and desirable.

I wouldn't do UV fading on Glory because she already looks great.  Keep in mind she was always a creamy white, not a "sheet of paper" white.  Congrats on finding such a beautiful pony!

Covering up symbols . . . Don't use paint over glitter symbols, it will probably scrape off the glitter symbol when you remove the paint.  I would use tissue paper, something non-sticky.

Flocking:  There are two different kinds of flocking, the flocking on the first set of So-Soft ponies (Wind Whistler etc) and the flocking on the 2nd set of So-Soft ponies (Angel, etc).  The 2nd set has shorter flocking which is easier to clean.  The first set has thicker flocking.  Interestingly, Hippity Hop is the only pony who had both types of flocking, because she was initially released with the first set, but returned for the 2nd set!  Yours is from the first set.

There's really no easy way to fix the Set 1 So-Soft flocking because it's not like Calico Critters flocking where it's just a fine layer of fuzz.  No . . . a big component is that they used static electricity to make each piece of flocking stand upright.  So to replicate it you need a static applicator.  Also, it probably will not look seamless unless the pony is totally deflocked, then reflocked.

1st set So-Soft ponies are notoriously hard to clean.  (I've had great luck with 2nd set So-Softs.)  The flocking is usually very hardy;  I've used hot water, scrubbed vigorously with a toothbrush, etc.  But once dirt is in the flocking . . . that's it, it ain't coming out.  In my experience, anyway.  And then there are the white patches, which result from the fairly long flocking ,which initially stood upright via static electricity, gradually being flattened by play over the years.  And that's also a problem with no easy solution.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Flocking:  There are two different kinds of flocking, the flocking on the first set of So-Soft ponies (Wind Whistler etc) and the flocking on the 2nd set of So-Soft ponies (Angel, etc).  The 2nd set has shorter flocking which is easier to clean.  The first set has thicker flocking.  Interestingly, Hippity Hop is the only pony who had both types of flocking, because she was initially released with the first set, but returned for the 2nd set!  Yours is from the first set.

There's really no easy way to fix the Set 1 So-Soft flocking because it's not like Calico Critters flocking where it's just a fine layer of fuzz.  No . . . a big component is that they used static electricity to make each piece of flocking stand upright.  So to replicate it you need a static applicator.  Also, it probably will not look seamless unless the pony is totally deflocked, then reflocked.

1st set So-Soft ponies are notoriously hard to clean.  (I've had great luck with 2nd set So-Softs.)  The flocking is usually very hardy;  I've used hot water, scrubbed vigorously with a toothbrush, etc.  But once dirt is in the flocking . . . that's it, it ain't coming out.  In my experience, anyway.  And then there are the white patches, which result from the fairly long flocking ,which initially stood upright via static electricity, gradually being flattened by play over the years.  And that's also a problem with no easy solution.

Awesome info!

[Hammocker]

Thank you all so much for the information and advice! I'm sorry I'm late replying to this again. I've since put Glory back together, and I'm generally happy with her, though, the tail I feel like could still be improved. I'm not sure if it's oriented entirely correctly or if it needs more care or if I should just leave it as is. I just hope I haven't made it worse somehow. A big takeaway I've gotten from this thread is that it's just as important to know when not to do anything as when to do something.
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As for Hippity Hop, I'm still anxious to try much with her. I might just try cleaning specifically the body with a makeup brush, thank you for the suggestion, Artemesia. Some of her flocking is pretty thin and I don't want to mess with it too much, but the body seems surprisingly stable. I scratched pretty vigorously under her hooves and couldn't get anything off, same deal around her rear end and much of the body. It's pretty thick in most places too. The head is a different story, with flocking coming off with minor prodding. I might just try sticking some flocking on her ear or cheek just to see how it looks, but I'll mull that over.  Either way, I'm gonna try to not be too picky with her.

Again, thanks so much everyone, really appreciate the help.

[Artemesia's Garden]

You're welcome. I personally try to do as little as possible while still having an enjoyable pony. With that tail I would comb it out with 'hand hot' tap water and some hair conditioner. Rinse, then wrap it around your finger in the direction it 'wants' to go. Then lay the pony on it's side on a towel and set the tail down in a coil. Do not be tempted to touch it until all is completely dry, then comb out again. That should be enough to smooth it and get the hairs going back in the original direction. Since you're wetting the tail though you'd have to pop the head off again and make sure it's dry inside before you reassemble.