anyone know how to remove ink/marker from American Girl doll

[clori]

My 8 year old dd inherited some American Girl dolls from older cousins. Today I saw that my 4 year old dd colored on Felicity's face and arm. I'm not sure if it is marker or purple colored pen. It doesn't wash off with water. I don't know when it was done.

I thought about bringing the doll to the doll hospital next time we go to NYC to visit grandpa (lives in Manhatten) but I think it will cost almost the same to replace the face/arm as it will for a new doll.

 

[pixidust princess]

I don't know what their little body parts are made of (I don't have any girls), but I have cleaned up some of my older dolls with a Mr. Clean magic eraser before selling at a yard sale. Maybe that would work.

 

[Holly]

Rubbing alcohol usually works to remove ink. Good luck getting it off.

 

[drinkme]

I second the recommendation for rubbing alcohol.

Let us know if it works.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

We had a marker accident with DD5's Bitty Baby. I sent her to the hospital, which was about $20, and she came home beautiful with a hospital gown and a certificate of good health. The hardest part was her being gone for two weeks - DD5 sleeps with her every night! I called AG and asked about future stain removal so we didn't have to endure two weeks of no Bitty, and they suggested a paste made with baking soda. I have used that with success on Bitty since her hospital stay for those indeterminate marks that seem to appear.

If you send Felicity to the hospital, it is unlikely they would have to replace the face and arm if they are otherwise in good condition. Bitty didn't get a new head - just a cleanup!

Hairspray removes ink from fabric, but I don't know what it might do to the finish on the doll faces. If you try hairspray (on a Q-tip or cotton ball), I'd try it along the hairline to make sure it doesn't discolor the skin.

Good luck!

 

[SueM in MN]

Hairspray removes ink from fabric, but I don't know what it might do to the finish on the doll faces. If you try hairspray (on a Q-tip or cotton ball), I'd try it along the hairline to make sure it doesn't discolor the skin.

Good luck!

I have some vintage (like anything from the 1960s can be vintage )
Anyway, in some of my first attempts to clean indeterminant ink stains, I tried alcohol. All it did was made the ink smear and there was a larger stain than before.

I'd suggest the paste of baking soda. It's gentle and at least won't hurt anything if it doesn't take the ink off. I don't know if they still have it, but AG had a 'doll cleaning kit' you could buy. It was actually a small bottle of baking soda packaged with an AG white washcloth.

I would try baking soda first. If that doesn't work and there are a lot of ink spots, I'd suggest sending her in to the doll hospital.

If Another thing I have used on vintage dolls that works and usually doesn't seem to hurt is pimple cream with Benzoil Peroxide. The Peroxide works as a mild bleach, so make sure to try this in a 'non-exposed' place first.
You put a paste of it on the area with a Q tip. Be careful to get it only on the ink area and not on clothing, hair or anything else since it is a bleach. Then put the doll out in the sun, which will accelerate the bleaching process. Use paper towels or something to cover other parts of the doll and expose only the stains.

Whatever you try, if you do send the doll in to AG, be sure to tell them all the things you tried and in what order. If they are going to try to remove the stains, they may need to do additional steps depending on what you did.

 

[mom24diskidz]

Fantastic works great on the plastic parts

 

[GoHerd1028]

I don't know what their little body parts are made of (I don't have any girls), but I have cleaned up some of my older dolls with a Mr. Clean magic eraser before selling at a yard sale. Maybe that would work.

Magic Eraser is a wonderful invetion!!!

 

[melancholywings]

I would be very careful with the pimple cream. It can bleach the color out of the plastic, even after it's washed off. I second the Magic Eraser though. I use that thing on everything.

Before sending Felicity to the hospital you might want to verify what version she is. The older versions have more of a reddish hair and I think are more popular.

 

[tjmw2727]

I have had good luck with magic eraser on the bitty baby but for the AG dolls I went ahead bought the cleaner they sell from AG. Its a powder, non abrasive with a special cloth and IMHO it was worth the extra $ as it works well.

TJ

 

[leagirl12]

This reminds me of when my dd did the same thing with a purple pen...

My dd colored on her favorite Cabbage Patch dolls face when she was 4yo....we tried everything mentioned here...plus someone else told us to try peanut butter..not sure why. Anyway nothing seemed to work....and I couldn't find the same doll to replace it. Well about 2-3 months later I was at Toys R Us and they had the exact doll on clearance but in a different outfit. I of course snatched it up.

It was close to Christmas so I told dd we should leave her doll out under the tree and maybe Santa and his elves could clean her up. So she left her under the tree in her cradle...I swapped the clothes and put the new baby in the cradle. The look on her face the next morning when she saw a perfectly clean baby doll was PRICELESS! She especially loved that Santa had brought her baby a new outfit too.

I wanted to be able to show her the baby and remind her of this when she was much older so we put the colored on doll in the attic for safe keeping. Well about a year later we moved. My dh went up in the attic to bring things down and low and behold the baby dolls face was clean....not a spot of purple ink. I guess the heat had cleaned it up.

I can't wait till she is older and I can share this story with her...I get tickled everytime I think about it. OP....hope you didnt' mind me sharing!

 

[DevilDuckie]

"Acne cream and a lamp. Make sure it's got 10% benzoyl peroxide.

If that doesn't work, there is always the doll hospital. That costs more and means the doll will be sent away, but it's guaranteed (as they would rehead her). http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/st atic/dollHospital.jsf "


From a friend who is something of an expert on AG dolls.

 

[Disney1976]

Not sure if it would work, but what about that orange cleaner stuff, I think it's called "goof off"? I've seen it sold at Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, etc. It works on a lot of stuff, and I think they say it gets off marker.

Good luck!

 

[seashellmom]

Baking soda. This is what they used when my dd took her doll to the AG store in Chicago. They made a paste and used it on the plastic parts.

 

[ThruTheEyesOfMyChild]

MR. CLEAN MAGIC ERASER!!!! It is truly magic!!!!!

 

[AKBAFB]

If you go to the AG website and look for the information on the doll hospital there is a form you can download to send in with your doll with your information and what the problem is that you want to have fixed by the hospital. It has a list of their prices for everything and certainly isn't anywhere near as expensive as buying a new doll! If you try some of the harsher methods mentioned here, you may end up ruining the doll anyway and have to replace her. If you send her to the hospital, she'll come back with a hospital gown, hospital id bracelet, and a "get well" balloon - it's all very cute and can be used again to play with.

[We have a Kit who broke her leg and had to go to the hospital.]

 

[ajo66]

My daughter had permanent marker on her hands that transferred to Kit's leg while she was holding her during a long car ride. I called AG and they suggested OXY-10 pimple cream - just like others have suggested here. At first, I just tried rubbing it on and washing it off, but that didn't work. I called back and this time they said to leave it on. So, I rubbed some in and also left some on nice and thick and let it sit overnight. The next morning, I cleaned that off and did it again. It took 3 or 4 doses and overnights, but it all came off! I was so relieved!! I didn't have any discoloration. Good Luck!!