wiping a Lego box with alcohol, good or bad?

[ks6349]

I have never yet cleaned any Lego box with water or alcohol because I think liquid of any type is not friendly to cardboard. However, dust has really accumulated and I really want to clean them. Would it be even worse to the Lego box if wiped clean by a cloth soaked with alcohol or water and wrung out?

[Murdoch17]

4 minutes ago, ks6349 said:

I have never yet cleaned any Lego box with water or alcohol because I think liquid of any type is not friendly to cardboard. However, dust has really accumulated and I really want to clean them. Would it be even worse to the Lego box if wiped clean by a cloth soaked with alcohol or water and wrung out?

a dry swifter-like cloth would be better. You might take the print off the box with either of the options you suggested. Speaking from experience, getting LEGO boxes wet in any way isn't a good idea.

[dr_spock]

Test the slightly damped cloth on a LEGO box you don't care about?  Alcohol may take some ink off.  Experiment with different concentration level of alcohol and water and examine the results.

[ks6349]

2 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

a dry swifter-like cloth would be better. You might take the print off the box with either of the options you suggested. Speaking from experience, getting LEGO boxes wet in any way isn't a good idea.

How about a slightly damp cloth very minimal amount of water soaked? e.g. wrung out very much.

Edited March 9 by ks6349

[Murdoch17]

Just now, ks6349 said:

How about a slightly damp cloth very minimal amount of water soaked? e.g. wrung out very much.

Cardboard and liquids don't mix. But it's your Lego, you do what you think is best.

[Peppermint_M]

Any liquid makes dust into a sludge. This is why there are many many brands and types of dusting cloth/dusters that are all dry use.

A dry dusting cloth, canned air at a decent distance from the box, any one of those dusters that get marketed as "dust magnets" are all much safer than using liquid to clean a cardboard box. A soft brush can help is any creases or flaps/folds have caught dust.

Seriously, do not introduce any liquids. Just wiping it with clean and dry hands is better than liquids. 

 

[Toastie]

When it is really dust/dry "stuff" only, I would in the first run never use any liquid.

I'd use soft but still "sturdy" cloth, and then give the boxes a decent rub. Clean (whip) the cloth frequently. Next go is a softer 2cnd round with even softer cloth - or the swiffer type stuff. After that you should be good. If not (then it was not only dust ...) I'd use a wetted cloth - have a dry one (exchange them regularly!) at hand. Wipe off the non-dust stuff, go immediately over that surface with the dry cloth.

I believe there is no reason to proceed to any other liquid than water. However, when molds and the like have found a home, go through all of the above -  and then it depends on what you want to rescue or accomplish.

Best,
Thorsten

[Mikdun]

Unless there clear reason I never use wet wipes first.

Firs I dust with cloth (or vacuum cleaner if the layer is thick ;) ), then wet wipes. I use ready wet wipes but otherwise I will use water.

[dr_spock]

90-100 PSI of compressed air should work too.  I use something like these for blowing dust off and out of things.

 

Best to do it outside of the home.

 

[Toastie]

1 hour ago, dr_spock said:

90-100 PSI of compressed air should work too.

Depending on the nozzle type of course 

Yes, I know, that you know that

Best,
Thorsten

[Peppermint_M]

2 hours ago, dr_spock said:

90-100 PSI of compressed air should work too.  I use something like these for blowing dust off and out of things.

Best to do it outside of the home.

 

Those look very fun to use. I have no idea what the PSI is of the airlines in the workshop at my job is, but they sure clean out dust fast.

[Toastie]

1 hour ago, Peppermint_M said:

Those look very fun to use. I have no idea what the PSI is of the airlines in the workshop at my job is, but they sure clean out dust fast.

It's the nozzle type, and then the PSI . OK no PSI no reason for a nozzle. But with PSI ... the nozzle makes the difference.

Best,
Thorsten

[Johnny1360]

If you use an air compressor, it is best to have some sort of water trap, as air compressors tend to fill with condensed water vapors as well. 

Edited March 11 by Johnny1360

[TeriXeri]

Blowing air doesn't remove dust from the room (of course, for something like a box, it can be taken outside obviously)

For cleaning built LEGO I use a small tube + brush attachment for a vacuum cleaner:

 

 

Edited March 11 by TeriXeri

[ks6349]

Keeping the perfect condition of a Lego box over time isn't easy!

[LegendaryArticuno]

This topic is the definition of insanity... damp cloth or wet wipe is more than enough and won't damage the box at all.

Also, people suggesting canned/compressed "air", stop it. It's bad for the environment and bad for your health.

[Toastie]

16 minutes ago, LegendaryArticuno said:

This topic is the definition of insanity

Now that was easy, wasn't it?

Good to know, I'll keep that in mind. When someone says: "This is insane", I'll then tell them: No way! Insanity is, when you talk about cleaning LEGO boxes.

18 minutes ago, LegendaryArticuno said:

Also, people suggesting canned/compressed "air", stop it. It's bad for the environment and bad for your health.

Hmmm - insanity is creepy - you never know! Sometimes it is manifest in trying to clean LEGO boxes, sometimes elsewhere.

[Viper Knight]

Sounds like you wan't a Treasurer's-sheen after you've cleaned your box. The after effect of the gleam may confuse you, so just use a miniature fan and a basic cloth to lightly dabble away the dust at a 90degree angle.

Edited March 12 by Viper Knight
"was" was meant to be "wan't".

[MAB]

8 hours ago, LegendaryArticuno said:

Also, people suggesting canned/compressed "air", stop it. It's bad for the environment and bad for your health.

Canned compressed "air" might be bad for the environment but using an air compressor isn’t. Although sucking is better than blowing.

Edited March 12 by MAB

[Peppermint_M]

 

11 hours ago, LegendaryArticuno said:

This topic is the definition of insanity.

Just shared my tips for dusting. I own a lot of books and without hiring a staff to take them on/off shelves often enough, a weekly dust is necessary! .

Plus, I work in a logistics based field with a warehouse (medical/therapeutic adjacent), they are dusty places and we can get some really dusty boxes and bags that need cleaning up before taking out (Sometimes, the stack of "obsolete" parts get urgently required so we're hauling out a 20 year old BNIB motor to install because the supplier won't support spare parts). If the layer is thick enough to have a colour, 100% advise a dry dust first or else you get sludge. Sometimes, it is a lot quicker to use the air hose to get the box cleared before it goes out (though, technically the hoses are to blow water out of metal tube parts to prevent rust/pooling water in cleaned/refurbed equipment) can't go taking warehouse dust to places where the health-compromised are.

That is the great thing about a community, we can all share experiences and talk about something, something others might call nonsense or insanity. 

[ks6349]

On 3/12/2023 at 8:17 AM, LegendaryArticuno said:

This topic is the definition of insanity... damp cloth or wet wipe is more than enough and won't damage the box at all.

Also, people suggesting canned/compressed "air", stop it. It's bad for the environment and bad for your health.

It's more insane to think that cleaning a Lego box is insane. What's the problem of taking care of the dust that accumulates on my Lego box over time? Every one will do it, only the insane one never does it.