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How to Clean Ink Stains From American Girl Dolls

American Girl dolls are showcased as collectibles, but they are also played with by young girls. During the playing process, the vinyl on the American Girl doll can become stained with ink from a pen. They can also be stained from the dye in doll clothing. You can send the doll to a doll hospital or you can choose to take the less-expensive route and remove the stain yourself.

Things You'll Need

Baking soda
Water
Towels
Benzoyl peroxide acne ointment

Instructions

- 1
  Remove all clothing from the doll. This will prevent the cleaners from damaging the clothes.
- 2
  Wash the area first with a paste made from baking soda and water to remove grime and dirt. Dry thoroughly.
- 3
  Apply a thin layer of a benzoyl-peroxide acne ointment over the stain. Do not apply to painted areas, like pink cheeks or freckles. Use a toothpick to get right up to the edges. If the ink stain is on the painted area you may be able to remove it, but you may also lose part of the paint color on the vinyl.
- 4
  Place the doll in a window in the sunlight to speed up the process. Cover the doll's hair with a towel--ultraviolet light is bad for the doll's hair. Let set for 24 hours. Check the doll periodically, if the vinyl feels extremely hot from the sun, remove it from the direct sunlight.
- 5
  Wipe off the cream with a soft damp cloth. If some of the stain is still there, repeat the procedure as many times as necessary. The stain will usually disappear in one to three applications.

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