How do you dust between the studs on LEGO?

[TheLegGodt]

I have a small LEGO room sealed off by a glass door that has a drust strip underneath. It has carpet on the floor and a window that is always closed. Finally, it has a SHARP air purifier with ionizer function.

I have not dusted the LEGO on display in that room for 3,5 years.

Sure, there is a small trace of dust here and there so one day I will have to reserve a day or 2 to give it a real dusting. Either this is a perfect setting for LEGO or I have a different threshold about when I start caring about dust.

[THERIZE]

I once had some badass compressed air blower. Somehow I don't mind about dust anymore on my sets.

[Peppermint_M]

A make-up brush set is really handy to use. There are a number of sizes you can use and a set is cheaper and better quality than a cheap paintbrush.

[xtremeteamuk]

My missus make up brush.. Then I got told off to I got her to get me one to use. Works perfect.

But as I found out this morning, don't dust off your minifigs over the bin as I knocked his accessories and then had to go bin rummaging

[Tezclatipoca]

  On 9/20/2015 at 8:03 AM, Peppermint_M said:

A make-up brush set is really handy to use. There are a number of sizes you can use and a set is cheaper and better quality than a cheap paintbrush.

Hi,

Very good idea ! I used to clean with a paintbrush but a make-up brush seems better ! thanks for the advice !

[Sven F]

Just brushing or blowing is a very short term solution.

You either blow the dust with compressed air or you brush it off the surface, and all those dust particles go in the air and land back on your lego.

First you need to vacuum the room, keep the floor and all other surfaces clean, then dust off your lego the next day when the dust settles. Every time you walk in the room, close the door or lift your bed sheets you make dust clouds that end up on your lego shelf. Use a make up brush to get the dust loose, and keep a vacuum cleaner nearby to collect it. I use a wire mesh cut out of an old rice strainer over my vacuum cleaner to stop small pieces getting sucked in.

Repeat every 1-2 months (unless you live in the desert, then you're hopeless)

Even a very soft makeup brush will scratch transparent bricks though, so I simply avoid contact with those.

[ShaydDeGrai]

I'll throw my backing behind Dr_Spock's and Peppermint_M's suggestion of a make-up brush. I used to use compressed air a lot but if you build big complex things those cans can get expensive and wasteful; and, to be honest, it doesn't do that great a job (especially on black). Then one day I was setting up for a show and ran out of compressed air and someone loaned me a theatrical quality make-up brush. The results were fantastic and it was at least as fast (if not faster) than the compressed air approach.

I still keep a can of compressed air handy for the really tight spots, but my go-to dusters these days is a one inch diameter professional make-up brush (the bristles are sable if I recall) and a double zero size artist brush (also sable) for stubborn spots.

To keep dust from redepositing, when I'm at home I do the dusting under a plastic sanding/vapor hood connected to a shopVac with a Hepa-filter (which I happened to have handy because I also do woodworking). It create a negative pressure around the air space with a slight electric charge to pull particulate matter toward the vacuum hood rather than letting it just settle back down on the model.

Usually I only clean before shows or when anticipating guests; dust is a fact of Lego - you can't obsess over it or you'll go crazy.

[Redhead1982]

I'm using a mini duster on my modular buildingwhich I keep on open shelves. For small parts or between the studs, I usually use a small paintbrush. Maybe I should try with make-up brushes. I don't have any, so I should look them up.

  On 9/22/2015 at 3:25 PM, Faladrin said:

Hi,

Very good idea ! I used to clean with a paintbrush but a make-up brush seems better ! thanks for the advice !

[Heppeng]

Anyone tried this?

http://www.ldgadgets.com/mini-usb-gadget-keyboard-vacuum-cleaner/

[Creature]

If you think traditional plate and brick studded surfaces are a pain, than you don't even want to know the hassle that comes from dealing with the overly greebled and detailed G1 Bionicle pieces. They have technic holes as well as far too many decorational openings to the point that I had basically given up hope of cleaning my displayed figures to a near new state. But as others have suggested, I found soft paintbrushes to be such an invaluable cleaning tool for all manner of places that cleaning rags can't reach into. haven't tried makeup application brushes yet, but I think i might invest in those as they seem like they would be easier on the part surfaces.

[Gonkius]

This type of anti-static carbon fibre brush works great to remove dust, even between the studs.

http://www.monacor.de/en/products/security-technology/monitors-and-brackets/accessories/dc-200/

[Adair]

Yes a paintbrush would generally do it, though perhaps, for a flat surface, a larger paintbrush could be used...

[OmShanti]

I use my paint brushes from Blick Art Materials, they're very soft and do not leave scratches. There's already a bunch on hand because I'm an artist. I do not however own any makeup brushes because I don't wear the stuff, never had a use for them.

[spirogero]

Never use paintbrushes. They leave tiny scratches.

We tried with canned air. At some time, this happened:

We can't explain it and it's permanent. So, avoid canned air. The same goes for air compressors too.

I tried the softest makeup blush brush I could find. Not antistatic but the kind that gets a hold on particles. This was the most effective solution, because it takes the dust particles with it. You need to clean it all the time, between sweeps.

To avoid resettling of the dust on the models, use the blush brush along with a vacuum cleaner. Keep the cleaner hose very close to the brush when you clean and keep your eyes open for parts that separate not to be vacuumed.

For models that are heavily dusted, it's easier to dismantle them, wash the parts and build them again.

[The Steward]

  On 2/6/2016 at 12:19 PM, spirogero said:

Never use paintbrushes. They leave tiny scratches.

We tried with canned air. At some time, this happened:

We can't explain it and it's permanent. So, avoid canned air. The same goes for air compressors too.

I tried the softest makeup blush brush I could find. Not antistatic but the kind that gets a hold on particles. This was the most effective solution, because it takes the dust particles with it. You need to clean it all the time, between sweeps.

To avoid resettling of the dust on the models, use the blush brush along with a vacuum cleaner. Keep the cleaner hose very close to the brush when you clean and keep your eyes open for parts that separate not to be vacuumed.

For models that are heavily dusted, it's easier to dismantle them, wash the parts and build them again.

What is that on the bricks? Is it discoloration??

[spirogero]

  On 2/6/2016 at 9:22 PM, The Steward said:

What is that on the bricks? Is it discoloration??

Not quite. The color still remains black, though not glossy anymore. It is a kind of chemical alteration on the surface. It happened instantly when we sprayed the parts. They were fine before the spraying.

[The Steward]

Ugh, now I'm rethinking the compressed air thing...

[L E G O]

  On 2/7/2016 at 9:50 PM, spirogero said:

Not quite. The color still remains black, though not glossy anymore. It is a kind of chemical alteration on the surface. It happened instantly when we sprayed the parts. They were fine before the spraying.

That discolourisation is caused by the propellant in the can - you were holding it too close. Compressed air courtesy of a compressor (i.e. no propellant) works well.

[Japanbuilder]

Stick to brushes folks. It is safest. I have many paint brushes ( I also paint on the side so lots of that stuff about). They work well. Once you dust, vacuum the place up or that dust will get back on again. If you have extreme OCD you may do this often. If you are OK with some dust you will do this every so often. If you are very proud of your collection probably weekly.

The only caveat being is that I have seen people with HUGE displays lose interest in the cleaning process with proportion to the size of the area needing cleaning. But that is a personal test of will! Oo I hope one day I am tested in this way!

[kasmca]

What about a Blow Dryer set on cold?

[9v system]

I say use a small make up brush like others have said use an anti static one

[Mecklaw]

I like to use a Giotto's Rocket and a small brush (don't have a large collection, yet ).

[Pieter Dennison]

Usually a toothbrush would work pretty well, but cotton buds could be used for specific touch-ups in some areas. Hope this helps.

[paul_delahaye]

I don't see a reason why to avoid compressed air using a compressor, I can believe the CO2 from a can of compressed air might cause the staining seen above, but i can't see how a compressor would not work, and they are pretty cheap as well now days. Always handy for pumping up the car tyres as well!