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How to Restore Plastic Toys

Many parents throw a toy in the trash once it has broken, not realizing that it probably could have been salvaged. If the broken toy is plastic, chances are a piece broke off or two sections came apart. In either case, the toy can be restored close to its original condition without the need for any tools. The only requirement is that you still have the broken part. If you don't, you will need to contact the company who made the toy and ask if they sell spare parts, or look for something in a craft store that could replace it.

Things You'll Need

Cleaning supplies
Cotton swabs
Sandpaper
Crazy glue or other adhesive
Tape, string or elastic band (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the toy thoroughly, focusing extra time on the areas that need repairing. Use a cotton swab to get into small nooks and crannies.
- 2
  Rub sandpaper along both parts of the toy that will be glued back together, making the surfaces rough.
- 3
  Open a bottle of crazy glue and run a thin layer along both edges of the broken parts of the toy. Crazy glue dries fast and it is difficult to get off your skin, so proceed with caution. If you are not comfortable working with crazy glue, you can use an alternative, such as plastic adhesive or epoxy. Just make sure the adhesive is waterproof.
- 4
  Hold the pieces you just glued tightly together for about five minutes. Alternatively, you can wrap tape, string or an elastic band tightly around the glued parts while waiting for it to dry.
- 5
  Remove your hand or the tape, string or elastic band from the plastic toy.
- 6
  Apply pressure from various angles to the newly-repaired part of the toy. If it does not feel secure, break the pieces apart, use sandpaper to remove the dried-on crazy glue and repeat steps 3-5, making sure to apply more glue to the broken surfaces of the toy and more pressure when waiting for it to dry.
- 7
  Feel the area you glued with your fingers. If some of the glue has seeped out onto the toy, you will need to remove it by gently rubbing sandpaper over the surface.
- 8
  Clean the toy thoroughly.

Childrens Toys