Is Mildew Or Molds Dangerous ?

john1972 · Post by **john1972** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:17 pm

Hello everyone. Quite a while back I had received a well used Kimmi I had wanted one for a long time and was thrilled to finally get her. She had quite a few visible areas that had been glued very well actually and they where holding quite well. When I pulled her outa the shipping box I noticed a quite strong mildew kinda smell . She had been blow up by mouth I think most of her life and the moisture inside her I think caused some kinda mildew or mold , Now mind you I cant see any visible molds anywhere but I cant look inside the doll. If I insert a finger into one of her openings I can smell the mildew quite strong from the softer rubber inserts . I thought well that should be simple to fix and went to the dollar store and got 2 bottles one of 90+ % Rubbing Alcohol and a bottle of peroxide. I laid her into the tub and took a paper cup and literally poured a cup full slowly into one hole and after some time it ran out the back . I let her sit a few mins and did again . After about half the bottle was gone I flipped her over and did the same on other side. I did this same thing with the Peroxide and she did for sure smell better then she did but still to the day I just cant get the smell to go away. She looks clean as hell inside of her openings but I still smell it. The thing that makes me wonder is if this could be harmful to me?

I was not thrilled about the fact she was used but I know that STDs and such cant live outside the body for like very short time I guess. And had planned to do the very heavy cleaning method above anyway.
I had thought about mixing a small amount of bleach and water and pouring that into her.
But maybe the solution is not her sexual parts but maybe trying to somehow pump the mixture or Alcohol INSIDE her air chamber where the mildew probably was to begin with.
But how could I get her to dry after I drained it all out?

Anyone else ever run into such a thing and figure out a way to resolve this or at least reduce the smell more .
And could this be harmful even after all the extent I went to cleaning her?

samara78 · Post by **samara78** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 5:01 pm

Mold can make you seriously ill. You may be able to clean her

john1972 · Post by **john1972** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 5:06 pm

Maybe you didn't read my entire post.
But what other way would you clean her?
And I thought molds where only bad if you breath or eat them ?
And how could anything survive such chemicals when I cleaned her?

sam treadwell · Post by **sam treadwell** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:58 pm

Hi john1972, I can tell you this. The mold and mildew remover that is sold in stores for bathrooms, works very well at eliminating these problems. I get the occasional mildew on the sides of my bathtub, and spray a little of the remover, and when you check on it a few minutes later it's completely dissolved.

However, I cannot say what kind of effect, if any that it would have on vinyl. Here is what I would do. If you have some of this cleaner in your bathroom, I would find an old junk doll, or some vinyl patch material, and spray some on and leave it overnight, to be sure that it does not have any ill effects. I've tried using just straight bleach before, and it didn't seem to dissolve the mold/mildew problem that I had in my bathroom.

Best of luck,

Sam

sam treadwell · Post by **sam treadwell** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 10:03 pm

Oh, and I should add that this would only be something that would work for the dolls interior. It does say right on the bottle that it should not be used on eating utensils, so any part of the doll that your mouth comes in contact with would be a no go as far as using this stuff.

Sam

john1972 · Post by **john1972** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 10:47 pm

Yeah but like i'm thinking I think its on the inside of the doll because they inflated the doll with there mouth and that leaves moisture. How the hell do I get it inside and the harder part how will it dry afterwards. I mean I could always inflate her some turn her over and and let the air push out the cleaner and then put just plain water back in to rinse but then how would she dry?
Just turn around and have the same problem again? lol.
Its a shame they want almost 300 bucks for one and you hate to throw her out.
She isn't in bad shape at all. And I have REALLY cleaned out her sexual parts very well they are visually spotless and not sure how
anything could survive the cleaning I did.
I wish I could see one of these dolls cut open to see how everything connects inside.
If the fanta flesh is actually touching the air on the inside of the doll then this mildew or mold might actually still be touching it on the inside of the doll or the fanta flesh has just obsorbed the smell and may never go away.
I have my Katie and spend most of my time with her but would like to use this doll as well.

sam treadwell · Post by **sam treadwell** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 11:32 pm

I'm not sure how to advise you beyond this point john1972, so hopefully someone else can chime in. It would seem that the most practical way to clean her out from the inside, would be to open her up, perhaps by removing her head. But doll surgery is a specialty that not everyone wishes to attempt.

If she is a Kimmi Lovecock, her insert is isolated from the inner chamber, unless the canal where the insert goes somehow became damaged.

Best of luck,

Sam

Dollfriend · Post by **Dollfriend** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 3:24 am

I had a small silicone doll that developed a horrible smell, and started developing an interior stain, water had gotten trapped in the interior of the doll, I tried cleaning with bleach and that did nothing, in the end I had to throw her out rather than take a chance on any health risks, and this Doll had cost me a pretty penny, sometimes you have to cut your losses.

yorktown · Post by **yorktown** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 9:22 am

Howdy

While I never experienced this issue - one thing is to isolate where the odor is coming from -

Is it coming from the head - area - if so and if the dolls head was washed with shampoo - there might be the problem

The dolls head is separate of the inflatable body and is glued on top - if you wash the dolls hair or water gets into the head - you have a problem - as the hair is glued into hundreds of tiny holes in the skull area - where water can get into but can't escape - and all sorts of issues can develop

As to inside the dolls body from inflation - well as long as you don't inflate with your mouth - use a pump - and leave the valve closed even when not used - that should solve the issue

After what you did with the entries alcohol/ peroxide - nothing could survive that - and the smell should be gone

My suspicion - is the head where the hair is located -

The head is made of thicker PVC molded sheet - but is hollow on the inside - filled with hundreds of poly fill sheet wrapped around to give the dolls head substance - all other items are glued to the skull - TPE lips and individual hair strands

Now if that's the issue - there is several methods to remedy - none which i ever attempted - {total disclosure} -

* - Remove the head from the body to save the doll - its glued onto the top of the dolls inflatable body - one member did that here I read

* - Or you can cut a hole in the back of the head - and remove all the contaminated poly fill sheets and attempt to thoroughly clean the entire area inside of the dolls skull area and hair roots - this will have to be a real thorough cleaning I gather - then long after its dried - reinstall poly fill {post office has this or Wal/ K Marts} - re- attach/ close up - area in back of skull opened up -

For all others - reading - bear in mind this admonition - don't get your inflata-babes hair wet - she's not running a 5K race - she doesn't sweat - when washing her body - do as I wrap her head in a towel to prevent water from getting in there -

{Note this is for long term Inflata- relationships - those with a wham bam - thank ya inflata mam - one nights fling - do what ya need too}

john1972 · Post by **john1972** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 10:23 am

Interesting. I see glue was applied to the seam around her head in areas because id guess the very heavy head
was pulling off the body.
Maybe her head is heavy because its wet inside lol.
Now would that run down into the dolls body as well?
Its very possible her head dried but might have been the cause from the start.
I was under the impression the past owner inflated her with his mouth.
So I just auto assumed this was why.
(But I have seen pics of him showering his inflatable girls)

So you would probably guess that sex would be safe?
I even looked inside her sexual entries with a flashlight and like I said they are nice and pink and clean as can be.
Its just that smell lol.

I would like to get rid of that old wet towel smell lol.
If someone could give a bit more info on how the head is attached and if the air chamber is sep from the head.
Ill get her out latter on and smell her hair and head area.
If it smells fine then id guess its not the head lol.

The other possible thing is (Maybe) her sexual entries at one point where moldy or mildewed and was cleaned.
And the fanta flesh just is holding the smell.
If that is the case you would think over time that smell would go away?

Ehhh what a shame I hate to give her away for parts or something as she is in decent shape and could be used.
Id probably just keep her around to look at every now and then.
She is a pretty doll.
I saw pics of the new Kimmy / Hanna and did not like the way the insert fits into the body.

Well thanks everyone so far for all the info

.
I knew you guys would try and help , The doll forum has always been very helpful.
Thanks guys.

sam treadwell · Post by **sam treadwell** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 11:44 am

You would think that as long as you are isolated from the mold/mildew, and have thoroughly cleaned her exterior surfaces that you come in contact with, that you should be safe. But I don't want to advise you poorly if this is not the case, since I really can't say for certain.

Just my $.02 john1972, but at this point I would say that you would have little to lose by just going the head removal route. I have never done this and have no idea how hard of a process that it is, so hopefully someone here that does can advise you. But if you can pull this off, you will have no health worries, and she will be like a new doll again.

Sam

yorktown · Post by **yorktown** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 11:53 am

Howdy

The dolls head is glued on top of her upper inflated body - that's the glue seam you see - and based on this design a flaw - as the glue makes the vinyl brittle and stress tears happen around the head/ neck area around the base

I have never removed the head on these dolls so - I have no idea how much damage that can cause

And yes the previous owner most probably used the doll in shower - my bet is the head area and the wetness spread to the poly sheets inside the skull - which trapped it

Hardest part will be cutting the back of the head - removing the contaminated poly fill - and cleaning out her inner skull area thoroughly - wear gloves

Good luck - J1972 - and you're right she is such a pretty air babe - I would try everything to prevent her loss and fix her up - poly fill is very cheap - it's the packing material - few bucs at most

sam treadwell · Post by **sam treadwell** » Fri Sep 23, 2016 12:15 pm

Another alternative if you're worried about being able to remove and reattach her head properly, would be to make a good sized incision in her back, say 3” or 4”, enough to get your hand in and remove the poly-fill in her head that Capt Yorkie mentioned. You can then easily clean her and dry her out and do everything that you need to do. She will have a scar and patch on her back, but you might even be able to seal the wound shut with the VLP Vinyl repair, which is wonder adhesive for these vinyl babes.

But I wouldn't give up on her yet. From what it sounds like on my end, she's quite repairable. These Kimmi dolls are real lookers, and I tried to get one once, but she never arrived.

Sam

john1972 · Post by **john1972** » Sun Sep 25, 2016 11:20 am

Thanks for all the help guys.
If you all remember I have Katie my teddy babe and I spend most my time with her.
So i'm in no hurry and ill just take my time looking for the cause .
I would probably cut a hole in the back of her head and just use tweezers or something and pull all the filler out.
I have no plans to ever shower her so this shouldn't happen again if that's where the problem is.

Again thanks for all the responses and ill see what I can do

.

samara78 · Post by **samara78** » Sun Sep 25, 2016 6:03 pm

You want a clean incision on the back of the head cut in an upward direction with a sharp blade. The head should not weigh too much. If it does that may be your problem. I have had an ona hole or 2 that became musty. I cleaned the insides with rubbing alcohol isopropyl. Then i packed my little insert girl in a bag of cornstarch and left her sit no more problem or insert odor after that.