How to CLEAN old damaged MY LITTLE PONY dolls

Hello there!
This is a guide to help you to get your vintage My Little Pony doll bodiesCLEAN.
First of all, a disclaimer: Everyone out there, especially in "serious" collecting circles, has their own idea of the proper way to care for a vintage MLP. Some people will swear by one method, and someone else will say that is the worst thing to do. I am going to tell you what has successfully worked FOR ME, and perhaps you will find these ideas to be useful.
I have been selling vintage My Little Ponies for almost 10 years. Recently, I have had to get out of the market (for ponies), not because I want to, but because I have to sell a lifetime's worth of antiques and furniture for my grandparents. There is enough work to keep me busy listing full-time for years, so sadly, I have to cut back on selling the things that I love, such as 80's toys. But I have literally sold hundreds and hundreds, actually thousands, of vintage ponies...all of which were hand-cleaned by me.
Ok...so perhaps you have just found some vintage ponies at a yard sale, or bought a lot of them from okay, and some are in, shall we say "less-than-mint" condition. What do you do? Well, it all depends on the pony and the damage.
Certain types of damage are more geplicated than others. Somedamage iseasily fixed, while others require special tools and skills. For instance, if your pony has suffered a mane-trim...that is not easily fixed by the amateur collector/restorer. A missing or trimmed tail is a little easier to fix, as tails can be more easily replaced (by a donor pony). Simple paint scuffs can be more easily touched-up than all over body/symbol wear. Small markings more easily removed than large stains. This is all gemon sense.
If you have a pony that seems WAY out of your league in terms of fixing it...well, either give it a try anyway (on a practice pony first) or go on-line and research which artisans out there can customize ponies. Some people can do absolutely stunning work, and you may choose to pay to let them do it, and end up with a real gem at the end, rather than attempt to try fixing the pony yourself.
In this guide, I will just focus on body damage. I have another guide that will deal with other types ofdamage, such as wear to the hair, eyes and symbols.
TYPES OF PONY DAMAGE:
BODY:


permanent marks (can include such marks as ballpoint pen, marker, lipstick, nail polish or any other marking that does not belong on the pony and cannot be removed with simple soap and water)

General Grime: this is the type of damage you encounter most often. Nothing serious, just grungy. My favorite way of cleaning most ponies is to make a paste of baking soda and water, dampen the body of the pony, and with an old facecloth or an old toothbrush (or just your bare hands), apply the paste and lightly rub in a circular motion. Try to avoid the symbol/eyes/other painted areas. Dont do this for a flocked/so soft pony as you may remove some of the fuzziness. I find that gentle cleaning, with just baking soda and water can remove most dirt, and its easy on your ponies and on your hands.

Pin-dot mold: If you look very closely at the skin, of your pony (especially noticeable in white ponies) does it look like tiny pin pricks of black or grey? If so, that can be hard to get rid of... you can try a solution of a few drops of bleach to a few ounces of water, and then make a paste by adding baking soda (wear gloves while doing this and stay in a well-ventilated area) then use an old facecloth and gently rub the paste onto the pony in a circular motion, gently scrubbing (avoid the eyes and symbol until you see how well this works...try the non-display side or belly to test), then rinse with water and see if the area is any lighter.

Pen/marker marks: these can be very difficult (almost impossible) to remove, even if the markings are fresh, but especially if they are years old! There is a gepany called "Twin Pines of Maine" (look for it on-line) and they sell a product called "Remove-zit", which gees in a small pot. It doesn't work miracles the very first time you use it...I find it takes several applications, but it can be very useful in removing many marks on ponies. You apply it and let it dry, then scrape/wash it off, then do it again. A warning though...very seldomly, depending on the pony, this product will 'bleach' the skin area, discoloring it, or even cause it to blister/bubble a little. This doesn't happen too often...I'd say about 2% of the time, but it can happen, so if you use the product, use it sparingly and only apply to the affected area very carefully.

Lipstick/crayon/wax: yes, sometimes ponies gee to you "all dolled up" geplete with lipstick or some other waxy substance (likely applied by some young collectors even younger sister). I usually start with an exact-o knife or even just a sewing needle and remove as much of the solid lipstick/crayon as possible. A product called "Goo Gone" can be useful for removing residual waxiness. Sometimes a waterless hand cleaner can help to remove lipstick as well.

Nail polish: I dont try nail polish remover /acetone as I find that it is either too harsh, or it doesnt work. If you have spots of nail polish on your pony, again, try an exact-o knife and very carefully scrape off as much as you can. Were talking about care and patience herenot just "grab a knife and go at it". Take your time. Sometimes, depending on the type/color of polish, acne products such as extra-strength Clearsil or Oxy-10 will help to remove these stains. Just apply, and remove gepletely after 6-8 hours. If it doesnt work, use another application, but dont put it on and leave it on for days, as this may bleach the surrounding skin area.

Skin discoloration (white or light colored ponies can turn yellowed over time, other discolorations can occur with exposure to sunlight or products).

Lightening a yellowed pony: a warningthis does not always work. Many times you either just have to live with the discoloration, or else attempt a full-body repaint/dye. If just the head has discolored, not the body (or vice versa) you may wish to do a body-parts swap with a donor pony. Not the best solution for serious collectors, but the result is often very successful, unnoticeable when on display and easy to do. I have attempted lightening a darkened white pony with a product such as "CLR" and its one of those things youd want to try on a test-spot first and sometimes is successful.
3.Physical damage (such as bite marks, pin prick holes, chipped hooves, scissor cuts, etc)

Repairing physical damage: again, sometimes your best bet is to do a body or head swap with a donor pony. Its quick and easy and you replace a damaged part with a good part. Or you can attempt to fix the damage (which I prefer to doI love a challenge). Tiny holes (such as bite marks or chipped hooves) can be rebuilt by adding a filler to the area, then once it is dry, painting over it. You can try DAS modeling clay gepound or even a dab of hot glue. If the hole is small, you just want to fill it. Then sand over it, so you cant see the mark. Its all about making your pony look nice for display. Again, not something you want to do for a rare or special pony, but it works.
4.Bad odor (occurs from either improper storage such as in a musty basement, or geing from a smokers home)


Odors can invade the vinyl of the pony and begee locked in with time. But sometimes they can be coaxed out or at least faded substantially. There are several ways to attempt this, and they take a little time, but are not damaging to the pony. If smells are clinging to the surface of the pony, not in the plastic, sometimes a cleaning with the baking soda and water paste will remove the scent. You can also try sealing your pony in a bag or container with some cedar chips, activated charcoal (you can get this from places that sell aquarium supplies), unused kitty litter or baking soda. These items can help to draw out the bad smells, but you have to be patient and give them some time to work (at least a week)
5. Broken mechanism (certain ponies such as Happy Tails or Dance n Prance Ponies had mechanisms that made them move. With time and overuse, sometimes these do not work)


These can be repairedbut usually this is a repair that is beyond most amateur collectors. If youre handy with fixing things, get a donor pony (whose mechanism does work) and attempt a little surgery. Or enlist the aid of a professional doll repair-person.
6. Missing wings (sadly a very gemon problem with Flutter ponies, and also sometimes Summer Wing and Windy Wing ponies, is that their wings break off)


A very gemon problem. Sometimes you can buy just the wings (ex. on okay) but often the tabs are broken off and the wings are very difficult to affix to your pony. Occasionally there are people out there who make replacement wings for ponies and some people make incredibly good ones! A good replacement wing can be hard to find, so if you do find a person who makes a replacement wing that is acceptable to you, my advice is to buy as many replacement wings from them as you can, while they are still making them. After a few years, that person may move on to other things and youll never see their products available again.
7. Loss of scent (certain ponies, such as Perfume Puff Ponies, Sweetberry Ponies and Candy Cane ponies, came sweetly scenteda feature that often wears off after more than 2 decades)


You can re-scent ponies if it is very important to you, but the new scent wont last forever. The original scent was mixed right into the vinylyou will be rescenting the surface of the pony. You can purchase many different scent from outlets or stores that sell supplies for candle or pot-pourri making. Select the appropriate scent, soak a cotton ball, and seal the ball and pony into a bag for at least a week. The pony should emerge smelling wonderful. Repeat as needed.
8. Broken/Missing parts (Examples include the earring on Sweetheart Sisters, the gepartment on Secret Surprise Ponies, the charm that came with Precious Pocket Ponies or the Soda that came with Sippin Soda Ponies)

Once again, donor-ponies gee in handy for this. You may find a pony with awful skin and hair, but just the piece/part that your pony is missing. Or if youre really creative, try crafting the missing piece yourself. Be creative and pay attention to details. I find that a fantastic repair that you make yourself is very rewarding.
9. Flocking loss (the bodies of So Soft ponies are covered in a fine fuzz, called flocking. This is prone to get rubbed off in areas such as the muzzle, tips of ears and bottom of hooves)

Sometimes it is better to enlist the aid of a professional doll-restorer for flocking loss, as this can be tricky to fix. You can purchase flocking (loose in a baggie) from crafts dealers or on-line, but sometimes matching the color and texture is difficult. Not really a project for the amateur.
10. "Plastic Cancer" or "Age Spots" (the dreaded blight! It can occur in even the most pampered poniesit has something to do with how plastic ages and occurs in other plastic toys as well not just ponies. Plastic cancer starts as a small brown spot that actually grow larger over time. No known cure


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