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How to Repair a Doll

Dolls age throughout time, especially if they undergo wear and tear from a child's play. They can become dirty, stained and even damaged with holes and cracks. Usually, the older a doll is, the worse its condition will be. Antique dolls, such as composition dolls, often require repair and restoration to restore them to their former glory.

Things You'll Need

Fabric softener
Sodium lauryl sulphate
Renaissance wax
Humidifier
Putty knife
Loctite Epoxy putty
Evercoat 417
Acrylic paint
Baby shampoo
Hair conditioner
Fine-toothed comb
Clear spray sealer (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Wash soft, cloth dolls with fabric softener in the washing machine on a delicate or gentle cycle, or hand wash them with fabric softener. Allow them to sun-dry, and they should appear clean again. You may need to soak and wash them in color-safe bleach if they are stained.
- 2
  Use a product containing sodium lauryl sulphate, such as toothpaste or soap, or Renaissance wax to clean bisque dolls, scrubbing gently so as not to damage the fragile bisque.
- 3
  Reshape a bisque doll's body by using a humidifier to moisten the material, and then gently press the doll back into its original form. Repeat this process for several weeks to slowly and carefully reform the bisque.
- 4
  Use a putty knife to apply Loctite Epoxy putty to holes in composition dolls to fill them in, and use the putty knife to apply Evercoat 417 to cracks in them. Then repaint the dolls using acrylic paint.
- 5
  Clean doll hair by washing it in fabric softener, baby shampoo or hair conditioner. Comb the hair very gently using a fine-toothed comb to separate the strands.

Dolls