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Faces
(Photo used with permission from
'Paintings that
Fly')
Q. Do you offer green ear removal? Is the process
long?
A. Yes! I have developed a new treatment that works well and
quite quickly, but only if the doll has NEVER had any prior green ear
treatment whatsoever. Please email
me for more information and please see this page on my site Green
Ear Removal Examples.
GENERAL STAIN REMOVAL GUIDE:
INK STAINS -- Maximum Strength
Clearasil and Oxy10 do NOT get rid
of green ear, however these Benzoil Peroxide creams work wonders on stains such as ball point pen.
Just dab the white cream on the affected area, and put the doll in the sunshine
on a cool yet sunny day since heat may shrink the doll's head.
Caution - Benzoil Peroxide may also fade the surrounding
vinyl, so as with any tip found on my site, please use caution and test an
inconspicuous area first!
MOLD STAINS and 'Kool-Aid lips' (if the above does not work). Removezit works well on these vinyl stains. Please contact Twin Pines of Maine directly for more information about their products (including Removezit, Formula 911 Cleaner, Perk! and Booost).
GREEN or BLUE SPOTS on BENDABLE Legs: Unfortunately these are usually a result of oxidation of the metal wires inside the legs. There is nothing one can do to stop this process on these fragile legs.
SHOE and CLOTHING STAINS: 'Removezit' (Twin Pines of Maine) may work, however on very old stains it may not help.
GREEN EAR (and other stains resulting from metal oxidation): This is a result of metal earrings (or the stands, nails, etc.) having oxidized up against the vinyl and staining it. I have a great treatment for this. This treatment is not available for home use. Please see more important information about this treatment on my Beauty Spa page and my Green Ear Removal page.
**Mod ("Pink Skin") Dolls -- This type of vinyl is much more challenging as it is more delicate than the vintage tan vinyl. Unfortunately oxidation stains remove the pink (or black) coloring from of the Mod Dolls' vinyl, and it must be re-colored after treatment. Treatment success varies with the pink skin dolls, and is more unpredictable on this type of vinyl.
Tarnex - I do NOT recommend using Tarnex to treat green ear! While it may first appear to be working, the area will later turn a dark brown. Plus the doll will smell terrible. Tarnex can also damage original face paint (it can turn the blue eyes green and eventually fade all color from the eyes) and stain the hair.
Removezit - If you decide to
treat your doll at home with Removezit, please do not use the cream inside the
doll's head! This will damage the original face paint (it can turn the
blue eyes green and eventually fade all color from the eyes). After the treatment is complete, do not store the doll in an
enclosed area (such as a doll display box). The fumes from Removezit can fade
the original eye paint. The treatment process is slow, often
up to a year. Store the Removezit in the refrigerator and buy a fresh jar after one year.
It is not safe to use on Mod (Pink Skin) vinyl since after the doll has
been re-colored (post treatment), the area quickly turns white again.
CLR is another treatment that is
often used and can cause the original face paint to fade. While I have no experience using CLR,
I do not recommend this harsh cleaner due to the results I have seen.
NOTE: This pretty redhead has new lips, brows and lashes. For more
photos of my work, please click here.
Q. Hello. I was looking at your wonderful
website about restoration and wondered if you can help me?
have a ponytail Barbie and Bubblecut. Both with greasy faces. I am
so afraid that they will
just melt away. Is there anything to get rid of the grease and to stabilize it?
Can you fix them?
A. Unfortunately there is no way to stop this type of vinyl from becoming
greasy, but you can periodically wipe away the oil with some rubbing alcohol on
a q-tip. Just be gentle when you go over the face paint (and if your doll has
had any face paint touch ups then you would not want to touch the new paint with
alcohol). You can then put a little bit of baby powder on a dry q-tip and
powder the faces a bit, too. This will all have to be repeated
periodically.
Q. My husband and son bought me
a beautiful raven haired bubblecut. I have just had an opportunity to
inspect her more closely and there are dots of green on both ears underneath her
hoop earrings. All the advice on the internet sounds complicated and I don’t
really want to risk treating it myself for fear of doing more damage. The green
has not spread and is just dots, although one ear is worse than the other. Does
green ear spread, once the earrings have been taken out? Do you think I should
do something about it or just leave it? Any advice you can offer me will be much
appreciated, as I believe you to be someone who loves what she does and has
integrity in the work she does.
A. I have always said that the most lovely (and un-played with Barbies)
are the dolls that have green ear. I think we all need to fight this stigma
against dolls with green ear because really it means that the owner did not
disturb the earrings and instead left the doll neatly in her box! Most all of
the mint dolls have green ear (and it is not their fault).
You did the right thing by immediately removing the metal earrings. Next I would
clean the outside and inside of her head with rubbing alcohol (on a q-tip).
The green should not spread, and if it is just a dot of green then I would not
worry about it.
If you can get a spray of little pearls, usually used for bridal decorations
(They look like little trees of pearls, each pearl separated by lengths of nylon
wire), then you can cut 'earrings' off of the spray and this should cover the
green.
You are correct to be cautious of green ear treatments you read about on other
websites. They can damage your doll. Tarnex, CLR and Removezit should really
not be used to treat green ear unless you understand the dangers (See above).
Here is more information about my green
ear treatment. Please let me know if I may be of service.
Q. What is the best way to re-color a Mod Barbie doll whose pink vinyl has faded
over the years?
A. The Rit Dye Method seems to work well on faded faces (or fade spots on faces).
Here are the instructions for the Rit Dye Method:
Barbies from the late '60s have dye that over time seems to leach out
from the vinyl - making the skin tone appear pale, whitish or even greenish-white.
You must replace the color that is missing in order to restore the doll. With this method
you are dyeing the vinyl as opposed to painting it so it is important that you work
lightly since you can't really wipe the dye off once it has been placed on the vinyl.
Many thin coats is better than one thick coat!
You will need the following:
- a glass container (I use a small jar with a tight fitting lid)
- one package of Dry Rit Tint and Dye - color #7 Rose Pink
- one package of Dry Rit Tint and Dye - color #48 Peach
(IF you are having trouble finding Peach Rit Dye, please see my NOTE below
for an alternative Rit Dye recipe)
- half cup of water
- some clean cotton swabs.
Make sure that the surface you are dying is clean so that the dye
will be absorbed properly, when dyeing a light haired doll, BE SURE to protect the hair by
tying it back or making a little headband that will hold the hair away from the doll's
face.
Prepare the dye in the glass container. Mix 2 parts peach with one part rose pink (2 T
peach and 1 T rose pink). Mix in only enough water so that the dye looks like cranberry
juice. There should be enough water so that the dye is clear (sludge at the bottom is
okay) but still looks like dark cranberry juice. This is a VERY strong mixture. Don't
follow the package instructions or the dye will not be strong enough!
To test the color, drop a small amount onto a white cloth. It should be slightly orange in
appearance.
Applying the dye is simple. I prefer using cotton swaps that are wet rather than using a
dry cloth. With moistened cotton swabs I feel like I have much more control and the dye
goes on in much lighter coats. Wet a clean cotton swab and then squeeze out the excess
water. Shake
the jar of dye so that it is well-mixed. Dip the wet end of the cotton swab into the dye
mixture.
Squeeze out any excess dye so that it won't run all over the place when you apply it.
Start from the back of the head at the hair line and work in downward strokes around the
whole head. The harder you press, the darker you will dye the vinyl. Raised areas such as
the nose,
chin and cheeks will absorb color more easily so go lightly over these areas. The
dying
process may take about 2 or 3 coats, but that is okay.
The dye will appear dark after you first color the face - as if she has a bright
sunburn! Don't worry! The dye will cure within a few days (2-5). If you need to do
another coat after that
then that is fine too.
Note: If the dye mixture has little granules of color that don't completely
dissolve, let them sink to the bottom and just dip the q-tip in the top (clean)
liquid.
NOTE; Alternative Peach Rit Dye Recipe:
Q. I read your Rit dye coloring method and wondered how long the
treatment would last before it has to be done again?
A. This varies depending on the doll. The more pale the doll is to begin with, the
quicker she will re-fade. Also, if you have used Removezit on a Mod doll you will find that the Removezit also removes the color of the vinyl
along with the green. Unfortunately a residue remains inside the
vinyl and when you attempt to re-color the
white areas, the coloring will not last and will need to be continuously re-applied.
Q. Hi ~ your website is so helpful thank you!
I have a 1963 Bubble Cut Barbie with HUGE hair and she is in beautiful
condition...There is another teeny earring hole was made right next to the
original holes. Can these extra holes be erased?
A. No, I don't do anything to try to erase
or remove extra pin pricks or earring holes.
Tampering with the vinyl in a way that is permanent may cause more harm
than good, and may end up drawing more attention to such a little
'flaw.'
Q. What is the best way to clean/dust my dolls' faces after
restoration if I notice dust on the features?
A. Dust and dirt happen. While acrylic paint is very durable, it is best
to avoid washing/scrubbing your dolls' faces with water or using any rubbing
alcohol, soap or other cleaning products. The safest way to dust them would be
to use a soft, clean, dry microstatic cloth (or a soft, clean, dry microfiber
cloth). Dab at the faces very gently to pick up any dust or debris that
has accumulated. If you would like to send your dolls back to me for a
periodic dusting/cleaning, I am happy to offer this service as well (please see
my Beauty Salon page for information on cleaning)
Q. Can you assist me in repairing a split
neck myself?
A. To fix a neck split I recommend using any quick drying Superglue-type glue that is formulated for plastic
or vinyl.
Just follow the instructions for the product, and when you are ready to put the
head back on the body (I normally let the glue set about 24 hours), be sure to
soften the the doll's neck rim first (see more information in my section on BODIES).
Q. Do the early dolls have the issue with getting green ear? I am
concerned about putting earrings in because I don't want that to happen!
A. Yes, they all do. Please do not put any metal earrings in the ears.
Not even gold filled will do.
Barbie (and Friends) by Year -- Information and photos that will assist you in identifying your Vintage/Mod Barbies and friends
Identification Help -- Common questions I receive about the dolls and how to identify them
Hair - General information about cleaning, re-flocking and re-rooting
Bodies - General information about cleaning and repairing
The general information
I have chosen to include on these pages is here as a courtesy
to collectors of Vintage and Mod Barbies® and friends.
I am
unable to answer your 'how-to' restoration emails, nor do I provide further step
by step instruction.
This Web site is for your personal and non-commercial use only. You may copy
information on this Web site for your own personal use, however other than copying for
personal use, you may not copy, modify, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce,
publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell any information obtained
from this Web site.
Every reasonable effort has been taken by me to ensure the accuracy of the information
contained within this entire web site. However, I take no responsibility for any losses,
injury or detriment whatsoever, real or implied, arising from the information and/or
references contained within this entire site.
Before continuing any further, please
carefully read my disclaimer page.
Please note that
I have limited (or no) experience with non-Mattel fashion dolls, modern Mattel fashion
dolls (anything newer than 1970 and/ or not made in Japan), or any other
types of dolls.
**I do not identify
dolls via email, nor can I verify authenticity, unless
I see the doll in person. I do offer this as a paid service. Please email
me if you would like to send your doll or collection for a written appraisal.
An appraisal fee + return shipping costs will apply.**
