I am 40 years old and I collect Barbie and Bratz.  Yep, I said it.  My kidz, (lol), think it's a hoot that mom likes dolls and will actually display and assemble "outfits" with them.  Well, it's an excuse for those that scowl and look at me through disapproving eyes. 

Anyway, I've found that used items, especially the dolls, can be cleaned up and hair curled, straightened and/or colored and they are absolutely gorgeous for next to nothing!  Plus if you were inclined, this could be an "artist's calling".  The clothes can usually be washed, repaired, or minor additions or changes made to again, make them your own design.  (Personally, I have an incredibly stressful job and an hour or two in front of the tv redoing a doll is just what the doctor ordered for stress relief.)

For dolls, this is what I've found that works the best to "clean-'em-up".  First a nice bath with a great smelling body wash and one of those eraser sponges gets the worst mess off.  Wash their hair and body with the wash and it's amazing what that silly sponge will take off.  I get used bottles of body wash at tag sales and use them specifically for the dolls.  Dish soap also works but it is more harsh and in my opinion, doesn't smell as pretty.  To get ink or other extremely stubborn stains off of the vinyl dolls, Twin Pines has a product called Remove Zit, (www.twinpines), this product works very well and a little goes a long way.  It will remove anything on the vinyl, so be careful not to remove eyebrows and such.  A toothpick with a small amount of product is helpful for tight squeeze areas. They give you excellent directions, just follow them.  I've tried Clearasil out in the sun, fingernail polish remover and other kooky things but nothing even compares to the Remove Zit.  (The Clearasil was a joke!  Kid got it back for his zits...)

Hair is the most fun!  Beautiful curls or pin straight, you can do either with a little time and patience.  Heat perming is an incredible tool!  Those beautiful southern belle ringlets are a piece of cake.  Make sure Bab's hair is clean.  Roll her hair using perm papers or not, (you'll probably have to cut off about 1/2 inch at the end after the perm if you don't use the papers and you'll have some strays).  Depending on how tight you want your curls, is how much hair you roll and how large the curlers are.  Drinking straws cut down and secured with bobby pins, or actual perm rods work great.  Got the perm rods at the Goodwill "Boutique" for $1.99 for a giant gallon bag size and have been using them for months, bobby pins at the dollar store.  (How do you like the "Boutique" part?  Sounds uppity, don't it? He, he...)  Get two mixing bowls, one that can hold almost boiling water and the other gets cold tap water.  After your hair is rolled, get that hot water and put the head of the doll in the water.  Keep it in there a minute or two.  Then move her quickly to the bowl of cold water to set her curls.  Take her out, blot her hair and unwind your curls.  I trim the ends at this point as I find wet hair easier to manage than the dry blowaway stuff.  Let 'er dry.  Now to back up a little.  If you want to remove Bab's head to switch to another body or just remove it cuz something chewed the hands, feet or whatever, after she's soaked for awhile in the hot water, you can remove the head with little effort.  Now, you've got to use common sense with the hot water! (Duh!)  Little kids and others that DON'T have common sense need to find someone that does to help them!  (This is kinda like the warning NOT to put your foot under the running lawnmower.) To make hair straight again, comb through and wash.  Put in the hot water for a minute or two.  Comb through with one of those very wide tooth combs with the handle.  You know, the ones from the 80's that everyone had in their back pockets.  Then plunge her hair into the cold water.  Repeat until you get the results you want.  (Again, common sense with the hot water...)

To color hair, you use artist grade acrylics and a flea comb.  Get the color at what you're aiming for by mixing on an artist's paint-holder-thingy, and dilute with water.  Use the flea comb to run through the doll hair.  Let dry.  That's it.  I haven't tried to color heat permed hair, so you're on your own with that.

Scuffed Bratz feet/shoes look great after they're repainted with paints or Sharpie pens.  A little hot glue and an embellishment or two also adds huge!  (ribbon roses, sequins, string for shoe strings, maribou feathers, you get the drift)  Barbie shoes/boots also look great with embellishments or color.  I strictly use Sharpie pens for those and craft glue instead of hot glue.

Barbie needs a replacement ring?  Craft stores carry those small rhinestones and small pearls.  Craft glue secures.

Hope this helps...