Secrets, Tips & Techniques for Reborning

~ Removing Factory Paints ~

I don't know why the information isn't more widely available, but I remember the challenge I encountered, FIRST- Even FINDING any information in a guide or tutorial on the easiest way to do this, and SECOND- Actually finding one that worked!

Hopefully I can alleviate some of these challenges for you...before you've spent as much time, labor & $$$ as I did =)

What doesn't work: 

*Mineral Spirits

*Fingernail Polish Remover

*Straight Acentone

*Paint Stripper

What you'll need:

*The Magic Ingredient ~ GOOF OFF! - It comes in a yellow, red & white can w/ black writing and can be found in Walmart in the home paint department

*Square, cotton cosmetic remover pads

Use Caution!

GOOF OFF!  should be used in VERY open areas.  Dust masks DO NOT prevent you from inhaling toxic fumes.  It's also highly flammable, so do not use or store in areas where temperatures may rise(such as outdoors), while smoking, near an oven or range that's turned on, etc.

Don't use synthetic pads or brushes to remove paint.  The GOOF OFF!  will just melt it, and make it gummy.  This includes doll eyes.  I spilled some on a heavy, industrial sized, rubber & coarse fiber mat. It disintigrated it, and made it to where it bulged up, and would no longer lie flat.  Learn from my mistakes folks =)

~ Removing the Hair Grooves from the Head ~ 

If you wish to remove the hair grooves from the doll's head, you MUST have a Dremmel Tool(or equivalent- Walmart has a Black & Decker model for $20) & fine grain sanding attachment.  Just using sand paper will not work(trust me on this one).

BE CAREFUL to not sand too much.  It's okay if you have a couple of deep grooves that you can't completely smooth out without making the vinyl too thin.

For removing any of the paints left behind, use your GOOF OFF!.  To get down into deeper grooves, if you don't have fingernails that you can just press on top of the cotton pad, into it, and rub out, you can use the end of a metal nail file the same way.

Rub a final coating of GOOF OFF! all over the head, and use your nail file to sand the head more smooth.

That's it ~ Just remember to wash your doll head and limbs in a warm bath w/ mild detergent to get the chemicals off as soon as you are done.  Set them out to dry & your fresh, clean baby will soon be ready to start the reborning process.