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How to Restore a Barbie's Hair Color

When a Barbie doll is fresh out of the packaging, its hair is a light blonde. However, after years of playing, the hair color may have dirtied. Using some of the doll's hair accessories and common household items, you can restore Barbie's hair to its original color. This process will keep Barbie out of action for a bit, so it should be attempted at a time when your child will not want to play with her doll.

Things You'll Need

Shampoo
Bleach
Hot water
Barbie hairbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a bowl with hot but not boiling water. Dip Barbie in, ensuring the hair is fully wet.
- 2
  Take a small amount of shampoo on your fingers, and run it through Barbie's hair. Do not massage it in, as this will cause knotting.
- 3
  Dip Barbie back into the hot water to rinse the shampoo out.
- 4
  Brush the hair through carefully with the Barbie brush.
- 5
  Empty the hot water bowl, and refill it with water of the same temperature, adding a small amount of bleach. A ratio of one part bleach to nine parts water will ensure it is safe to use on Barbie's hair.
- 6
  Dip Barbie into the mixture, and ensure the hair is fully coated. Keep Barbie upside down to ensure no bleach gets on to the body. Remove the doll from the bowl.
- 7
  Lie Barbie on a towel for one hour.
- 8
  Rinse Barbie under a cold tap to remove all excess bleach from the hair. The hair will noticeably lighten.
- 9
  Repeat this process to further lighten the hair, although excessive bleaching may cause damage.

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