REFERENCE Dusting Lego displays and layouts

[Wodanis]

I've tried compressed air and it didn't work for my very well. This was on a set that had only been on display for about a month, so it wasn't thick old dust. I was surprised it didn't come off as well.

I'd think it would be wise to disassemble it before using soap/water. Although, maybe a soft terry cloth or microfiber cleaning cloth would work well without scratching the bricks? I'm just thinking relation to eyeglass cleaning, we always recommend spraying first then using the microfiber cloth to prevent scratches. I'm sure plastic lenses vs plastic bricks could be similar.

Actually Dr. Lego this is exactly what I do to clean. I had my old Blacktron sets caked in dust (never cleaned it as a kid) so I just used a bowl, warm water and a bit of dish soap. (Lego wrote to me once when I asked and advised this method) I used the microfiber cloth that one uses on glasses to clean each piece by hand, using the cloth around each stud on each piece. I found other brushes etc will scratch the pieces which for a purist like me is a big no-no. I get them back to about 99%. Of course it won't look like it came out of the box after so many years but ce la vie. Took me about 3 months to clean my Star Wars collection...whew...

For large things on display Canned air. A light dust brush. For the really dusty ones you describe warm water soap and a soft toothbrush.

Oh and Faefrost, my thought on using canned air is that because the air comes out so cold it could potentially damage the pieces making them more brittle.

Do you know if a complex build will dry well if kept assembled? You know, water gets inside everywhere and I am afraid it may be trapped someplace and, although it will eventually dry, it may take a long time. I don't know if this would be a problem (maybe leaking water on top of your display table that may happen to be on top of something that you don't want water in it at any circumstances...).

I had to disassemble them. I let the parts dry out on a towel after I have soaked and cleaned them. Sometimes I may have to do it more than once. Water is ok on the parts, but I had some old stickers on my Republic Jumpship and the water and soap didn't remove them. Summer heat is what destroyed the stickers believe it or not.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Wodanis

[OriginalJK555]

If the dust is really on there, warm water and soap is the only way to go, once you've dissassembled them. If you clean them once a week or so, a real good brush to get is a woman's makeup blush brush. It sounds funny, but they are made to pick up dust and spread it. If the dust is not overly caked on the model, the blush brush takes it right off.

[Superkalle]

Use a stiffer brush if the canned air and the soft dust brush are not removing the stubborn dust.

Not sure I agree. Anything even slightly stiffer then a makeup brush will make tiny, tiny scratches in the plastic. So if you are very picky about your LEGO, watch out.

I bought a 10 bar compressor (non oil lubricated) for 100 euros. Works really well for most kinds of dust. Well worth the investment. Air-in-a-can doesn't work, you need more pressure.

If the dust still clings on, specially if mixed with grease, then you need something like Cilit Bang (http://www.cillitbang.co.uk/) to cut through the grease. Spray on, wait and then rinse off with as high water pressure you can find (like with squeezing a hose). Don't use a dish brush - it will scratch. To dry the LEGO, but it in a towel that you wrap together with the four corners, and then "swing it" around fast and the water will be centrifuged out. Then air dry. That's what I do at least.

[Vee]

.... Anything even slightly stiffer then a makeup brush will make tiny, tiny scratches in the plastic. So if you are very picky about your LEGO, watch out.

I bought a lot of white and some red bricks directly from PAB and more than a few of them arrived badly scratched (specially some flat tiles), not to mention some of them with sharp, not well trimmed edges. I was appalled by the low quality of some bricks. If I had received them from some BL vendor, I would be very suspicious but came directly from the manufacturer...

[Superkalle]

I bought a lot of white and some red bricks directly from PAB and more than a few of them arrived badly scratched (specially some flat tiles), not to mention some of them with sharp, not well trimmed edges. I was appalled by the low quality of some bricks. If I had received them from some BL vendor, I would be very suspicious but came directly from the manufacturer...

I'm not sure how this relates to what I explained. Badly scratched is not the same as those very fine scrathes from cleaning with a tooth brush or even a course paint brush (try yourself on a new brick and see yourself if you find it acceptable or not).

[Vee]

The relation was that why worry too much about very fine scratches if the brand new directly-from-the-factory pieces already arrive in much worse conditions?

I am new to "observing Lego" because until very recently we bought Legos for our daughters and never cared about how they treated them. But now that I have bought a few expensive sets and I will keep them in my office as ornaments, being a perfectionist as I am (when possible), I already noticed that even new pieces are sometimes already scratched. But I know what a hard brush can do to a shiny smooth plastic surface.

[KringlesBricks]

I just use a micro-fiber towel with warm water and soap - it does the trick well. Very time consuming; but, it works. I enjoy cleaning my modular buildings while watching a football or basketball game...

[Final Exit]

Legos?

Really, no one?

[Deathleech]

Wouldn't a Swiffer like this work? It feels almost like soft toilet paper so I find it hard to believe it would scratch the bricks at all. Plus, it seems much easier than disassembling your whole collection, washing them, then re-assembling (especially for huge collections). Personally I try to have glass cases to display my Lego collection. They don't hold a ton, can be expensive, and don't totally eliminate dust, but it definitely helps.

[slopemodified]

Hello there,

I’d like to know how you masters clean your Lego displays of dust. I know people have said to put Lego in a delicates bag into the washing machine, but I’m looking for effective solutions on cleaning an already built layout or large model, that could have years of dust on it, and plenty of hard to reach places. I’ve been using paintbrushes so far, as suggested in the dusting bricks and models thread. Compressed air cans are available, but they’re $10-20 each in Australia, so they’re not feasible.

Using a powered device is looking like a promising idea, such as a portable air compressor. I am looking into this handheld device: the Metrovac Electric Air Duster: it’s blows air and it looks more powerful and effective than a household vacuum or dustbuster. Has anyone used this?

So please let me know what you use to clean that dust!

Thanks.

[xboxtravis7992]

I've never tried it, but now that you mentioned it compressed air might do the trick! The roofs on my older modular buildings are due for this kind of TLC...

[Supa Necta]

I took over one of my wife's large makeup brushes. It works really well.

[BrickAddict90]

Jangbricks did a great video on how he deals with dust.

[HawkLord]

I would use a brush of some type, make-up brushes, soft bristle toothbrushes, etc. I've been concerned with canned air because I know it can leave a residue at times.

[Captain Britain]

I would use a brush of some type, make-up brushes, soft bristle toothbrushes, etc. I've been concerned with canned air because I know it can leave a residue at times.

Agreed - it might be good if you can kee some distance between the nozzle and surface you're using it against but I've seen it leave a residue on my keyboard at work. It does evaporate but it does make me wonder if it would harm them in any way?

[Defaultsound]

I tried the Datavac since I have one for my PCs.

Do Not Recommend.

Its a bit too powerful and ends up just blowing pieces everywhere. It could work okay on sturdy models, but trying it on my modular street was more hassle than it was worth. Brushes and cloths are the way to go..

Edited May 17, 2016 by Defaultsound

[BrickCurve]

I personally use tooth brush. It works quite well for most parts.

I recommend the Giottos rocket air blower for harder to reach parts of a model. They are designed with camera sensor cleaning in mind so they have a dust valve to stop them sucking in dust. http://www.giottos.c...d=8&TypeId=77

The large size should do the trick.

Note, don't buy any other brand apart from Giottos, they either don't have a dust valve or they can't blow air out with enough force to remove stubborn dust.

Edited May 17, 2016 by BrickCurve

[Modelmaker]

I get sent out to clean museum displays all the time (part of my day job) and most are more fragile than lego. Most of the time i use soft paint brushes to dust the easy parts, but sometimes you will find places where a brush can't reach, so then i use a special attachment that fits a normal shop vacuum but reduces the suction hose down to about 8mm wide. My one is home made but you can buy similar contraptions on line.

here's one i found on evilbay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexible-Long-Slim-Crevice-Radiator-Tool-for-SHARK-Vacuum-Cleaner-Hoover-/191804052906

[slopemodified]

Thanks for all of your comments so far!

I tried the Datavac since I have one for my PCs.

Do Not Recommend.

Its a bit too powerful and ends up just blowing pieces everywhere. It could work okay on sturdy models, but trying it on my modular street was more hassle than it was worth. Brushes and cloths are the way to go..

That was my concern about the Datavac as well.

I personally use tooth brush. It works quite well for most parts.

I recommend the Giottos rocket air blower for harder to reach parts of a model. They are designed with camera sensor cleaning in mind so they have a dust valve to stop them sucking in dust. http://www.giottos.c...d=8&TypeId=77

The large size should do the trick.

Note, don't buy any other brand apart from Giottos, they either don't have a dust valve or they can't blow air out with enough force to remove stubborn dust.

Cheers BrickCurve! I should get something better to clean the camera actually...

Jangbricks did a great video on how he deals with dust.

Thank you for the link to that video.

Edited May 18, 2016 by slopemodified