Cleaning Used Parts?

When buying used dolls or parts do you recommend doing a clean-up of everything when it arrives?

And if so, how would you recommend I do so -- some gentle soap and rinse under tap? Soak? Just a little wet towel wipe down?

My first DD was secondhand but new condition (she's old, but seemingly never used) so I didn't have to worry about that and I honestly don't know what's the norm for used items!

I always handle my dolls with gloves but I know that most people do not, so I'm erring towards cleaning, just not sure what's the best way to do it for a vinyl doll.

Mmm, personally I would just give everything a once over look for any debris/dust or marks and then spot clean if necessary.  Unless there's odor or residue, I don't feel the need for major cleaning of the body.  I've never gone as far as handling my dolls with gloves though, I just make sure my hands are clean and dry and take extra care around the face.  I do wash all my doll clothes before wear though, both for color fasting and scent.

If the parts you received aren't in bad shape + you just want to do a lil something for personal preferences, I think using a lightly damp and soft cloth would be more than enough (with enough time for everything to dry). 

I think between my 2nd hand resin and vinyl dolls I've only had to deep clean one in total - but I knew the condition was bad when buying and was going to strip the old makeup off anyway.  I still didn't expect to find a dried out bug shell in the headcap though :')

I've personally only purchased a few dolls secondhand, and only full-cleaned the doll that was already in bad shape when she arrived. You know, sticky faceup, visibly dirty spots, that kind of thing. I would recommend if you want to clean your doll to take them apart somewhat so you can get inside of pieces to insure they're fully dry before reassembly. You don't want mildew in your doll!

When buying a used doll or parts I make sure to look over everything and see if there is any visible dirt, scuff or similar that actually needs proper cleaning. Luckily nothing I received so far needed a complete throughout cleaning otherwise I'd probably take the doll apart for a proper rinse etc.

For peace of mind bc I don't expect others to handle their dolls with gloves either, I go with a wet/damp towel method making sure that none of the towels are too wet. First damp towel has some mild and colorless soap in it, second towel is to wipe down possible soap residue and then I leave it to dry or wipe it dry. I don't do this on faceups though.

14 hours ago, mmmuguet said:

Mmm, personally I would just give everything a once over look for any debris/dust or marks and then spot clean if necessary.  Unless there's odor or residue, I don't feel the need for major cleaning of the body.  I've never gone as far as handling my dolls with gloves though, I just make sure my hands are clean and dry and take extra care around the face.  I do wash all my doll clothes before wear though, both for color fasting and scent.

If the parts you received aren't in bad shape + you just want to do a lil something for personal preferences, I think using a lightly damp and soft cloth would be more than enough (with enough time for everything to dry). 

I think between my 2nd hand resin and vinyl dolls I've only had to deep clean one in total - but I knew the condition was bad when buying and was going to strip the old makeup off anyway.  I still didn't expect to find a dried out bug shell in the headcap though :')

Personally I wear gloves because my hands sweat a lot, enough that they're only really clean and dry for maybe 1-2 minutes after washing. Especially if I handle anything, like even just putting a doll into a pose, they get very sweaty. I'm very careful to avoid getting grime on my dolls because I'm a bit paranoid about it. If I wash only the outside of the vinyl shell with a damp cloth, would I have to worry about the inside being moist after? I know vinyl is porous but I don't know if that includes water.

 

11 hours ago, PlasticJester said:

I've personally only purchased a few dolls secondhand, and only full-cleaned the doll that was already in bad shape when she arrived. You know, sticky faceup, visibly dirty spots, that kind of thing. I would recommend if you want to clean your doll to take them apart somewhat so you can get inside of pieces to insure they're fully dry before reassembly. You don't want mildew in your doll!

Thank you for the advice!!

 

8 hours ago, Milk said:

When buying a used doll or parts I make sure to look over everything and see if there is any visible dirt, scuff or similar that actually needs proper cleaning. Luckily nothing I received so far needed a complete throughout cleaning otherwise I'd probably take the doll apart for a proper rinse etc.

For peace of mind bc I don't expect others to handle their dolls with gloves either, I go with a wet/damp towel method making sure that none of the towels are too wet. First damp towel has some mild and colorless soap in it, second towel is to wipe down possible soap residue and then I leave it to dry or wipe it dry. I don't do this on faceups though.

Thank you for the tips! I think I'll do the towel wipe down when my parts arrive if they seem alright.