I have a doll from the 1950's who's rubber legs have become a little sticky. Is there a way to correct this problem?
By Tricia from Alexandria, VA
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This is the break down of the rubber used in making the doll. It is not plastic, I presume, but the old fashioned rubber baby doll. You can smell the rubber and if you have a latex allergy, this should be sealed in a bag. Scary what we got when we were little! The cleaning is not something to be done with a chemical. Try using regular baby power with corn starch in it. Rub into the doll to help absorb the stickiness.
Clean the Doll with a Mild Soap and dust with body Powder
I was told by someone at a doll hospital to use Dawn dish soap. It will get sticky again, so wash it again. Rubbing is needed.
My Chatty Cathy's face was getting sticky so I went to the store and purchased a bottle of 91% rubbing alcohol. I applied some alcohol to a paper towel rubbed the paper towel on her face and the sticky was gone.
Vinyl dolls in the process of breaking down will leak plasticizer.. Respondents are correct.....doll is no longer a toy....treasured likely but not a toy. Clean with 911....do NOT use cornstarch as it will encourage growth of microbes and fungi. Do not store in closed cabinets with other dolls. Let the poor thing breathe and not infect other dolls. Be prepared to clean regularly. There are other reasons vintage dolls are not proper toys for children as they begin to break down and it comes down to things like lead and cadmium.
Call your local Tupperware dealer. At one party years ago they gave helpful hints to maintain their products, one was for sticky residue left from using oils in their containers. They should be very helpful on your doll crisis. Good luck.
Try Goo-Gone. Can be purchased at Wal-Mart.
Tried goo-gone this evening...did not work at all!!
You can try Goo Gone. It is great for removing the glue from labels on jars.
My mother has a doll with a similar problem. The issue (at least in her case) isn't that something sticky has gotten ON the doll, but rather because the doll's legs are made of real not synthetic rubber or plastic. They are melting. So I'd like to know (and maybe this goes to the original posters question as well), how/where do you keep a doll like this so that the legs don't keep melting?
Sticky Doll Disease is a problem from the dolls breaking down. The doll can be releasing toxins like arsenic and asbestos. The doll may also be releasing something that mimics Estrogen in the human body. It is recommended that dolls that are getting sticky and especially melting be thrown away for health reasons. The dolls will eventually break down to nothing in time whether it's in your lifetime or a progenerative is another matter.
My doll is not sticky or melting.She is just dirty! Its a Thumbalina Doll!!
my baby dolls (newer ones) are dirty from handling.. I have tried everything ro. remove the dirt (behind ears, on tip nose, on
legs, arms, fingers and toes.
go to twinpines.com and purchase 911 cleaner. Grief, this article is a testimony to over reaction. Plasticizer is likely breaking down. Doll is no longer a kids toy. Tough to get old.
Just read about this in a museum. The doll is releasing arsenic and asbestos and can affect any other old dolls nearby. They had their doll in a sealed glass box.
I got my Toodles 1950's doll out for my granddaughter. Just her head is sticky. The rest of her body is fine.i still love my doll.
I also have a Toodles doll who's face is just starting to get sticky.
There is no way I will throw her away. Have you found a way to help her out?
This is from disintegration due to age. Wash sticky part with mild soap and apply talcum powder.
Does dip with a little talc powder or starch powder. Prevents the sticky feeling dries it up nice
Older dolls contain a chemical agent called PVC poly vinal chloride. As the doll ages, this leaches out of the plastic, making it sticky. Old Barbies, and other old dolls.
Use rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball, get as one corn starch to sprinkle on her after the stickiness in gone. It is the rubber in the doll breaking down.
I found my doll from the 1940's had turned extremely sticky on arms and legs (she has a cloth body and composite head). The alcohol and cornstarch worked very well.
This method worked INSTANTLY on my mother's vintage articulated Gund Teddi Bear with a rubber nose!!! It was very sticky, and it cleaned up really nicely; didnt even need the talcum powder! Beautiful!!
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