Barbie Van Revamp: Part 2 — First Look and Clean Up

In my last post, I shared the exciting hunt for my very own Barbie Star Traveller Van—and the rainy-day adventure that finally brought it home. After decades of dreaming and months of searching, I finally have it! Now comes the exciting part: opening it up and seeing how this toy has held up over all this time.

A closer look revealed a bit of wear and tear, but nothing too discouraging. There are just a couple of real repairs to tackle: a crack in the front window frame (which should be a fairly simple fix) and a broken hinge on the side door.

From my online research, I know that many restored vans are missing quite a few parts. Luckily, mine is only missing the front dashboard with the steering wheel and one of the small bunks. Since I’m planning to go in a completely different direction with the sleeping area anyway, it’s not too big of a deal.

What the van really needed was a good scrub—probably its first “spa day” in nearly 50 years! I noticed some black speckles on the floor and around a few windows. At first, I worried it might be mold or even insect residue (ew!). But after some digging, I learned that mold is actually rare on plastic, since it doesn’t provide a good environment to grow, and pest residue usually washes away easily. These speckles turned out to be simple discoloration from the plastic degrading over time—a common occurrence with vintage toys.

My son Malcolm helped me by removing the bolts that held the van together. Taking it apart makes cleaning, priming, and painting much easier. (Helpful tip from my husband: keep all bolts and small pieces in a plastic container with a lid—you’ll thank yourself later!)

Once the van was in pieces, it was time for a good soak in soapy water. I used Mr. Clean All Purpose Cleaner, which worked well to lift most of the dirt and grime. Then came the next challenge: removing the stickers and decals. As any Barbie fan knows, these toys came loaded with decals! As I peeled them off, I couldn’t help but think about the mom or dad who, years ago, sat down with the instructions on Christmas morning or a birthday, carefully placing each sticker in just the right spot. And here I was, undoing all their hard work!

I started by soaking and scraping, but that didn’t get me very far. I tried an adhesive remover, but it wasn’t very effective—and I didn’t love using strong chemicals on plastic. (Important note: never use anything with acetone, as it can damage plastic!) After some research, which I wish I had done in the first place! —I discovered the best decal remover for plastic is simple vegetable oil.

Patience is key: I applied a generous splash of oil, let it soak for a few minutes, and then gently scrubbed with an old toothbrush while scraping with an old credit card (and my fingernails!). To my relief, the decals came off completely and without too much struggle. 

Once the stickers and residue were gone, I gave everything one final scrub with Dawn Platinum Powerwash—my favorite all-purpose cleaner. I use it for just about everything, so why not this project too? As expected, it worked like a charm.

All told, between soaking, scrubbing, scraping, and trial-and-error attempts, I spent about six hours on this stage. It was definitely a labor of love, but so satisfying to see the plastic so clean, and finally free of all those old stickers.

Each piece was wiped down with a soft tea towel, then left out in the sun to dry. Now everything is fresh, clean, and ready for primer and paint.

With the van sparkling clean and stripped down to its base, the creative fun begins! In my next post, I’ll be diving into design plans—choosing colors, sketching layouts, and deciding how to give this Star Traveller a brand-new personality. I can’t wait to share the vision for its makeover journey!