Here's a great cleaning method should you win a Leia on eBay, or maybe discover your childhood Leia in a box. All dolls benefit from occasional cleaning, no matter how clean their environment. I give all new Leias a bath and shampoo upon their arrival at the Asylum.
Supplies you'll need: Buf-Pufs and a gentle Baby Shampoo.
Buf-Pufs are small square facial cleanser pads sold in the Health & Beauty section of drugstores and discount stores (Target, Wal-Mart, etc.). They are sold in boxes of at least 25, but if you're not planning on creating a Leia clone army like I am, you can use the leftover Buf-Pufs to wash your face. The Buf-Puf is slightly abrasive and is already soaped when you remove it from the box. All you have to do is wet it and then gently scrub your doll, being extra-careful around the face paint. Rinse her off, dry her completely, and voila--a clean Leia.
To shampoo, wet Leia's hair in the sink, then apply a very small amount of baby shampoo and lather. Baby shampoo is not meant to leave a residue on the hair, which is why it is recommended here. Rinse the hair completely, and then blow it dry with a hair dryer on the "cool" setting, or in front of a fan. I have read that letting doll hair dry naturally actually contributes to a chemical breakdown of the hair.
Leias with long hair may need a comb-out after the hair is dry. I use a small plastic hair pick that came with a Barbie doll, but any small comb will do. Start at the ends and very gently work the comb through the hair to loosen tangles and tame frizzies. When you're finished, her hair will look great, full and shiny, and ready to style if you want.
I have no experience removing stains from Leia's legs or arms, but if you search the Internet for fashion doll restoration tips, any tips meant to help restore Barbie dolls should work for Leia too. If I do any stain removal, I'll post the results here in the future.
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