How to Remove Ink From a Doll's Face

Ink on a beloved doll's face can mar the doll's beauty and cause the owner much distress. Ink on a doll's face can also lower its collectible and resale value. Several types of household cleaners can remove ink from vinyl, rubber or plastic doll faces. Porcelain, china, bisque and composition doll faces can also be salvaged. Permanent ink is not removable and is best painted over. Ballpoint pen and markers are the best candidates for removal. Try removing the ink using one cleaner at a time. If none of these tried and true methods work, the ink is most likely permanent or has been on the doll too long to make removal feasible.

Things You'll Need

• Mild detergent such as hand soap
• Window cleaner
• Furniture dusting spray
• Goo Gone
• Oxy10 acne cream
• Baking soda
• Toothbrush
• Cleaning eraser such as Mr. Clean magic eraser
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Wash the ink on the doll's face with a mild detergent and water.

2. Moisten cotton swabs with window cleaner and spot clean the ink.

3. Moisten cotton swabs or cotton balls with furniture dusting spray and gently wipe (this works best with vinyl, plastic or rubber dolls).

4. Apply Goo Gone to a cotton swab and gently rub ink.

5. Apply Oxy10 to ink on doll's face for six weeks and then remove, according to Cynthia Stevens of Prilly Charmin Doll Restoration.

6. Make a paste of baking soda and water and gently rub ink spots with an old toothbrush.

7. Cut a magic cleaning eraser into small rectangles and moisten as a last resort. Wipe ink stains with a small side of rectangle. Take extreme caution: Magic erasers also remove the paint from a doll's face, so avoid painted areas such as eyes, mouth and eyebrows.

Tips & Warnings

• If your doll is of great monetary or sentimental value, always test an area not readily seen. If you're in doubt at all, don't try it at home. Take the doll to a professional doll restoration clinic or find a doll master. Dolls do increase in value if the ink stains can be removed, so if you hope to resell the doll it may be worth the attempt to remove the ink stain.

• Always take caution around painted areas of the face. Eyebrows, eyes, mouths and cheek-blushing paint will come off with the use of magic cleaning erasers. Some porous material dolls also don't do well with oil-based products such as the Goo Gone and an oil blot might be left behind. Test on an inconspicuous part of the doll first.

References

• Doll Restoration
• Doll repair and stain removal