If you have dolls in your home, one of the skills that you might want to have is how to fix doll eyes.
If you’re like most people, you probably have a few dolls sitting around your house that could use some repair. Dolls are delicate and their eyes are especially prone to damage. But don’t worry, with a little know-how you can easily fix doll eyes yourself. In this blog post, we’ll share some practical tips on how to fix doll eyes so they look as good as new. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced doll collector, these tips will come in handy the next time one of your precious dolls needs some TLC. So let’s get started!
The two main problems that doll owners experience with their doll’s eyes are cloudy eyes or eyes that fail to open and close.
In this article, we are going to share with you some practical tips that are proven to work on fixing both of those issues.
How to Fix Doll Eyes
If your dolls have cloudy eyes, there are two main ways to fix them; you can use oil or heat. Both of these methods are relatively easy to follow and are proven safe and effective.
The Oil Method – How to Fix Doll Eyes
To fix the doll’s eyes using oil, you should purchase some type of machine oil, such as sewing machine oil. Once you’ve acquired it, simply follow these steps:
Step 1: Place a couple of drops of the oil on each eye and allow it to run back behind the eye so that the entire eye is likely covered with oil.
Step 2: Then, place the doll face down on a towel or napkin and leave it like that for several hours, overnight, or even a day or two.
Step 3: Once you let the doll sit, you should wash the face well with soap and water to make sure you remove any oil that has dripped on the face.
When trying this method, keep in mind that too much oil can damage the eye or cause staining. This is because the metal inside of the doll’s head may rust. Hence, use only the right amount of oil.
The Heat Method – How to Fix Doll Eyes
Another way that you can fix a doll’s cloudy eyes is to use heat, such as the heat from a hairdryer. However, you cannot use this method if the doll’s lashes are made of synthetic material.
If the doll’s eyelashes are synthetic, the heat from the hairdryer will cause the lashes to melt. You can only use a hairdryer if the doll has boar-bristle lashes.
Step 1: If you can use heat, turn the hairdryer onto the highest setting and aim it at the eyes. Make sure the eyes are open and hold the heat onto them for a couple of minutes.
Step 2: Using a clean cloth, wipe away any of the cloudy residues.
And, that’s all you have to do! The cloudy residue is generally caused by fungus or mold, which is killed by the heat from the hairdryer.
How to Replace Doll Eye Orbs
Sometimes, you might have a doll that requires its eye orbs to be replaced too. This is a common repair for doll owners, as those eyes might not open and close forever. You can get new eyes for dolls in most large craft stores, or you can order them online from specialty doll supply companies.
When doing this, it’s best to get the closest color and size match that you can, but you do have some wiggle room when it comes to color if you want to change that. Also, do your best to purchase two separate eyes instead of a single-eye unit.
Step 1: To do the eye booknerd36-20nt, you must remove the head of the doll from the body. If this is impossible, you might want to hire a professional to do the job, or it may be possible to pop the eyes out from the front.
Step 2: Once the doll’s head is removed from the body, you can use a metal hook, such as a flat-head screwdriver, to pry out the old eyes.
Step 3: In the space that is left, you can use needle-nose pliers to place the new eyes into the spot where the old eyes were.
When replacing eye orbs, keep in mind that each doll is different, so you have to consider that what works with one doll might not work with the others. You definitely want to make sure that you don’t break your doll in the process.
How to Re-Color a Doll’s Eyes
Some doll’s eyes are painted onto the face, and in this case, all they might require is a simple re-coloring. In case you’re wondering, this is indeed the easiest repair to do.
The first thing that you want to do is choose a paint color that is as close as possible to the color of the doll’s eyes. You also have to look at the shine. If it’s shiny paint, consider buying an enamel. If it’s not, a good-quality acrylic paint should work.
Also, you need a very small paintbrush, or even a toothpick dipped in paint. Do your best to match and repair what is already there.
If you cannot find the exact color, you might have to repaint both of the eyes fully. To do this, you first must scrape away any paint that is there, and then repaint the eye. Do one eye at a time so that you can use the remaining eye as a template for the new eye. You also might want to practice doing eyes a few times on paper before doing the job on your doll.
Conclusion
If you have any issues with your doll’s eyes, hopefully, the tips and methods we’ve outlined will help you fix them. Remember to be patient and take your time while working on the eyes; it can be a delicate process.
Then again, most of these methods work well for minor repairs, but if you have a doll whose eyes are in bad shape or a doll that is very valuable or has a lot of sentimental value, you might want to consider a local toy or doll repair shop.
We love our dolls just as much as you do and want nothing more than to see them looking their best. How did these techniques work for you? Let us know in the comments below!
