Resin + MSC + Cleaning solutions. Tested methods for face-up removal

Sucessfully chosing a solvent to remove face-ups, body blushing and or other paint-work from your doll.​

*Current as of April 2024*

This information has been compiled based on my 23 years in Super Yacht Industry, 18 years as a resin doll-owner, 27 years in porcelain, and celluloid repair/restoration. This information is compiled as a guide only. I spent many hours with Professors from Tech College in casting classes, courses in plastics, polymers, resins and fiberglass, to ensure the accuracy of this information. The rating; is based on my personal experience and from facts about the chemicals in use.

SAFETY FIRST: Only use ONE type of solvent at a time before trying another, wash and dry the doll first. Work in a well ventilated area, protect your clothing, skin, eyes and lungs with safety gear.

About Resin: Resin is porous and variables must be considered such as the brand, the surface finish and especially the products you are removing. The following is general information based on what reacts with polyurethane resin (not epoxy resin!).

ALWAYS do a patch test first; either inside the head-cap or on the inside of the torso piece, for smaller dolls the soles of the feet are a good place to test.


Product: Pure Acetone
Where to buy it: Hardware stores are the only place that sell pure industrial acetone - marked 99.8%-99.9% Acetone. Anhydrous Acetone is pharmaceutical only as residual water has been eliminated.
Correct usage: Applied using cleaning pads/cotton cloths. Do not apply using a Mr Magic Eraser. Acetone in its commercial form evaporates quickly and when used correctly the most efficient and safe way to strip the doll of sealant as no chemical residue remains. This is the preferred method of removing face-up by professional face-up artists.
Rating: 10/10 the fast and complete evaporation makes this a logical option when used correctly by any level of experience.
Incorrect usage/Possible damage: Use in a WELL VENTILATED AREA AND AWAY FROM OPEN FLAME, no kidding its flamable, if additional explanation is required see the MSDS snd TDS of your product!!! Damage can occur if you've left a part soaking in Acetone - acetone will soften resin, using excessive (or any) force if the resin is soft can cause gouges, tears, dents, pitting and abrasions. Colour changes can occur with some colour/tan pigmented resins - as with all solvents; color fastness tests always should be done. A shiny surface after removing the sealant is a indication the sealant was used to create a matte finish - this is normal with some companies and will differ between molds and castings.


Product: Nail Polish Remover
Where to buy: Pharmacies, Drug stores, Supermarkets, Beauty Salons
Correct usage: Use sparingly with your choice of pads, brushes, q-tips (cotton tips) sponges etc... Requires soapy wash and clean water rinsing as Non-Acetone nail polish remover can leave a residue preventing proper adhesion of further sealant. Always use a near-colourless liquid (pale pinks/ light purples or clear and the better options) and that it is oil-free.
Rating: 4/10 there are really too-many variables that make this a volatile "hit and miss" product - If you find a brand that works stick with it.
Incorrect usage/Possible damage: Using Nail-Polish remover with moisturizers, oils or vivid color can damage the resin by staining, avoid red-tints and bright blue tints. Soaking *can* have the same effect as pure acetone. Using Nail-Polish remover is not an exact science as all brands use different chemicals, always check the bottles contents and avoid anything that contains: oil, hardener, aloe vera, essential oil, fragrance, coloring. Some darker/colored pigments may be adversely affected; this is company specific.
Brands to look for: Rite-Aid, Sephora, Cutex.


Product: Isoprophyl Alcohol 70-99%
Where to buy: Drug stores, pharmacies, supermarkets etc...
Correct usage: Apply generously with your choice of sponges, cotton pads and other clean applicators, requires several applications with clean pads to be totally effective. Alcohol should not affect resin pigments *this is dependent on doll make. Wear gloves as alcohol is readily absorbed by your skin, unless you want to get inebriated... GLOVES ON!! And No Vodka wont work... at all LOL
Rating: 5/10 Ineffective at completely dissolving Mr Super Clear or Zouks Spray, good for removal of surface grease/dust or marks from handling, requires additional effort to complete the removal of sealant.
Incorrect usage/Possible damage: Unsealed paintwork or blushing can be removed with Alcohol unless it has permeated the resin. Its difficult to damage a doll with Alcohol, repeated or extended use over an extended period of time could cause the resin to become brittle, Allow any (short-term) softening of your dolls resin time to re-harden before you attempt any work on the doll.
Brands to look for: Walgreens Apocothary (91%), Swan Brand (99%), AAPER (industrial brand 99.5%), Spiritline (97%), Proctor & Gamble (98%), Helmar's (99.7%) Rubbing/Sports alcohol (like Isocol) is 70% will remove minor grime.


Product: Solvent Based Brush Cleaner/Thinners
Where to buy: Art Supply stores, hobby shops some hardware stores
Correct usage: Use as you would with acetone and be certain to thoroughly wash with soapy water and rise well in clean water. Be certain to CLEARLY read the labels. Any thinner with oil as an ingredient is less suitable - look for thinners with "solvents" such as ethanol (alcohol). Same with brush-cleaners be certain to use only acrylic paint products. Personally I don't recommend thinners or brush cleaners as they do not evaporate off and require significant washing after use.
Rating: 2/10 it may work. But not what it was designed for.
Incorrect usage/Possible damage: Do not leave your doll parts un-washed after using this to clean them as some brush cleaners contain preservers and conditioners to prolong your brush life, if left on the resin for an extended period it could cause permanent damage. Avoid anything containing organic oils such as orange oil as you risk staining. Some have reported a sticky surface after repeated use. Personally I wouldnt use it on a doll EVER as brush cleaners are designed to break down polymers.
Brands to look for: I do not recommend any.
Winsor & Newton - the ingredients in W&N have changed three times in 15 years and are undisclosed excluding the reportable flamable ingredient ethanol. It has been used sucessfully by some members. I advise strongly against it on the grounds that it has destroyed brushes and a test resulted in damaged resin.
Mr Colour Thinner** this is a minor exception to the rule and a solid 6/10, after a suggestion from a fellow member I've convluded my testing on Fairyland, Volks, Dollzone, Custom House, Twigling, Dollkot, Soom, Iplehouse and Dollshe - all were safely cleaned of faceup and sealant eventually. Acetone was used to conclude the process and remove residual product.

Product: Magic Eraser Sponges
Where to buy: Safeway, Coles, Woolworths, Overwaites, Walmart, Michaels or any store that stocks household cleaning products
Correct Usage: Simply use a bowl of clean water and "elbow grease" - Magic erasers are a micro abrasive sponge made from melamine fiber. It can remove surface dirt and like flexie sandpaper will remove the bulk of a face-up with consistent use. It can be difficult to get into tight spaces and may not remove ALL the face-up but could potentially reduce the use of chemicals in the removal process. After removing the bulk of the face-up with an eraser sponge you can use a q-tip to remove remaining paint with a chemical solvent. Very good for light cleans - such as removing dirty marks from headcaps and light fingerprints from face-ups.
Rating: 5/10 effective in removing some of the sealant/face-up/blushing - similar to using an ultrafine sandpaper.
Incorrect Usage/Possible Damage: Do not combine the sponge with ANY chemical solvents, they were not intended for this purpose and is a waste of money, if you're using a chemical solvent use an appropriate clesn pad/cloth/rag. You cannot damage your doll with a Magic Eraser with normal use, however you COULD injure yourself if incorrectly used. As it is an abrasive sponge, using it with a chemical solvent in place of water can lead to abrasions and friction burns on your hands as well as other unpleasant reactions between the melamine and the variety of solvent.
Brands to look for: Scotchbrite, Chux, Mr Clean, Britex, Scrub-It, Genuine Joe, Daiso etc

AVOID THE FOLLOWING:

Goo-Gone/Orange Oil/Citrus stain removers/Mr Orange: In my tests these HAVE damaged resin.
Kerosene/Turpentine: Both can potentially permanently stain with oily marks, and will leave an odor that is difficult to remove. Chemically they are not suitable solvents to dissolve Testors, Mr Super Clear or Zouks Sealant.

*Note to quote Face-up Artist Evenstar "Some People have advocated using W&N Brush cleaner as a "safe" alternative to acetone - I STRONGLY advise against using this product on resin."

 

Before anyone goes gung-ho into cleaning a face-up off DO THIS:

1: Identify what you are cleaning off and read-up on other experiences on cleaning them off. If its unusual (nail varnish for example) take the time to ask for help and assistance from members in the forum - that's what its for. (Send a cyber slap to anyone using nail polish on a BJD too!)

2: Choose the right solvent - alcohol wont remove oil-based paints, and acetone isn't always necessary if the face-up is only water based and not sealed....

3: MAKE THE TIME to go from start to finish with time to spare - accidents happen when you rush and you'll usually regret it if you do. If you have to be at a meet or mail a doll out, a gentle wipe with a clean damp cloth is far more sensible than damaged resin!

4: Set yourself up correctly - this means have everything on hand to do the job, your chosen solvent, face-mask, plenty of cotton swabs, q-tips and toothpicks for tiny crevices, clean rags, clean paper towels, soapy water for washing and a large CLEAN space to place each piece you are cleaning.

AND

5: Remember these are dangerous chemicals doing a job, whilst its fun to do always be aware that you are handling products that can cause damage to you and your body so treat them AND yourself with care and respect at all times.

MORE USEFUL INFORMATION

Clarifying usage of Acetone and Mr Magic Eraser sponge: The chemicals I am referring to in the sponge itself are: formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulphite copolymer which is in "laymans" terms the technical term for the abrasive fibres. When used together the risk of causing micro-abrasions on your skin and chemical inclusion is increased. The acetone will not melt the sponge. The effectiveness of the abrasive melamine sponge IS marginally increased by the use of a solvent, however the possibility for personal injury negates this tiny increase in potential.

Only ever use the Magic Eraser sponges with water - they were designed specifically for that purpose to cut OUT the use of chemicals in a safe manner.

Frequently asked questions...

Q: I'm using a nail-polish remover with a tint, will it stain?
A: Yes It is possible - Anything with red, yellow or blue tints are more likely to stain than green or purple tinted, I'm not entirely sure why, it is something to do with the pigments used. I have noted that depending on the country the manufacturer the colour additives have different names, Yellow #5 and Red #3 can also be labelled as FD&C Red and FD&C Yellow, this basically means they are compliant with safe use on and around humans, thought depending on the saturation in the products, most colors can stain your doll.

Q: What is the ingredient Bitrex/Denatonium Benzoate
A: Denatonium benzoate is a chemical flavour added to products used in and around the home - it is used in infinitely small proportions and triggers the human gag reflex making it near impossible to accidentally swallow whatever it is dissolved in. It will not hurt resin in any way shape or form but will leave residue on your skin, IF you use a product containing DB - WASH your hands or your food is going to taste like crap for a week!!! (Fun Fact - recently some button battery manufacturers are coating their product in this vile tasting stuff to prevent children from swallowing them)

Q: Will Acetone "Melt" my Doll??
A: If you leave it submerged in a bucket full of acetone then yes likely it will... If you use it correctly ie: Wet (soaking wet even) cotton pad - wipe face - throw cotton pad out - repeat until clean - Then no it will not melt your doll. There is a LOT of speculation about this and I've been shot at more than once for saying it but I stick by this statement emphatically. Acetone when used correctly will not melt your doll into a "Wicked Witch" puddle of goo... The greatest attribute to acetone is its incredibly fast evaporation - other chemicals like MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) is similar and will work as well but has an evaporation retarder in it to extend its "wet" period... regular Acetone will disapear into thin air (with water residue) from a shallow dish in the time it takes to make a delicious sandwich.

Q: There are white marks on my dolls face after I wash it - what are they?
A: 90% of the time it is residual sealant - using your chosen solvent wipe the white marks until completely removed then rinse again. If they do not come off using this method then the second most likely cause is discoloration or uneven dispersal of the pigment - the only effective way to fix this is to sand carefully or blush-over the area if it is more than a thin layer. On occasion the lightened areas are simply oxidization of the upper layer of resin, on WS and light NS dolls they are rarely noticeable.

Q: Will soaking my doll in acetone/alcohol/brush cleaner/grannys vanilla frosting etc... clean it faster?
A: NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.... Negative, Clear?
Correctly cleaning off a face-up or body blushing can be as time consuming as putting it on in the first place - DO NOT EVER SOAK YOUR DOLL IN A SOLVENT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take your time the first time and avoid the issues that arise from rushing or doing it the wrong way. The ONLY time I have ever suggested soaking was for someone with black painted Beryl hooves - in warm soapy water to help soften and lift off the THICK layer of Jo Sonjas Acrylic paint. If you soak anything in a chemical solvent you're asking for trouble. You worked hard to have this doll, don't disrespect your effort! Harsh but true.

Q: What will oil based products do to my doll?
A: Honestly, home kitchen oils and cosmetic facial products... not much at all - however its the commercial grades and combinations of oil + acid, or oil + solvent, oil + pigment, oil + strong alkaline, the varying types of oils, synthetic vs organic, pure vs mixed. Most resin is porous and the use of some oil-based products can stain and unevenly discolor your doll - only way to fix it is to sand off - its a risk that's not really worth taking unless you are more familiar with the oil type and why exactly you need to use it. In my simplest terms; "Don't Dunk your Delf in Doterra or Diesel."©

Thanks to RobbinA for this fantastic tutorial:
Tutorial: Cleaning a Resin BJD Head

 

Thanks Late, I picked one up yesterday to try it out I have SOOOO many chemicals in my studio now we had to install a bolt-lock on the outside door.... good reason for my house-mate to quit smoking so he doesnt blow us all to high heaven!!

(Oh FYI he never smokes in or around my studio - he's a rare breed of courteous smoker that hides downwind, washes his hands and changes his shirt, so as not to offend anyone ..... such a sweetie!!)

Oh and to answer the question about sealers WITH acetone in it.... MSC is what is called a solvent based sealer, all of the sealers "we" (collective) use have solvents in them.... kinda like how when you put wet nail polish over dry nailpolish you can wipe the dry off too... the solvent in the liquid will often soften the dry layer.... Same with MSC, thats why is recommended to do lighter coats to allow less chance of "re-wetting" the entire surface and cause it to take longer to dry... Saying that.... I'm a soaker with MSC But your father is correct, there are solvents present in most sealants and providing you dont use an enamel sealer (oil- based) your dolly will be just fine

 

Ciric Acid can be very corrosive on any form of resin and plastic but only when in a concentrated form like the orange oil cleaners for removing things like chewing gum and paint residue,

Non-acetone polish remover is okay to use, if its a pale colour its quite safe when used as described above. The colours can only be detrimental if they are high concentration, for example a ruby-red polish remover is likely to leave a pinkish residue which sometime can and sometimes cant be washed off. Welcome to face-up club *hugs*

ooh yeah... we got Stickied!! : LOL

 

Your Bobobie will be all right as the colour goes right through the resin And as far as my experience goes the colour is consistent right through which is really nice!! I've done some heavy mods on both a blu and pink and there was no deviation in the colour at all

 

Denatonium Benzoate is actually a flavour, added to chemicals like nail biting solution, topically aplied alcohol etc... It is what makes your fingers taste bitter after using nail polish remover etc... it also triggers your gag reflex making the consumption of any of the afore mention products near imposible, it is only a safety precaution and has no effect on you or your dolls whatso-ever

Tricolsan is an anti-bacterial aditive and again is in such minute amoiunts that it wont harm you or your resin-kin

The product you have described sounds to be the type used to safely remove false acrylic nails, so it will work effectively but use extreme caution as with all products prolonged exposure of your dolls resin to the acetone will cause the negative effects listed in my first post...

Happy painting

 

Eucalyptus oil falls in the category of *shouting loudly* NOOOOOOOO as with the citrus oil stain removers etc... it will damage the resin. If you want to show yourself how damaging it can be find a perspex (clear plastic) item and wipe a bit of the oil on it. Within minutes it will milk-up and cloud the surface of the plastic and leave a sticky mess. Its a very very definite NO unless you like > After cleaning your doll, its not a good idea

You can use it, castor oil is actually a petroleum product similar to mineral oil, its in such infinitely small amounts it wont affect your dolls resin if you use it as written in the first post and be sure to wash all the residue off with warm soapy water you are guaranteed a good clean. A good idea is to clean the face-up off in stages, especially if there are several coats of sealer, once the visible paint is off, wash it, dry it and clean it again this will allow you to see what areas have the most build-up of sealer and where you need to focus your attention.

And BTW no-such thing as a stupid question its a smart person who errs on the side of caution where our valuable little dollies are involved

 

Use your choice of sealer remover (aceton/brush cleaner etc) and just take off the top coat of MSC, then using a kids soft tooth brush and mild soapy warm water gently scrub off the bulk of the black paint, the paint if its acrylic will lift off quite easily with little effort, you can even leave the hooves to soak for 10-15 minutes in the soapy water to soften the paint then scrub them (gently) with the toothbrush. Once its back to a light grey-ish colour (the paint will have stained the MSC) then get to with the stripper to clean off the remaining MSC and any bits of paint that are still clinging.

This will work if the paint is acrylic or a water-ased paint. If its an enamel or an acrylic oil sadly there's no choice but to wipe over and over again with your sealer remover of choice. Let us know how you get on too, I know there are a lot of people who will appreciate some pics also!!

 

Stoked to hear it came up clean Was the Cutex the redish one? I (stupid stupid stupid me) used the red one just to clean an oil-smudge off a shin of a NS Bobobie... and voila... pink leg. Its horrible stuff sometimes!!

I almost forgot to update. Mr Colour Thinner was safe to use on all the resins I listed under Acetone excluding the Dark Tans in some tests done by my prof., but as we were unable to read the ingredients untill I recieve the PDS (Product Data Sheet) we are unable to be absolutely 100% sure the ingredients wont do long-term damage. However after trying them repeatedly on the resin bits we have here and having nothing but excellent results I wouldnt hesitate to use it myself.

 

Thanks for that Kikuka; it can work though the problem with most 70% alcohols is the additives like fragrance, hence the recommendation for commercial grade isopropyl. That and it isn't very effective on MSC

 

Bobobie resin is uniform in colour the whole way through.... Soooooo if you can get your hands on the fabulous sponge backed sanders from cool-cat on ebay (about $3) get the super-fine and give the head a light sand in the whitened areas, I had to sand the entire surface off my lt Tan Ariel before she was a unifom colour again, there will always be very light parts but not noticeable unless you are actually looking for them. Then a light blush and some MSC and it will work beautfiully.

All the chemicals and solvents listed in the first thread are toxic, however they have been graded safe for human use. Basically this means if you wera a face-mask to stop the bulk of the fumes and work in a well ventilated area (fan on and window open) and a pair of disposeable vinyl (not latex) gloves then you're safe as houses. The biggest problem is repeated prolonged exposure. Acetone fumes can cause symptoms of memory loss and Alcohol fumes can cause severe headaches as well as blurred vision... and then there's Plurisy and Emphesemia when your lungs react to the repeatedly inhaled fumes.

If you treat your solvents and spray with care and respect as you would any household cleaner then you dont have a thing to worry about

 

Denatonium benzoate is actually a flavour, it triggers the gag reflex to make it near impossible to swallow the substance it is mixed with. It will have no effect on your dolls whatsoever, but do wash your hands really well afterwards or wear gloves because it can linger on your skin for a couple of days and make everything taste yucky

THIS ^ is just cool!!! My acetone comes in a 10lts container (also use it to work on out yacht) I'll give the decant into a small container a shot and see how long it stays effective when sealed after each use.... otherwise I go through about $2-$3 worth of cotton balls per doll Not sure about the toothbrush though - my hands are wierd enough without adding vibration into the mix

 

I personally have never heard or noticed shrinkage where the use of alcohol is involved but then acetone is my preferered solvent. Repeated exposure to any solvent will over time reduce the saturation of pigment in the resin, especially the darker skin-tones - though the shorter the exposure the less noticeable it will be. I've got some spare hands around that I use as "test dummies" so I'll give them a shot with the alcohol I use to see if there is any noticeable shrinkage and post the results here...

And I agree with you and highly recomend against extended exposure to any solvent - as per the first post - wipe it clean and wash it off...




I have to reiterate though - NOT to use the Magic erasers with any type of solvent. It is a waste of time and a waste of an eraser. They are designed to be used with clean water only and by using it with a solvent you run the risk of doing damage to yourself. The solvent will not increase its efficiency and can in some cases be counter productive by clogging the micro-fine fibres with clumps of sealer and paint rather than relying on its "powdering" action where it abraids away micro-fine particles.