First time restringing and cleaning, tips?

There is no need to feel embarrassed everyone is different. I handle my dolls a lot and they don't get fully cleaned and restrung that often either.
First off, I recommend scrubbing the whole doll with wet magic eraser sponge (or generic) to clean off any grunge. I suspect you will remove a lot of the yellowing this way as it's probably largely surface stains from the Nicotine.
You won't want to scrub with magic eraser over any blushing or a Faceup etc that you want to keep intact, though you can usually wipe with it gently on those areas.
Do you have tools to help you restring? I make what I need with just some ribbon and aluminum wire.
Do you have any specific concerns anyone could help you with?
I know it's a bit daunting at first but it's doable and it's nice when you can accomplish it I think

 

As another child of smokers, using a bit of white vinegar in the washwater will help with the nicotine removal and possibly any leftover smell. (Any smell from the vinegar will fade on its own, or with a plain water rinse or two.)

 

Another tip to remove smell is to leave the already surface cleaned unstrung parts sealed in ziplock bags with baking soda for a little while (days, week). It works as a great odor absorber.

 

I've never tried it with bjds but I know with vintage plastic/vinyl toys (mlps, playline dolls) this technique also works with odor absorbing cat litter (non clumping) and airtight small bins but the odor absorbers might be just baking soda.

 

In addition to the previous tips, consider washing the elastic if you are going to reuse it. It may have absorbed more smell than the doll itself.
Just put it in a laundry bag and toss it in with any regular wash at low temperature and hang it to dry out completely afterwards. The mashine and the detergent won't harm it, but heat and prolonged humidity might.

 

I think everyone has given you good tips. Be careful not to scrub too hard with the magic eraser so as to prevent micro-scratches in the resin. After the soak make sure to let everything air dry 100%, especially the elastic and S hooks. You definitely don’t want the elastic to retain moisture/get moldy in the dolls body after re-stringing.
PS I rarely wash my dolls other than a little surface buff with magic eraser >< no worries

 

Nervous to restring and to clean my dolls, so glad for these tips. I worked on a wig for one of my girls and something in the wig fibers left a bit of a stain on her. A little bit of rubbing alcohol, and then wiping with water afterwards to get any residue of the rubbing alcohol off, worked well. But I am glad to know about magic erasers. I never would have thought of that.