I've posted this before in CF forum under the toys and collectibles subject. Based on some years in this hobby, I've try my best to maintain my kids. So here are my 5 years experience being a BJD owner. I know there are other owners whom started much more earlier then me and I wanna thank them. ALL OF THEM whom helped me when I first got my girl. I am really happy to know you guys. Cause you guys guided me from buying to owning till maintaining. So here I share it out so others would get some knowledge over it. It may not be 100% accurate as different ppl will have different ways to take care of them but here's mine.

How to take care of them?
~ We usually clean our dolls once a month to ensure they are clean. We
will un strung our dolls into pieces and put the head piece on a safe
side then rinse all the body parts into a warm water for some time with dish wash
soap then scrub with a magic sponge. I will post a tutorial on washing
here later along how to restrung them back.

~ Some cloth might stain them as well. So don't be worry when you fine
the clothes they are wearing stain them, just use the sponge and clean
them off. If the stains kinda being stubborn to be removed, you may wet
the sponge a little and wipe it. Or you may use a bit of Mr thinner to rub also can. No Mr thinner, no worry, you may use those nail polish remover that contain NON Acetone!

~ Make sure you don't drop your dolls that much, Cause if you drop them
too much, they might crack or logically, they will break a part. Keep
sweaty hands away from dolls as sometime our sweat can stain the dolls.
If you find a stains on the dolls rub off with a magic sponge. Try to
avoid touching the face if you had the custom make up done by the
company so the make up won't be ruin and can be maintain for many years.
My Shinku till now still having her default make up from DOD. ^_^

~ Don't put them under the sun for sun bathing cause this will yellow
the doll way much faster. Sun light will cause the resin turn yellow
very fast, so avoid that. There was once I read a post in DOA, someone
mention they kept their dolls inside the car boot for some hours and end
up the dolls had some part melting. Since they are made of resin, try
to keep them away from hot stuff or hot area. I mean don't put your
dolls inside the car for few hours. Bag will be good for them cause you
can always put them in your bag and carry them inside your bag. I always
do that when I bring my kids to work or dollmeet. 8D

~ Due to our heat in this country, there's no way to avoid them being turning yellow as I can assure you, they will turn after some years or a year. If you really worry that much, you may buy the MSC(Mr Super Clear) UV Cut and spray the whole doll to protect it. There's no 100% sure that our resin babies will stay the same even few years. Well if your baby resin start to turn color, means they already gain love from you. Cause they already been by your side for some years.

~ Some wigs may stain the doll head, so to avoid this, you may buy silicon headcap from doll site and put them on before you the wig. Especially wigs with black base they stain for sure!

I'll try to post on how to washed our baby resin on the next post with pictures. If you have extra information or your own experience, please do share here so we can learn and get to know from each others.

Tutorial on how to wash....


The heads and bodies being separated


Soak all the parts into a bucket that contain a little dish wash soap+warm water. Then scrub the parts with some magic sponges to remove the stubborn stains.


After finish scrubbing, rinse them inside a bucket of cold waters to wash away the soap water and clean.


Arrange all the parts nicely on a carpet or a piece of cloth to let the parts dry. For faster way, you may use the fan to blow. DO NOT PUT THEM UNDER THE HOT SUN!!!! SUN LIGHT DAMAGE THE DOLLS!!!

Now for re stringing part


PRepare all the tools you need to put them back in piece.
Tools:
~ screw driver - to support and hold the stringing (never use pen cause might broke if the stringing is too hard)
~ wire/re stringing tools/ribbons - to help you pull the string in the joints.
~ A plier to help you pull the S hook
~ of course the dolls string to join the doll back

continue next post

We always start to join the hand first cause if you start with the body, you might had trouble joining the hands cause the body is blocking.


This is what the screwdriver do. To support on each side when you pull so the string won't head back inside the body.


there the hand part complete


For body, tie a knot on the string that the stringing just long enough for the entire doll. (usually how u remove the string will be the exact way to put back ^_^) and use the big S hook that the doll had support on the neck there.

Following the steps below!!!






Last is to put the feet back.

the dolls I had there are DOD old body. Most of the dolls restringing style are almost the same.

Hope that helps you all...

NOTE: while you are re stringing the dolls, if you know yourself can't handle at the time, do seek for an extra pair of hand to help. Cause restringing SD doll will be the hardest cause you need lotsa strength to pull.

If you feel unstrung them are a bit of work you can always do a simple way which I am doing it now all the time due to lack of time to bath them. Just strip them naked and use the magic sponge dip in clean water and wipe them on the surface. Then use a white cloth to wipe them dry while cleaning them. This way will take lesser time and easier yet you still can keep your doll clean. ^_^

WHERE TO BUY MAGIC SPONGE?

1: Jusco in anywhere kitchen hardware area
2: DAISO - RM5 per back/blocks
3: DIY - RM2.99 per block

WHERE TO BUY MSC?

1: Time machine in Berjaya Square
2: XL Shop in Time Square & the shop that beside also got sell.

WHERE TO BUY SMALL BRUSHES/PASTELS/GLOSS for face up?

~ Artfriends in Midvalley
~ Or in 1U also got an art shops sell this brushes and paints
*please buy non oil base materials!*

WHERE TO BUY SHORT EYELASHES?

I bought mine all from night market near by my house. Last time Midvalley for one shop sell but now no more stock. So try to look for it at night market. They might have it. ^_^

For the items that we need for the kids I have a list too, and I wanna share here as well^^

WHERE TO BUY MSC?
* Aside from the list above, I actually found that there's a shop at The Curve Damansara actually sell it. Too bad I can't recall the name now=.= The last time I went they run out of stock anyway....

WHERE TO BUY MAGIC SPONGE?
* I found 1 at MR DIY in Tesco Setia Alam with price of RM1.20. I suppose most of their outlets will have the stocks?

WHERE TO BUY SMALL BRUSHES/PASTELS/GLOSS for face up?
* Pastels - U can find it easily at Popular Bookstores, I found that most of the outlets have it (even at Klang Bukit Raja).
* Small Brushes - A shop at GM Klang did sell it for quite a low price, can't really recall it now but it's a bout RM2 - RM4 each (it's a brush for manicure and pedicure)

>>Well I live in Klang so most of my lists are near Klang

After some searching being conducted, I found that the art shops at 1U actually quite costly, where I can get an items at much more low price at somewhere else.... well not all the items I can actually find at other place though :xEspecially the clays..

Here are some sample brushes I use for my face up time.




This 3 are my most finest brushes for detailing.

This are all the brushes size I use for my doll face up. Most of this brushes you can get from art shops. But for the finest may be you need to search for some specific art shops such as artfriends or the one in 1U. They are also the most expensive brush.

Thanks for sharing the info, it has been so useful. Anyway i m new to the blog i wish can learn more from u guys ^_^

Thank you so much for the info, it's very helping

May I ask about Gloss...
what kind of gloss that can be applied to BJD face up, I've heard about Liquitex High Gloss Varnish and Liquitex Flow Aid but I do not know which one to use, I'm afraid if it might ruin the face up if I pick the wrong gloss? ;A;" or if anyone have any suggestion?
TQ

If I'm not mistaken , Flow Aid is an acrylic medium, to thin paint. The former would be the one to use to gloss your faceup

noharu wrote:Thank you so much for the info, it's very helping

May I ask about Gloss...
what kind of gloss that can be applied to BJD face up, I've heard about Liquitex High Gloss Varnish and Liquitex Flow Aid but I do not know which one to use, I'm afraid if it might ruin the face up if I pick the wrong gloss? ;A;" or if anyone have any suggestion?
TQ

I think Liquitex Gloss varnish can be use. For me I am using the Alpha Aryclic Gloss varnish to gloss my kids lips. <3 Or you can try to use the Mr Color transparent gloss paint.