Can you wash an assembled Lego set?

[Merlo]

Like, use some mild soap and follow with a lukewarm water spray and let it dry?

My guess would be no, as water might creep into places where it wouldn't be able to dry, but it's been a long time since I've first had this thought and every now and then someone would say they do just that and had no issues thus far.

I washed a small non-Lego set this way to test it and it seems fine so far. It dried out pretty fast, but the interior and things like "snot holes" took longer. I've partially disassembled it a day later and everything seems dry to the touch and looks dry under the flashlight. Not sure if it would be that easy with bigger, hollower sets.

Another question I have is about sunlight. Does Lego yellow if it's just exposed to natural light? Or if the sun is blasting at it due to the placement/time of year, etc. So, for example, could a Lego set be outside if it's always in the shade or no way? And is it only the white bricks that suffer?

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Merlo
suck at english

[Mylenium]

You probably could clean it in an industrial vacuum washing chamber. The vacuum would ensure that any remnants are drawn out to not produce water spots and depending on the model you could wash the model with a super fine spray fog instead of actual flowing water, which would help to avoid small parts coming off...

Mylenium

[Merlo]

10 minutes ago, Mylenium said:

You probably could clean it in an industrial vacuum washing chamber.

The logistics of that might prove tricky ☺

[MAB]

It will dry eventually.  It might be months, depending on the environment it is put in.But if you aren't taking it apart to clean it, presumably you don't need to take it apart to check it is dry. You might get water marks, but again if they are on the insides does it matter if you are not taking it apart. An issue with washing a set is bits falling off, and of course not soaking stickers.

 

Yellowing happens in all light conditions. It is usually worse in bright sun, not so bad in ambient light and slow in the dark. Yellowing affects white and light parts most obviously but will presumably affect all parts. Fading affects darker parts more obviously but presumably happens for lighter parts too.

[Merlo]

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But if you aren't taking it apart to clean it, presumably you don't need to take it apart to check it is dry.

What I had in mind was the possibility of mold appearing within the newly formed damp environments.

 

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An issue with washing a set is bits falling off, and of course not soaking stickers. 

I always have the former in mind, the latter I successfully avoid by staying as far away from stickers as possible :)

 

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Yellowing happens in all light conditions. It is usually worse in bright sun, not so bad in ambient light and slow in the dark. Yellowing affects white and light parts most obviously but will presumably affect all parts. Fading affects darker parts more obviously but presumably happens for lighter parts too.

Informative, thank you. I assume putting a set in the shade for a dozen hours would then likely be "same path to yellowing, only faster", rather than "aaaaaand it's all yellow now".

Edited August 16, 2023 by Merlo

[Lego Tom]

Total immersion might not be a good idea but a spray bottle and micro fiber towels or canned air/air compressor set on low pressure shouldn't hurt anything.

[Yperio_Bricks]

Btw, while i read microfiber towel. I always fear touching my Lego with microfiber because it can scratch some plastic surfaces and shiny becomes dull. Does it scratch Lego?

[Merlo]

3 hours ago, Yperio_Bricks said:

Btw, while i read microfiber towel. I always fear touching my Lego with microfiber because it can scratch some plastic surfaces and shiny becomes dull. Does it scratch Lego?

I wipe my monitors with mf, never a scratch. Maybe there's different kinds though. If it would just remove the shine without scratches, I would do that on purpose :)

[Berthil]

With whatever you touch LEGO it will scratch, also between LEGO bricks themselves. So don't bother and it keep dust free with a Swiffer or disassemble and clean all brick seperately if it's beyond cleaning with a Swiffer or brush. A lot of my bricks look like rubbish because I used them a lot in GBC machines. But with good lighting they look like new on Youtube. That is the trick. So if you want to keep LEGO 'unscratched' you have to keep them sealed in the box as bought from the store. Beyond that it is used and scratched.

[MAB]

7 hours ago, Berthil said:

So if you want to keep LEGO 'unscratched' you have to keep them sealed in the box as bought from the store. Beyond that it is used and scratched.

I find new parts from sealed sets come pre-scratched by LEGO.  The last couple of years, things have got worse.

[Merlo]

25 minutes ago, MAB said:

I find new parts from sealed sets come pre-scratched by LEGO.  The last couple of years, things have got worse.

Same. Before I was bothered if I had a small scratch on a see through part, now each new part has scratches the likes I've never had.

[Mylenium]

You could wrap it in a big bag and attach a vacuum cleaner to suck out more moisture and draw out large gobs of water from the inside hollows of bricks. Mold is definitely a concern if you just let it dry conventionally over months.

Mylenium