How to Clean Ink off Dolls

How many times have one of your kids decided to draw "make-up" on their dolls with a permanent marker? What about an ink pen?

Well I've thrown away dolls that had their faces covered in ink and marker before.

Not anymore!

I found a way to get all the ink and pen marks off your dolls. The magic ingredient only cost $10 or less.

I started with a Next Generation Doll (sold at Target and similar to American Girl Dolls).  I found it at a local Goodwill store for less than $2.

The doll had lots of pen marks on her face, even eyelids. I figured magic eraser would get it right off.

Well I was wrong, but I didn't want to throw the doll away or donate it back to Goodwill in that condition. So I did some digging online to find out how to get the ink off.

I found a magic solution. It's 10% benzoyl peroxide - it's found in acne medicines. Yep acne medicine!

First you take the acne medicine and apply it to the pen marks and marker marks.  Next you take some ordinary plastic wrap and place it over the marks and acne medicine.

Now the part where the magic happens. Take the doll outside and place it in the sun. I recommend covering the dolls hair because it could dry the hair out.

Okay so here is how the doll looked after 3 weeks of the acne cream on the doll left inside by a window.  It did manage to get all the ink off, but not the marker. That's when I learned it works much better outside in the direct sun while wrapped in plastic wrap.

FYI: This doll has freckles.

This is what it looks like after 3 hours in the sun outside. It works much faster and better!!

This treatment works on Barbie dolls, American Girl dolls, and most baby dolls. Just make sure you check the dolls every once in a while because the treatment can bleach the skin.

Hopefully this will help you save a doll in your little one's life. I'm off to save more dolls.