My mom has these dolls that have lights under their clothes. The clothes are glued on so you can't remove them. How can I clean them? I took a picture of the underneath of the doll. They are on plastic stands because of the light.
She is lovely.
Cleaning the clothes is going to be a challenge because of the lights.
Are there stains or do you just want to freshen her up a bit?
TEST IN AN UNOBTRUSIVE SPOT FIRST TO MAKE SURE IT CAN HANDLE THIS--If it can and if there are stains I would use a few drops of Dreft or Woolite swished in a quart of cool water and dip a white cotton wash cloth into the solution and gently (one direction--top down) wipe the spots with a well rung out rag. Use a second rag dipped in water to rinse. Gently massage out the stains with the rag, then rinse.
If it is just to freshen, you may just want to gently mist the dress (so as not to soak thru and damage the lights) with clean cold water (again test this) and let her dry in the sun for an hour.
Post back with an update!
I would spot clean only with suds from mild detergent.
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My mother crocheted beautiful dolls clothes that I can't remove from the doll. How can I clean them?
You really need to know what the dolls are stuffed with. If it is a foam stuffing like they use in some stuff animals this might work. But there are a few foam stuffings in pillows if washed will destroy them completely. However, come can be washed fine and make it.
I was almost thinking if you can actually clean the doll and clothes at the same time this might work for you. But like I said this will all depend on what the doll is stuffed with.
You could try encasing the head of the doll in a plastic bag and taping it around the neck of the doll to protect the hair and doll makeup. Now if the doll can be submerged in water you can use a small wash tub with mild soap to soak the doll and clothes in. You might need to gently rub the dress to clean the really bad spots on it. After you can take the doll and hang it up to drip dry. That is, providing the stuffing is the right kind to get wet.
Other than this if the dolls are valuable, then you might need to go and see a person who restores dolls and ask them to clean them for you. They'd know the best way to do this.
I recently acquired a doll from the early 1960s. She has a velveteen top and waistband. I'm hesitant to wash it because I'm afraid the color will run.
Any suggestions?
Wash in cold water with a little salt added
I have a doll that has been in a cardboard box for years, in our garage. Once I opened it, I saw that there are light brown stains on the doll's clothing. How can I carefully get these out? The doll's dress is mostly black and white (nun doll). I don't feel comfortable putting it in the washing machine.
By KathyQ from Owensboro, KY
My mom swears by biz, it is an oldie but a goodie and I remember her soaking items like that in a basin. I am pretty sure you can find it in a larger supermarket.
I used to work in a doll repair shop, so I hope I can help.First, check a hidden area of the black part to see if the dye will run. Many older doll clothes are not colorfast and will bleed, especially dark colors like red, black, blue and purple. If it is not colorfast, do your best to work around that part, or take it to a professional doll repair store. If it is colorfast, start with the least invasive and work up.
Try oxyiclean and hand wash gentle enough for the finest of fine colorsafe.
If the doll clothes are white, I would try hand washing it in bleach, but if it is all different colors, I would use pinesol and hand wash the stain out.
Hi, I tried Perk on an Ideal Toni doll dress. It did not remove the yellowing from the overlay of the dress. I soaked it for an hour and a half like the bottle says. Is there anything else to remove the yellowing?
Try denture cleaning tabs in warm water. Works wonders!
