I still have my childhood Cabbage Patch Kids, and I'd like to give them a good cleaning. Does anyone have any advice on how to do this properly? I am so afraid of getting them wet and then "ruining" them! Mostly their cloth hands and exposed areas look kind of dingy and as a kid (but the clothing covered areas look perfect). I used to try to wash their hands with soapy water, but now it seems kind of water damaged/dirty there (I don't think they ever got cleaner when I tried to clean them that way).

I have 1 with yarn hair which is also looking kind of dirty, and 1 with cornsilk hair, and the other 2 are bald. What do you think is the best way to clean them?

I thought I read that you can wash them in the washing machine, but I'm afraid that would frizz the hair on the yarn one, and I doubt that they are dryer-safe. And I don't want the rest of the doll looking "water damaged" when their bodies are fine, and I just want to clean their hands and legs!

It seems like I washed my cpk in the washing machine and in the dryer too. Yeah, I am pretty sure that I did. Well, her body didn't come out water damaged looking at all, but there was some friz to her yarn hair, but I'm not sure it was from washing it. I put her in a pillow case first. I've washed my SS ragdoll in a pillow case and dried her too, and her yarn hair didn't friz out.

Wish I had more definite answers for ya, little Lamb. Oh, did you see my other post in TS about using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to wash one of my dollies with? It works great on the plastic parts. :D

Yes, I was going also going to say that I thought I had washed my dolls in the washing machine. Adding OxyClean to the detergent should also make the cloth brighter as well. Every time I have had to contend with fuzzy yarn (and believe me, I have with Strawberry Shortcake rag dolls, lol) I have clipped the little fuzzies very carefully from the main yarn strands and the yarn looks like new again. Unfortunately, I don't think there is anything you can do to avoid "the fuzzies". LOL

I would really be interested in hearing what other methods people have used as well. I certainly know what you mean when you mention that "water damaged" look they get after hand washing or spot cleaning. It just doesn't work very well. Personally, I would do as Melanie suggested also and pop them into a pillow case and in the washer and dryer. I mean, you should have to do it only once, if you are only displaying them and want them really clean. One time in the washer/dryer shouldn't hurt. I do remember my mom cleaning mine that way way back when and she came out fine (she also had yarn hair).

Keep us updated on your little babies, Joyce!
And...If anyone else, has another method of cleaning Cabbage Patch Kids, please share with us :D

I wish I had a Cabbage Patch that I didn't care about and could experiment how to wash it! Maybe I will try washing my "bald" ones first.

Cool idea about using the Mr. Clean Erasers!

I used the mr. clean magic eraser on my Cafe Ole doll's face last night. It didn't really look dirty, but afterwards, she looked much brighter. So, I used it on her sandals...wow! You should try this because her sandals look brand new! And now it is so obvious that they are different colors and I'll have to dye them to match each other. :lol: I also used it on a sugar woofer and he's bright white now too. I know that the mr. clean magic erasers are just like a super fine sand-paper made from micro-silica beads, but the way it works and the results you get are fantastic.

Yes that Magic Eraser is pretty cool! I like to use it on MLPs too. lol
Good idea to use it on SugarWoofer. I have to remember to try it on him. Great tip! :)

I washed my Cabbage Patch Kids in the washer!!!! They look so much better!!! Especially my yarn hair CPK... her hair was kind of greyish before I washed it and now it's almost it's original bright lemon yellow color! I'm pretty happy! I didn't have any oxyclean, so I used clorox 2 instead... which I think is similar. I couldn't get rid of all the "water damage" that I had done from when I was little, but the spots look better.

I didn't put them in the dryer though... I was really worried about that. I tried putting one in the dryer, but it was bumping around too much that I took it out, and I couldn't seem to pad it enough to feel safe about doing it. After I took them out of the washer, that there was still some water rattling around inside their heads, but that drained out with some shaking. LOL

I also washed their clothes and repaired some of the old elastic. I only didn't wash one of the outfits... because guess what?? The label says dry clean only!! It's a velvety dress, so I'm afraid to get it wet, but who sends doll clothes to the dry cleaners??!

LOL!! I can't imagine sending doll clothes to the dry cleaners!! :lol: That would be hilarious!!

I am so happy to hear that your dollies are looking much brighter! Would you, by chance, have any pics (before/ after)? Don't worry if you don't. I know I always forget to take pics before I clean my stuff and then I think of it once it is too late! LOL!!

I am super happy for you Joyce!! That lemony yellow hair sounds gorgeous! woohoo!! :D

I don't have before and after pictures really... but I have a "during" picture of the yarn hair doll. I soaked her in a sink of clorox 2... and thought it was so cute because it looked just like she was taking a bubble bath! I'll have to upload it and show you! LOL

Well, I was really anal about keeping my doll clothes clean, so the dry clean only dress is not really dirty at all. I had it packed in a box of doll clothes, and she probably didn't wear it much. I always liked to dress my dolls in other outfits and only have them wear their originals for "special" occasions. But this is more true for my latter 2 dolls.

I'm planning to make 4 outfits for my dolls... from the same cloth (I haven't decided if each doll is going to get the same outfit or if I'll make 4 variations). My mom is helping me out with making the pattern.

Oh wow!! I would love to see your pics.
You certainly will have to show us your finished outfits! Knowing you, I know that they will be totally adorable! :D

Yay! I'm glad to hear that your cpk's came out nice and clean. :D I would love to see your cpk in the bubble bath pic and I can't wait to see your finished custom outfits! I found an old stretched out pair of hand made SS blow kiss pants that I re-elasticized and put them on Taigan's bath time cpk. Now to make her a shirt or dress to go with them! And I found a fairy costume for this new kind of teddy bear, it's called something like 'build a bear' that fit on her smaller bath time cpk. So, now her cpk's won't be nude for Christmas. LOL AND, if you do make some patterns for your cpk and you wouldn't mind sharing them, I'd love to have a copy, but no pressure! :D

This is the pic of my CPK having her bath:



Melanie... I'm trying to convince my mom to draw out the pattern for me, but she wants me to do it... But I told her that she made my dolls clothes before, so it should be easier for her!

My CPK's are 4 different sizes. I want to make them a dress with bloomer bottoms. I would love tights for all of them, but I have no idea how to make that!

OMG Joyce!! LOL!!! I love that pic of your CPK taking a bath!!!! :wub:
The way the sink is (size and everything) really makes it looks like she is taking a bubble bath! LOL!! Too bad you don't have a little rubber ducky and scrub brush in that pic...or maybe even a shower cap! LOL LOL LOL!!

Thanks for sharing!

I can't wait to see those outfits that you and your mom make! They are going to be so so so cute!! :D

Oh, how cute! She really does look like she's in the bath. I'm giving Taigan the regular size cpk (new ones) for Christmas and I want to make her some clothes. I may buy some vintage cpk patterns on eBay. I know what you mean about getting your mom to do stuff like that! I am always asking my mom to do stuff that I know she already knows how to do and does well, but she keeps telling me that I need to learn it all for myself. Installing zippers into things is such a challenge for me, as an example. You know what, Joyce? I bet buying some 0-3 month size tights (on clearance, of course!) and cutting them down length wise and hemming up the toes would be a pretty easy project and you could definitely get tights that fit your cpk out of the deal. I have shortened tights for myself before...I accidentally made them too short, but it worked.

LOL!!! I know... I started washing the doll in the sink and couldn't resist the pic! I think she's the only one that was the right size for the pic to look right.

Great idea Melanie about the tights! I used to cut up and make socks for my lambs and one of my CPK's... because she didn't come with socks (or pants even)... out of my old socks, but there was always a back seam. One of my dolls has stretchy lace tights, so I had been thinking of looking for stretchy fabric at the fabric store, but that proved to be really difficult!

BTW, I love the discount fabric section at Joann Fabrics!!! I found some cute lamb fabric there for $1/yd!! And I picked out the fabric for the dresses from the $2/yd section (nothing in the $1/yd section would work). It's like a dark pink/hot pink gingham (not quite gingham though)with little flowers. I also bought some lace spools. There was one lace pattern I adored but I couldn't find it in the right width (in white)... phooey!

OH! I used to make tons of clothes for 2 of my CPK's when I was younger (these were my last 2 ones, so my mom wouldn't make clothes for them by then). I did really simple stuff... I'll have to take some pics! And I almost always used old clothes for the fabric. I was really inventive... like 2 sleeves would join together to become a pair of pants!

aww! Look at her in the bath! she's so cute--I was going to suggest the washer in a pillowcase but you already got that advice, lol


so.... :blink: