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How to Clean a Vintage Hard Plastic Doll

Some vintage dolls are valuable on the resale market. Some are priceless in terms of sentimentality. Regardless, the value of the doll depends on condition. Whether you are using your doll for display, preparing to store it or selling it, cleaning is a practical step. How to clean a hard plastic or vinyl vintage doll depends somewhat on the type of doll and the condition it is in. The hair is often the most problematic. Determining what kind of hair the doll has is important in deciding how to treat it to make it look like new.

Things You'll Need

Baby shampoo
Wig brush or metal pet brush (use only for doll hair)
Towels
Household cleaner (all-purpose or gentle dish soap)
Toothbrush
Cotton balls or swabs
Rubbing alcohol

Instructions

Hair
- 1
  Hold onto the roots of the doll's hair and pull the brush through it, starting at the bottom and working your way to the top, gently untangling as you go.
- 2
  Wash the doll's hair in lukewarm water and baby shampoo, if the hair is dull or dusty.
- 3
  Gently squeeze the water out of the doll's hair with a towel.
- 4
  Let the hair air-dry.
- 5
  Gently comb the hair with the metal wig brush or pet brush.
Plastic
- 6
  Dip a soft cloth in warm, soapy water. Wring it out until it is just damp and rub the plastic.
- 7
  Use a damp, soft toothbrush to scrub the doll, especially in places the cloth could not reach effectively, such as the fingers and toes.
- 8
  Use a cotton swab or cotton ball moistened with gentle cleaner to clean the doll's eyes and eyelids.
- 9
  Dip a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and use it to rub out any stains, such as ink.
- 10
  Let the doll dry completely before putting clothes back on.

Dolls