Partial Vinyl Limbs:

Remove the head and limbs from the body.  I use an exacto knife to gently separate the seams and slit the ties.  I try to be careful not to damage the cloth body as it may be useful to someone else redoing other dolls. Save the plastic piece inside the head, the stuffing and any cloth bags with plastic pellets that may be inside--these may be useful later. 

Full Vinyl Limbs:

Remove the head and limbs from the body.  Hold on to the main body section for use later.  You can use it for the neck piece you will need to attach it to the cloth body and/or for removable tummy/tushie plates that are adorable to use when posing your doll.

You can go ahead and remove the plugs at the ends of the limbs now or you may choose to wait and do this process later.  You will want to skip this step if you need to avoid moisture or water from entering the interior of the limbs when doing the next few steps.  This step will become necessary later in the process and will be revisited again.

The vinyl should be hot, but not so much that it burns your skin.  It should be very flexible.

With this process I am able to remove and replace the eyes from every face through the front without having to cut the vinyl inside the head at the back of the eye socket.

You use this process again to re-insert the new eyes--discussed later.

Wash the head inside and out in hot soapy water (I use dawn dish detergent) and then rinse with hot water and set aside. 

Limbs:

You have a few choices on the limbs.  If water and moisture get inside the limbs you will need to allow for a longer drying period before assembling the body.  I use different methods here depending on what I want to do with the limbs.

• If I am going to paint the interior with acrylic paints or put colored sand inside then I do not want any water to get inside the limbs.  In this case I just wash the outside of the limbs, rinse and then set aside to dry. 

• If I am going to just use the "purple wash" or other method on the outside of the limbs only then again, I will try to avoid getting any moisture inside the limbs and just wash the outside.

• If I am going to use the "purple wash" dyeing method on the inside of the limbs, then I go ahead and rinse out the interior and exterior in hot water.  But this method is one I don't use that often.

• Acetone (from hardware store)
• Cotton pads or puffs
• Gloves
• Old toothbrush

There are many products that will remove the factory paint.  I have tried Goof-Off, Oops, and fingernail polish remover with acetone and they all work to some degree, but pure Acetone is the fastest and best that I have used. Others may not want to use Acetone for fear of damaging the vinyl, but I have used it on a dozen or so dolls with no "ill" effects. 

I recommend you do this next process over the kitchen sink in a well ventilated area.  I open the door and turn on the fan over the stove to help ventilate any fumes from the acetone.  Use gloves to protect your hands and safety glasses if desired.

  Soak the cotton pad with the acetone and start wiping away the painted on hair first. I wipe away as much as I can with the cotton pad--changing pads frequently.  Use an old toothbrush dipped in acetone to remove the paint deep in the grooves and use another clean cotton pad to wipe it away. Take one last cotton pad with acetone and wipe all over the head, on top of the ears and along the back of the neck to collect any of the paint runs.

Next, with a fresh clean cotton pad with acetone do the face.  Remove any painted on eyebrows/lashes.  The cheek blush color and lips are optional.

Before and after paint removed: