Not all doll repairs are difficult and time-consuming endeavors. Some repairs can be made quickly and don’t require extensive knowledge of doll repair. See below for a few examples of common problems and the easy repairs that will fix them.
Problem: Doll has an odor. Many dolls, particularly hard plastic dolls, have a nasty odor. The odor typically comes from the conditions of careless display or storage: for example, cigarette smoke, mothballs, or moisture.
Solution: Leave the doll in open air. 半身ラブドール the doll in a box or cabinet will cause it to retain the smell (not to mention make everything else smell, too). Leaving a smelly doll in open air for several weeks or a month will allow the odor to dissipate. If that doesn’t work, try putting it in a bag with a little bowl of baking soda. The baking soda should absorb the odor — just don’t let it get on the doll or her clothes!
Problem: Doll is dirty. Surface dirt is common on vintage dolls, even those that haven’t been played with. Dolls that are displayed often collect dust, especially if they are displayed on a shelf in open air. Dolls even get dirty in storage, as few attics, basements, and other storage areas are perfectly clean.
Solution: Carefully clean the doll. Whether your doll is made of china, composition, or hard plastic, it could probably benefit by a gentle cleaning. The important thing is to use a cleaner that is mild enough that it won’t remove the doll’s paint — many vintage dolls have their flesh color painted on to all of the parts of their body, in addition to their painted facial features (i.e. eyelashes and eyebrows, cheek blush, and lipstick). Your best bet is to buy special doll cleaner, available from from doll supply stores and a number of sellers on eBay.
Problem: Doll’s clothing is dirty. Just as dolls themselves get dirty, so do their clothes. Vintage doll clothing can’t simply be thrown into a washing machine, however — it would destroy the like-new crispiness of the fabric (known as sizing). Also, many vintage fabric dyes are unstable, and will bleed in the washing machine.
Solution: Gently soak the clothing. Doll clothing CAN be cleaned without removing the sizing or causing the colors to bleed. To soak your doll clothing, fill a large bowl (such as a mixing bowl) with cold water and a scoop of Biz (available in the laundry section of most grocery and superstores). The clothing should be soaked according to the instructions on the box, but with extra care taken, as vintage fabrics are usually not as durable their modern counterparts. Be sure to rinse the clothing thoroughly in cold water after they are done soaking.
