Rainbow Brite

before any treatment

Poor Rainbow Brite has had an ink spot on her face since my daughter got her many years ago. I've been trying to get it off for the last few days. I've been working on all her dolls so I can return them to her in the best possible condition. She loved Rainbow Brite and carried her around often. She was a thrift store find like the rest of the dolls. I never tried to get the ink off, it seemed pretty soaked in.

I decided to try. I found a site that recommended putting benzyl peroxide acne cream on it and leaving it for awhile. I did that first. After about three hours with the acne cream on it. I couldn't tell if there was a change or not. It looked a teensy bit lighter, but maybe it's the lighting... I tried to take the pictures in the same spot with the same lighting.

after one hour in the sun

I read some more and found a site that advised putting saran wrap on it and leaving it in the sun so I did that next. Comparing the pictures I THINK it's lighter. Hard to tell.  I guess anything is an improvement.

two hours total in the sun

Here she is after another hour in the sun. I think if you look from the first picture to the last, you can definitely see a difference. I am hesitant to keep putting her out in the sun because I don't want to damage her... so...

this is what I did to the poor girl to protect her from the sun.

without treatment

3 hours not in the sun
and 2 hours in the sun

My conclusion is that benzyl peroxide works well to get ink stains out. 30 year old ones... well maybe. It's better. After she has her hair styled again she'll be almost as good as new, except that she has no dress. That's ok, she's got a cute suit on.

There were a lot of sites that had this information, but one that encouraged me to try and reassure me that I wouldn't ruin the poor girl if I tried. She's out baking again right now, so maybe all of the ink will come out?? Even if no more came out I would be satisfied with this much, she looks much nicer already.

I let her sit in the sun another hour, and not much difference. This is a 30 year old stain after all... and maybe that faint stain can just stay as a reminder. And to prove she's really my daughter's doll and not an imposter. LOL.... I put some more on the stain and she's just going to sit in the bathroom for a few hours and we will see.

http://www.thriftyfun.com/Removing-Ink-from-Vinyl-Dolls-1.html