My first thought is if you have an air compressor is to take it outside and do a thorough job of blowing the inside and outside off. If no compressor, you might try those compressed cans of air that are used for cleaning computers.

But I would try to blow off (or maybe vacuum?) most of the grime before I tried to use any kind of mild wood cleaner.

Whoops! I didn't see your last two lines under your pictures. Other than a soft brush, which may still loosen the shakes, I don't think you have much of a choice. If you don't get most of the dirt off before getting it wet with a cleaner I would be afraid it would turn into a gunky mess.

Blow the dust off with a hair dryer on "cool" then repaint and restain as much as you can. I'm sure it will be gorgeous!

Hair dryer idea is excellent! My granddaughter will no doubt manage add to the surface decor with magic markers and stickers when our backs our turned, so the painting/restaining will wait a bit! ;)

after you blow dry, then what about "brushing" with a dry clean paintbrush.

PS that is very cute, and I hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving.

Thanks! I'll try the brush. It's been so much fun to dust off the furniture and dolls that my girls made back in the 70s, fashioned out of painted balsa wood and clothespins and pipe cleaners and scraps of fabric. There's even a dashing dude with a puffy sleeved shirt. Seinfeld would have loved it.

I'm sure it will bring back good memories for them.

I even have an old metal doll house that was given to me around age 3. I still have the house, all the furniture and the dolls. But the door and windows are all broken off their hinges and lost. I kept it at my parents' house for many years. When my daughters were little, I brought it back for them to play with. Now it's in my attic, waiting for either Grandchildren or Ebay. I also have a dollhouse kit I bought some 30 years ago, but never put together. It looks like Scarlett O"hara's mansion, Tara. That is, if it ever got put together.