REFERENCE Dusting Lego displays and layouts

[SirNadroj]

Hello.

Does anyone know of any good techniques to dust dusty legos. I have some fairly old ones that are caked with dust, but I don't know how to get rid of the dust thoroughly.

Would a regualr old feather-duster work? Washing the bricks? Cans 'o' Air (for keyboards)?

Thanks all! :-)

[Shine]

A combination of canned air and Q-Tips works.

[SirNadroj]

Do you think wetting the q-tips will work better?

[simonwillems]

I use a soft paintbrush myself, gets every dust out of every corner of the model, just don't brush the transparant pieces like windshields and such.

Dust on!.... ehr.. off I mean..!

[SirNadroj]

I use a soft paintbrush myself, gets every dust out of every corner of the model, just don't brush the transparant pieces like windshields and such.

Dust on!.... ehr.. off I mean..!

Just a dry, soft paintbrush, or should it be wet?

[Bonaparte]

I never use water (or any other liquid) for removing dust.

I make use of this:

Or this:

[SirNadroj]

Thanks everyone for the help/tips! :-)

[highlandcattle]

Thanks everyone for the help/tips! :-)

I just wash them off in the bad tub. Especially baseplates. And for my trains I use an old theethbrush

[jamtf]

Check this out:

Tips for cleaning old sets

It is in the Lego Pirates forum.

[Brainbox]

I mainly use a number of paintbrushes to dust my models. A nice soft brush, a thin brush, a stiffer small brush and a stiff hard brush for quick jobs.

Large pieces (baseplates mainly) I tend to wash in water. I remember once I had to clean a baseplate because my dad had rested his beer glass on it. :-X

A damp (not wet) paintbrush is a good idea if you don't want the dust to be just thrown around, only to have it come to rest back where it was. The damp will eliminate the static, and actually pick up the dust.

[ClubNinja]

I've done some back-thread searching here and came out with similar conclusions in all cases (most involve displaying Lego in closed cases or dusting with soft art brushes). I'd like to resurface this to see if anyone has any more current ideas.

I don't mind dusting - in fact, it's a nice way to poke at some of the older sets on display that don't get much attention. My problem with dusting is that it feels more like disturbing and pushing the dust around than actually removing it. Does anyone know of or use any good dusting tools that make use of static or suction or something that does a little more than just push the dust around? It's time to take a serious sweep over my many displayed pieces and I'd like to do a job worthwhile of the effort put into dusting everything.

[Siegfried]

I'd like to resurface this to see if anyone has any more current ideas.

I think it's better to add to one of the old topics; that way we don't have people giving the same advice everytime.

[Fatespuppet]

This is for removing dust from old sets...

And this is for removing dust and paint from old sets....and the walls....and the driveway

I've used those static feather dusters for display pieces. Hitting them once a week or so helps prevent stubborn dust buildup.

Typically I just surrender to the new colorations of pieces once the dust has gotten too stuck on. I'm always needing support pieces for holding up part, thus these off-color ones typically get used in non-visible situations.

[Ivan K.]

Hello! Do you know what is the influence of the dust on the lego? I am keeping my lego away from direct sunlight, but cannot fight enough with the dust. I don't mind my lego to be dusty, but not if this will be danger and destructive for it in long time. What do you think?

[Dennimator]

Dust has no effect on LEGO, other than it´s annoying, ugly and when it has "settled itself", hard to clean it away around the studs (but nothing that a shower or bath doesn´t remove, if it´s loose pieces ). It doesn´t damage the pieces though.

However, I´d like to 'hijack' your thread and ask another question regarding dust to anyone who can answer me; is there any way to prevent the dust coming on your LEGO? Any advice gladly appreciated.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Dennimator

[Big Cam]

I recently conducted a 15 year experiment just for this purpose. Well not on purpose.

I had two LEGO sets built and in my parents basement and 15 years later, there was so much dust and spider webs it was ridiculous.

I cleaned them with soap and water and they look new.

[Fugazi]

However, I´d like to 'hijack' your thread and ask another question regarding dust to anyone who can answer me; is there any way to prevent the dust coming on your LEGO? Any advice gladly appreciated.

There are some 'dust repellent' sprays available, even home-made recipes on the net... But I wouldn't try any of that myself, too afraid that it would stain/discolour plastic in the long run.

[Modulex Guy]

Get yourself a high quality makeup brush:

Sure it does not prevent dust from coming back, but these brushes are great fro removing dust out of tight corners, and soft enough not to scratch anything up.

[JCC1004]

Get yourself a high quality makeup brush:

Or just steal one of your girlfriend's. Dust is a big problem with my Indiana Jones collection. They're up high and aren't easily accessible. Trying to dust them knocks parts off and such. I'm worried about water because off it weakening stickers, removing printing, and getting inside of bricks and sitting there, Trust me it's not very pleasant. I have all of my figures that are not on display w/ their sets on a plate and have them covered with a dish cloth. But dust doesn't hard the bricks but the actual removal of it might.

[Big Cam]

Canned air is your best friend for fighting dust.

[Dennimator]

Thanks, guys!

Or just steal one of your girlfriend's.

Done!

[k_peek_2000]

When I buy sets on ebay. They are always covered in dust. So I get that computer air-spray stuff they sell at most computer shops and spray the pieces off. That way I don't have to worry about water and having to wait to start building :p

[brickzone]

Yes, in my experience dust on second-hand Lego can in fact mean it is like new when washed. I guess if the Lego isn't played with much it is more likely to be in such a state when sold secondhand, whereas play-worn Lego (a bit scuffed/scratched) although it may have dirt in at the studs, grime, etc. is not likely to have such a thick coating of dust (it's rubbed off by the play).

[David Thomsen]

Transparent plastic sheets can be both cheap and enormous if you find them at the right place. I drape one over my lego table when I'm not building anything.

[CMP]

Transparent plastic sheets can be both cheap and enormous if you find them at the right place. I drape one over my lego table when I'm not building anything.

Yea, but pull it in one wrong place, and down comes the Legos.