Help cleaning a set!

[Kit Figsto]

Hi all,

In an unfortunate neglect on my part, my copy of 75222 has become quite dusty over the past few months.  With any other sets I have on display, I either dust them often, or they get moved around enough to where they don't attract too much dust.  However, I moved recently, and this set was just sitting for quite a bit of time, leading to a decent coating of dust.

The minifigures were separate, so there's no dust to worry about there, but the actual surface of the bricks is kind of gross.  I've already taken a dust cloth too it, which took off a layer, but the problem is, in between the studs, as well as some smaller alcoves or little gaps in pieces (such as the bottom of one of a panel piece, or something of that sort), where there's really no way for me to get that off.

The two solutions that I've come up with are:

One of those cans of compressed air that people use to dust keyboards.

Or, take apart the surface layer of the set, wash and dry the pieces, and then put it back together.

I'd like to try the first one, but I'm not really sure if it will get all of the dust, some of it seems to be stuck in there pretty good, to the point where only water is going to get that out.  I have no problem disassembling part of the set, it's mostly the time that it would take to do that, let the pieces all dry, and then put it back together that I'm concerned about.

Does anyone have any other ideas/solutions for me?  Thank you!

[koalayummies]

I wouldn't use canned air like you get at office/computer supply stores as there are chemicals and sometimes you get nasty frost stains when it shoots out liquid junk. I use a hand-squeeze dust 'bulb' blower that many camera shops sell; no chemicals and never runs out. I've also heard suggested around here that a brand new makeup brush (one never actually used for makeup) is good for between the studs and nooks and crannies for built up or stuck dust.

[Kit Figsto]

1 hour ago, koalayummies said:

I wouldn't use canned air like you get at office/computer supply stores as there are chemicals and sometimes you get nasty frost stains when it shoots out liquid junk. I use a hand-squeeze dust 'bulb' blower that many camera shops sell; no chemicals and never runs out. I've also heard suggested around here that a brand new makeup brush (one never actually used for makeup) is good for between the studs and nooks and crannies for built up or stuck dust.

Ah, great insight, thank you!  I hadn't thought of the liquid stuff in the canned air.  I might try a makeup brush before I take the time to disassemble the whole thing.

[metalgeekzy]

I mean, any downside to filling up the tub with some soapy water then rinsing it off if you are against taking it apart? 
Spray bottle full of water?

Personally i have a air  compressor. Just gotta be careful not to blast it apart. 

[dr_spock]

Air compressor with a blow gun and makeup blush brush.

 

[Kit Figsto]

1 hour ago, metalgeekzy said:

I mean, any downside to filling up the tub with some soapy water then rinsing it off if you are against taking it apart?

Yeah, I'm fine doing that, it's just a heck of a lot more time consuming on a big set like this one, especially since the majority of the walls/structure have to come apart, as does the upper layer of the floor.  I'll probably end up doing that just to get it 100% clean, but wanted to see if anyone had other suggestions.

[MaximillianRebo]

Similar to a makeup brush you could try a lens cleaning brush.

[Johnny1360]

I can vouch for the make up brush, it works very well and can be had relatively cheap if you shop around a bit. No need to buy the high dollar ones. 

If that doesn't do a good enough job then I usually just disassemble and wash with hot soapy water. I like to put all the pieces in a colander, submerged in hot soapy water, not too hot though. Soak for an hour or two, stir the parts around a bit while soaking, then rinse and dry.

[TeriXeri]

I use one of those mini brush hose attachment kits for a vacuum cleaner.

It looks like a mini garden hose and then has some smaller brush attachments, it vacuums the dust well on studded surfaces by brushing it off and then immediately removing most of it.

It doesn't move the dust to another part of the room.

Also works with a makeup brush which is still a bit softer but the hose/tube still can get into small areas of a LEGO set.

I haven't had an issue with the vacuum force being strong enough to detach parts on a low vacuum setting and the plastic tubes are smaller radius then a 1x1 stud so only the tiniest pieces could even fit in.

Edited December 15, 2021 by TeriXeri

[Johnny1360]

3 hours ago, TeriXeri said:

 

It doesn't move the dust to another part of the room.

 

 

Lol, yeah definitely take it outside or in the garage, shop area.

[Khasen]

I have a small handheld battery-operated vacuum cleaner.  It doesn't have much power, filters and collects whatever it picks up in a reusable plastic box.  I have used that to clean my display Lego sets.  I put the brush attachment on it, so it just collects the dust, and it doesn't have much suction power anyway.  I don't worry about accidentally picking up any small Lego parts because I can just open up the small vacuum cleaner and get them out of the plastic box (although this hasn't happened.)  You might try one of those.

[Toastie]

Over the decades, it seems that I am getting used to it - it actually has some touch, I'd call "real world exposure".

Caught myself today in searching for "stained" = weathered white and gray parts (not LBG, the real gray. I am colorblind, but when it comes to gray, I am full in. LGB looks like no real gray to me ), to give my build some touch of vintage. In contrast, shiny or glossy LEGO feels more and more - well - as having being isolated from real world environments ... to me that is!

Yes, cleaning from time to time, but with far less effort as "back then". When I go outside, I hardly see anything as clean and shiny as clean LEGO bricks - other than the very expensive (I believe from the looks) car of my neighbor ... I am sure that about 25% of its lifetime, this thing must be inside a car wash. Phew - a look at our Vauxhall Zafira ... according to the papers, this car is pained in "bright white". Living close to Cologne in Germany, so "nice weather" is less frequent during these days.

Best,
Thorsten

[karmajay]

I usually dust my sets 2 or 3 times a year. Just a normal paint brush is going to get 99% dry dust/skin particles off your set. Use a couple different brush sizes for stuff like modulars that have a lot of detail.