We've all had a beloved toy in our childhood. If we're lucky, we might even get to pass one down to our children or our children's children.
But in order to do that, we have to make sure they're still in good shape, and after years of play and lots of love, that can be tricky!
One treasured toy that people of all ages love are American Girl dolls.
These huggable dolls originally represented characters from various periods in history, but the company expanded to make dolls that resemble young girls of all heritages, was well as dolls that reflect girls living with various medical conditions, so that no child feels she's not represented.
They're sturdy dolls, and many girls, now women, who grew up playing with them might want to pass them along to their own children, to nieces and nephews, or even to strangers.
Luckily, even after years of wear, though, these dolls can be spruced up again, and it's incredibly easy. Major damage, like missing limbs or tears should be fixed by a professional, but scuffs and worn-out hair can be fixed right at home.
YouTuber and doll enthusiast Bella, who goes by AGSnapshots online, shows us how. At only 16 years old, she's already got a system down, and we can't wait to see what she comes up with in the future!
Check out Bella's steps below, and watch the video at the end to hear her talk us through the process.
[H/T: Kids Activities Blog]
Bella, a 16-year-old American Girl lover, was asked by a friend to clean up a doll, named Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was, as Bella out it, in "pretty terrible condition."
The doll's vinyl face was marred with a scuff mark on the left cheek.
The arms and legs were also dirty from years of use, but, Bella says, her body was in pretty good shape, with no loose limbs or real structural problems.
The vinyl "skin" of these dolls picks up grubbiness from simple use, and needs to be cleaned.
In this case, the Bella's friend wanted to sell the doll on eBay, so she had to be in tip-top shape.
And the main problem was the hair.
The synthetic fibers had, over the years, taken on the matted, gluey texture that so many dolls get after being played with many times.
The first thing to do was to brush out the hair and remove the tangles.
Bella used water and a comb to really get all the snarls out, and to help the frizzed-out parts lie a bit flatter.
But the hair, like the skin, was also pretty dirty.
You can see here that the combing helped a lot, but Elizabeth still needed some cleaning.
Bella wrapped her in a towel to prevent the fabric body from getting wet. She kind of does look like she's at the spa, doesn't she?
Using regular shampoo and conditioner, Bella washed the doll's hair, just like you'd wash your own hair.
It turns out, shampoo and conditioner made for real hair works pretty well on synthetic, and even made the hair shinier and softer.
Bella was also careful not to get the doll's scalp wet, as the holes in it where the hair is attached can let in water, causing issues later.
Elizabeth's hair was then wrapped in a towel and allowed to dry.
In the meantime, it was time to clean the skin.
Bella used the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, which come already infused with soap.
She sprayed the sponge with some water and started scrubbing, removing all the scuff marks, dirt, and general grubbiness that cause a graying discoloration.
The doll might not have looked dirty to the casual observer, but this sponge says otherwise.
The skin was dried with a paper towel.
By the time she'd cleaned the skin, the doll's hair had dried enough to style it.
The hair was first straightened, which gave Bella a smooth, even base to start styling it.
She curled them a pencil and bobby pins to create pin curls.
The curls were left in their pins to set for a few hours and completely dry.
When removed, the doll ended up with long, loose ringlets.
Bella styled it by clipping some of the curls back.
"I'm super happy with how her hair turned out," she says.
It doesn't seem like a big change, but when you see Elizabeth before and after, you can see how much cleaner her skin looks.
And a new outfit helps, too. The doll was certainly ready to find a new home, and Bella's friend was able to find a buyer, so it looks like Bella's work paid off!
Watch the video below to hear Bella explain her steps and see the transformation in action.
If you have a doll who's seen better days, consider giving it a makeover with some of the tips seem here.
These cleaning tips work best for modern-style dolls with plastic or vinyl skin and synthetic hair, so if you have something very old or delicate, it's best to bring it to a professional so as not to damage it.
SHARE this great makeover with anyone who loves the idea of passing on a treasure!
