Cleaning doll hair

Post by **Clinozoisite** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 5:39 pm

Does anyone have a proven method for cleaning dirty Rainbow Brite yarn hair? I recently acquired a doll which has seriously dirty hair! I'd love to wash it, but I'm not sure the best method or the proper soaps/materials. I have some shampoo/condition designed for synthetic wigs, which might work well. I'm just not sure how clean that'll get the dirty yarn...

I know I shouldn't submerge the whole head, or else she'll get water inside and start to mold.

How do I give her a good scrub w/o the yarn unraveling? It seems like a potential problem (at least, to me).

Post by **JoeyAngel** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:04 pm

I am sure people in the past on here have washed really dirty dolls in their washing machines.. by putting them in a pillow case first so it protects them a little from the cleaning agents..

The only other alternative i would try is soaking the dolls hair in a bowl of water, but not immersing the head it self into it? Its hard to advise without seeing or knowing whats stuck to the yarn.

^^"

Post by **Clinozoisite** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:42 pm

This a photo after her first hand-wash in the sink with mild detergent:

Larger image: http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k239/ ... 1280778417
(see how the bangs are a completely different color?)

I'm beginning to think that her hair isn't dirty, but that parts of it might actually be physically discolored, from rose-pink to pink/gray. *sad*

Post by **JoeyAngel** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:23 pm

It could be.. maybe it was sat on someones window ledge for a long time and the sun discoloured the yarn?

Post by **Clinozoisite** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 4:20 pm

Could be. I'm just surprised that the bangs and the bottom of the main body of hair are discolored, but not the center. The center is still bright and clean.

Weird.

I think I might just use (or sell) her as bait.

Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:33 pm

.
Jazzy might be able to give her a new 'hairdo' if you'ld like to keep her as is. She's also good at making replacement clothing.

Post by **Clinozoisite** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:53 pm

Blondine Arc-En-Ciel wrote:.
Jazzy might be able to give her a new 'hairdo' if you'ld like to keep her as is. She's also good at making replacement clothing.

I already have 2 close-to-perfect Moonglow dolls already, so there isn't much point in trying to salvage this one. I'll either just keep her as-is (I'm a sucker for toys no one else wants), or else use her as bait for a custom doll. I haven't really decided yet.