How to Fix “Green Ear” on Barbie and Vinyl Dolls

You pull an old doll out of storage and there it is: a greenish stain spreading from the earring holes, or a green tint where a metal part touches the vinyl. Collectors call it “green ear.” It looks alarming, but it is fixable.

What green ear actually is

Green ear is not dirt and not mold. It is a chemical reaction. Most vintage dolls had metal earrings, staples or wires containing copper. Over years, moisture and the vinyl’s own oils react with the metal and produce copper salts — the same green you see on an old penny or a corroded pipe. Those salts leach into the surrounding vinyl and stain it green.

Because the stain is in the vinyl, wiping does nothing. You have to draw it out.

First, stop it from spreading

1. Remove the metal. Take out the earrings, staples or wire causing the reaction. As long as the metal stays, the stain keeps growing.
2. Dry the area. Moisture feeds the reaction. Keep the doll somewhere dry.

How to remove the stain

Green ear responds to the same slow-draw method used for ink and dye:

1. Test first in a hidden spot to be sure the vinyl reacts well and there is no paint to lift.
2. Apply a thin coat of stain remover over the green area with a toothpick or needle. Work it into and around the earring hole.
3. Leave it. Give it a day or more undisturbed. The product pulls the copper stain up out of the vinyl.
4. Lift, check, repeat. Scrape off the spent product. Green ear is stubborn — expect several rounds over days or weeks. It fades a little each time.

What not to use

• Bleach or peroxide baths — can discolor vinyl and will not reach the embedded stain.
• Metal polishes and abrasives — scratch the surface and leave their own residue.
• Leaving the metal in “to deal with later” — the stain only gets worse.

The product collectors use

Remove-Zit is the go-to for green ear. It was designed to remove metal stains like green ear, along with ink, marker, mold and dye, from most hard and soft plastic dolls — Barbie, American Girl, Chatty Cathy and more — as well as action figures and fired bisque and porcelain. It works gently and slowly, which is what a delicate vintage doll needs.

Once the doll is clean, keep it that way: store it dry and avoid putting copper-based metal back in the same holes.

New to this kind of stain work? Our guide on removing ink and marker from vinyl covers the same technique. Get started with Remove-Zit or browse all stain removers.