Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Check the stability of the arms, legs and head as they are connected to the doll body. The head should be able to turn easily in the neck socket without flopping to one side or the other. The arms and legs should fit snugly into the shoulder and hip sockets without falling out and should be able to move up and down easily.
Check the head and the neck flange that holds the head in place. In drink-and-wet dolls, the neck flange is a soft piece of molded plastic that is a part of the body. Remove the head from the doll body only if it is unstable.
Check the drink-and-wet mechanism. Attempt to "feed" the baby doll a small amount of water, no more than one ounce, in an appropriate bottle made to fit Baby Tender Love's mouth. Check to see if "baby wets." Most drink-and-wet dolls have a small, pin-size opening, usually on the left buttock, which is the lowest part of the doll when it is lying down. Check to see if this opening is clogged by probing the opening with a straight pin and removing any debris.
Remove the doll's head if the drinking and wetting test failed. Push the head gently to one side to and remove the flange at the bottom of the head from the neck socket flange. Note the tubing that connects the mouth to the buttock. Determine if the tubing is connected. Check for rust where the tubing connects at a tubular brass rivet. This is a very common problem. The second biggest cause of drinking and wetting problems is lime buildup and the growth of algae. Replace with similar tubing if this is the problem.
Replace the doll's head by inserting it back into the neck flange and forcing the neck flange into the neck flange.
Examine the arm and leg joints. Repair any loose extremities due to tears in the flanges with an electric soldering gun; the heat will melt and simultaneously fuse the plastic into a permanent bond. Allow to cool before attempting to re-insert into the doll body. Dust the joint opening with a little talcum powder to make reconnecting the arm or leg easier.
Repair any missing arm or leg flange with epoxy paste, which is available at doll hospital supply shops. Rebuild the missing part of the flange. Allow to dry. Sand with a fine-grade sandpaper and carve the repaired flange with a sharp craft knife so that it is smooth and consistent with the original size and shape. Reinsert the repaired arm or leg.
Check the general condition of the doll's "skin." Wash with warm water, a mild liquid soap and a soft cloth Avoid getting water into the joints. Dry thoroughly.
Remove ballpoint pen marks, lipstick and crayon stains by creating small "pads" of paper toweling. Dampen the pads with rubbing alcohol and apply to the stain for two minutes. Remove the pad, saturate with chlorine bleach and place the pad back on the stain. Leave the chlorine-soaked pad on the stain for 20 minutes. Leave the pad in place overnight if the stain is still present. You can repeat the process several times without damaging the doll.
Swab the area with vinegar on a paper towel once the stain is removed.
Wash the doll hair with a gentle shampoo and conditioner. Pat hair dry with a towel. Comb hair with a nylon brush and rat tail comb. Baby Tender Love has short, blond hair that usually ends up standing straight up on the head. Apply a small amount of hair gel, comb the hair down so that it falls naturally, and apply a cap made from an old nylon to hold the hair in place until it is completely dry and back under control.
Replace missing or damaged doll hair by purchasing a doll wig. Remove all the hair with scissors and pliers, including any hair plugs left in the holes where it was originally rooted. Apply craft glue to the doll's head and position the wig from the front to the back. Allow the craft glue to dry completely before attempting to trim, cut or style the wig for your doll.