Cleaning figures after damp?

[potato]

First wipe the exterior of the boxes clean, you can use clean wipes just make sure they don't damage the art.

Then peek tru the window to see if there's any infestation, usually they will show up on the window. If there are infestation most likely there are some damages done especially white clothings, remove the clothing and give them a good hand wash and dry them fully. wash other parts if you can or wipe them clean and also clean the plastic trays and hang them dry, wipe the interior of the box with wet wipes and don't forget the underside and edges. Get a bag of small moth balls and bigger hanger ones and some small zipper bag, put a pack of small moth balls (no need to open them) in the zipper bag and stuff them inside the boxes, this will kill off any moth/mold. Lastly wrap all boxes up in plastic bag you can make an end easy to open up and store them.

If your wardrobe is building up humidity just leave a gap open for ventilation. you can purchase those demudifying box but they need replacement like a month.

Or you can invest in a dehumidifier and turn them on once a while. Get a cheap $1 hygrometer and stick it in your wardrobe so you can monitor the humidity and also 1 outside the wardrobe. Lastly hang the mothball hanger on the rail just make a small cut on the plastic so it will last longer and not poison the whole room.

 

[potato]

Personally, I would feel bad selling a mouldy figure. A figure with a dodgy limb or a box that isn’t pristine? Perhaps, but the thought of me causing someone else to suffer the same problem (and affecting their hard earned collection) bothers me

if a figure has been thoroughly cleaned and no damage i don't see an issue. i do have some really minor infestation (most likely they got it from the factory), i can see some brown foxing on the clear window so i just clean it and put some moth ball in. If someone purchases it, i will check if there's any new infestation otherwise they are good. I mean i do this for my own collection too it's not like i will sell them off and buy a new set.

 

[potato]

Do you guys think that mould can be treated with a solution of water with just a tiny drop of bleach?

they die in soap water there is no need for bleach. i've been cleaning out my pots water chamber using bleach, it seems not very effective as every week the moss grows again. The only time it works is when i keep them dry. as for mold they don't need sunlight like moss do.

 

[potato]

I have an obsessive streak but I’ve also been known to make decisions that turn out to be a big no no

My first thought was to bleach the wardrobe floor and surrounding wall but it was getting late when I first noticed it. Good thing too, it gave me time to evaluate the situation. Bleach on wood would have made it worse. I left it until the following day, there was a layer of carpet which I soaked in vinegar spray so spores and dust would be less likely to get everywhere when I removed it. The underlying chipboard was sprayed with the same vinegar. For porous surfaces, it’s useful because it soaks and seeps in.

Asta, I’ve ordered the spray you recommended. I researched the ingredients for my own knowledge and it’s similar to those found in products like Dettol spray in a can. It’s likely to be less destructive than white vinegar, though I would have diluted it first.

I’ll leave the boxes where they are and take my time, it’s best to think it through.

dettol spray cans contain high amount of alcohol which may damage the wood if it's painted.

these methods will remove the mold but not prevent. you will need preventive measures.

 

[potato]

Vinegar is acidic. I would not want to spray that on any collectibles myself. I feel like you'll do worse damage with vinegar or chemical cleaners than the mold you're imagining might be on there. If you absolutely must, then make sure you neutralize the vinegar with a base (soap).

Mold spores are everywhere. That's an unavoidable fact of life, and something I have to remind myself of as a germophobe with OCD. But just because it was on your clothes and books doesn't mean it'll be growing on everything else, as those are just naturally two of the most mold susceptible types of items in the household.

If you want to give everything a thorough cleaning - which I fully understand - then I would recommend using physical methods like dusting and vacuuming. Then going over everything with Absorene (or similar), which is a putty that art and book restorers and preservationists use.

This will physically pull surface contaminants off without harsh chemicals. You should use it on all your books as well.

Unless you actually see mold growth, that should be enough to remove spores that may have contaminated any surfaces.

http://www.absorene.com/

you can only remove the bulk, it is impossible to remove all molds in the cabinet, let alone the room and house. mold can't survive if the conditions are not met. you can get a UV-C bulb and shine them in the cabinet few minutes to kill off any remnants, but care needs to be taken when handling UV-C. But the key will be keeping the humidity down.

 

[potato]

From my own experience I didn't have any adverse affects using the anti mould and mildew spray.

I applied it to the figures with a cloth, wiping the areas that were affected with mildew.

The idea of using vinegar, however, seems more risky since it's an acid.

Prior to using the liquid from the spray I was simply brushing it off, but it wasn't killing it. Hence it would return.

This is what could happen if the spores were still present on a figure that was put back into its box for storage. The still air inside is the beginnings of ideal conditions for growth, accompanied by an uncontrolled rise in humidity.

Desiccant packs are a temporary measure, since they're designed to absorb moisture and once full their usefulness is over unless they dry out. Inside a box they're potentially just releasing that moisture back to the figure.

Storing boxed figures requires guaranteed low humidity, because not only are the figures shielded from airflow, but you also can't immediately see what's happening to them.


Ideally, of course, figures should be on display in a controlled environment.

small moth ball packs help they are size of a candy i usually put 1 bag in a zipper and stuff it in the box. no worries those cheap zipper bag won't remain air tight but will prolong the effect.

 

[omegaglory1]

Then peek tru the window to see if there's any infestation, usually they will show up on the window. If there are infestation most likely there are some damages done especially white clothings, remove the clothing and give them a good hand wash and dry them fully. wash other parts if you can or wipe them clean and also clean the plastic trays and hang them dry, wipe the interior of the box with wet wipes and don't forget the underside and edges. Get a bag of small moth balls and bigger hanger ones and some small zipper bag, put a pack of small moth balls (no need to open them) in the zipper bag and stuff them inside the boxes, this will kill off any moth/mold. Lastly wrap all boxes up in plastic bag you can make an end easy to open up and store them.

If your wardrobe is building up humidity just leave a gap open for ventilation. you can purchase those demudifying box but they need replacement like a month.

Or you can invest in a dehumidifier and turn them on once a while. Get a cheap $1 hygrometer and stick it in your wardrobe so you can monitor the humidity and also 1 outside the wardrobe. Lastly hang the mothball hanger on the rail just make a small cut on the plastic so it will last longer and not poison the whole room.

I imagine the mothballs would be effective, the vapours from them would get into the card and kill any mould. Sadly, those are banned where I live

 

[potato]

I imagine the mothballs would be effective, the vapours from them would get into the card and kill any mould. Sadly, those are banned where I live

there are different types of balls, are all banned? i believe the difference is the main ingredients. or something similar to moth balls.

 

[omegaglory1]

there are different types of balls, are all banned? i believe the difference is the main ingredients. or something similar to moth balls.

Naphthalene containing mothballs are supposedly the ones that are effective against mould, they’re banned.

A concern I have is whether mould has begun growing internally on the card box. The DX boxes are made from very thick card and they’ve been subject to humid conditions for an unknown period of time. The foam inserts are also a potential issue.

 

[Solidus]

I shudder at what some of you guys have been going through with mold damage. I think the only way to prevent it, is to move to a colder climate area that is less humid.

Crazy idea here, but maybe you can stick your damp or mold ridden figures in a bag of rice. It's a method that saves wet electronics by leeching out excess moisture. So, it may work for drying out mold spores as well.

 

[omegaglory1]

I shudder at what some of you guys have been going through with mold damage. I think the only way to prevent it, is to move to a colder climate area that is less humid.

Crazy idea here, but maybe you can stick your damp or mold ridden figures in a bag of rice. It's a method that saves wet electronics by leeching out excess moisture. So, it may work for drying out mold spores as well.

As part of my cleaning and inspection process, I’ve been removing the outfits and placing them along with the figures in the sun for an hour or two. Looking at them and smelling them, I couldn’t find mould so it’s more of a precaution. They were then placed inside airtight sandwich bags with silica packets.

 

[potato]

Naphthalene containing mothballs are supposedly the ones that are effective against mould, they’re banned.

A concern I have is whether mould has begun growing internally on the card box. The DX boxes are made from very thick card and they’ve been subject to humid conditions for an unknown period of time. The foam inserts are also a potential issue.

you can wash the foams, just not the box, so you can only wipe it. that is why i suggested moth balls, even the non naphthalene ones would help. if you have a UV-C bulb you can use it to disinfect.

 

[potato]

I shudder at what some of you guys have been going through with mold damage. I think the only way to prevent it, is to move to a colder climate area that is less humid.

Crazy idea here, but maybe you can stick your damp or mold ridden figures in a bag of rice. It's a method that saves wet electronics by leeching out excess moisture. So, it may work for drying out mold spores as well.

there are desiccant bags designed just for those purpose. but these methods can only absorb so much humidity before they need to be replaced. it's the last line of defense.

 

[potato]

As part of my cleaning and inspection process, I’ve been removing the outfits and placing them along with the figures in the sun for an hour or two. Looking at them and smelling them, I couldn’t find mould so it’s more of a precaution. They were then placed inside airtight sandwich bags with silica packets.

sandwich bags aren't exactly airtight they will leak over time. what i do for long term storage is squeeze the air out, then fold near the zippers and use a tape, this will improve the air tightness over time.

what i do for most boxes is wrap them up with plastic bags after putting a few desiccant bags in when i received them. i don't swap parts often so i will just figure out what pose i want and keep the parts in the box stored. it'd be a pain to get them out just for a pair of hands but main weapons and accessories are always out. usually if there's any mold or foxing (brown cotton like dots), it happens on the plastic or edges where it folds, if it grew inside the box, it just meant it was already inside.

i have had new releases having molds fresh from the factory, usually because the paint hasn't fully cured.

 

[Prime Clone]

Most of my figures are still in the original cardboard shippers and are stored in airtight plastic containers. I live in the subtropics but have silica buckets placed at strategic points around my storage area. Not perfect but hopefully it works.

 

[omegaglory1]

you can wash the foams, just not the box, so you can only wipe it. that is why i suggested moth balls, even the non naphthalene ones would help. if you have a UV-C bulb you can use it to disinfect.

My biggest concern with a UVC bulb is that it might be quite destructive on card and paper, causing colours to fade. Another worry for me is whether mould could be growing internally and deeper in the card box, the UVC light would not be able to penetrate that deep.

What’s the best way to go about washing the foam? I’ve spritzed them with a white vinegar solution and left them in the sun. I was thinking of soaking in a dilute vinegar solution for a few hours then detergent and water?

I’m in the process of packing up some of my books and sending them away to a book restoration service. The process involves freezing and freeze drying and they offer a sanitising stage that involves bombarding with gamma radiation. I might ask them if they would accept my toy boxes

 

[potato]

My biggest concern with a UVC bulb is that it might be quite destructive on card and paper, causing colours to fade. Another worry for me is whether mould could be growing internally and deeper in the card box, the UVC light would not be able to penetrate that deep.

What’s the best way to go about washing the foam? I’ve spritzed them with a white vinegar solution and left them in the sun. I was thinking of soaking in a dilute vinegar solution for a few hours then detergent and water?

I’m in the process of packing up some of my books and sending them away to a book restoration service. The process involves freezing and freeze drying and they offer a sanitising stage that involves bombarding with gamma radiation. I might ask them if they would accept my toy boxes

the UVC will not damage anything if you just shine it over them for few seconds, to get them faded will require much longer exposure (like direct sunlight would). It usually takes few seconds to disinfect however with Covid19 they are recommending a minute or few... just remember to wear shades and cover yourself coz you will be exposed to more than few minutes since you are carrying out the disinfection on many items.

There are few designs for UVC, 1 is E24 bulb type you plug into a holder, there are portable holders you can carry around (designed to plug into a plug on the table), but i prefer the short tube type designed for aquariums as it comes ready for portability (just need a longer extension cord) and aren't as flimsy as a E24 holder, so i can slide the bulb into the boxes and do a deep disinfection, you will still need to empty out the box including any card backings, it is easy to tell if a box has been compromised by looking at those card backings. i would wipe the cards clean and let it dry just to be safe.

With a combination of UVC, wiping, drying up and desiccant bag+moth ball of any type, you have most likely disinfected the box, you just need to wrap it up with plastic to ensure minimal humidity/mold particles get in the box and also keep the toxic of the moth ball inside the box (until you open it up of course).

For the foams, i think soaking it in dish detergent water for a while should work, important is make sure they are 100% dry. i'm not sure if the vinegar smell will stick onto the foams. you need to soak it to ensure full coverage. i would then give it another UVC blast coz there's lots of mold outside the house.

i would also UVC blast the whole cabinet.

If you suffer constant high humidity, i would still advise to get at least 2 Hygrometer ($1.50 each), when buying them in stall compare each other to ensure you have the most accurate readings. There are digital clocks with built in hygrometer/thermometer they cost more. If it is only humid during certain times you can buy a Dehumidifier and keep it running a while to lower the humidity. If the humid comes from outside the house you might want to consider adding weather strips on the windows. The dehumidifier will add some utility cost but still more efficient and cheaper than those non-reusable dehumidifying boxes.

 

[omegaglory1]

the UVC will not damage anything if you just shine it over them for few seconds, to get them faded will require much longer exposure (like direct sunlight would). It usually takes few seconds to disinfect however with Covid19 they are recommending a minute or few... just remember to wear shades and cover yourself coz you will be exposed to more than few minutes since you are carrying out the disinfection on many items.

There are few designs for UVC, 1 is E24 bulb type you plug into a holder, there are portable holders you can carry around (designed to plug into a plug on the table), but i prefer the short tube type designed for aquariums as it comes ready for portability (just need a longer extension cord) and aren't as flimsy as a E24 holder, so i can slide the bulb into the boxes and do a deep disinfection, you will still need to empty out the box including any card backings, it is easy to tell if a box has been compromised by looking at those card backings. i would wipe the cards clean and let it dry just to be safe.

With a combination of UVC, wiping, drying up and desiccant bag+moth ball of any type, you have most likely disinfected the box, you just need to wrap it up with plastic to ensure minimal humidity/mold particles get in the box and also keep the toxic of the moth ball inside the box (until you open it up of course).

For the foams, i think soaking it in dish detergent water for a while should work, important is make sure they are 100% dry. i'm not sure if the vinegar smell will stick onto the foams. you need to soak it to ensure full coverage. i would then give it another UVC blast coz there's lots of mold outside the house.

i would also UVC blast the whole cabinet.

If you suffer constant high humidity, i would still advise to get at least 2 Hygrometer ($1.50 each), when buying them in stall compare each other to ensure you have the most accurate readings. There are digital clocks with built in hygrometer/thermometer they cost more. If it is only humid during certain times you can buy a Dehumidifier and keep it running a while to lower the humidity. If the humid comes from outside the house you might want to consider adding weather strips on the windows. The dehumidifier will add some utility cost but still more efficient and cheaper than those non-reusable dehumidifying boxes.

Lots of good advice, but my concern is whether UVC can penetrate the thicker boxes of some of the DX figures. It’s definitely worth trying for the figures themselves, I don’t have a lamp but it’s been incredibly sunny for the last few weeks and I’ve been bringing my figures out into the garden for some UV light.

The book restoration studio has agreed to do my toy boxes as well. The invoice for the 40 or so art/photography books I shipped out was £330, pricey but not the thousands of pounds I had imagined. So, I imagine my toy boxes won’t be too pricey to take care of either. However, their bulk means shipping will be tricky. I’ve already decided to do away with the packaging for some of my Medicom and Sideshow figures.

 

[omegaglory1]

As a precaution, I’m planning on giving my figures a vinegar bath. I think the plastic should hold up well enough as I plan on diluting the vinegar and will only soak for an hour. The garments should be fine, most fabrics tolerate vinegar.

Not sure about pleather though? Any thoughts?

 

[omegaglory1]

So I started the cleaning process with my T800, T1000 and Medicom Boba Fett. I figured the plastic clamshell packaging would have protected them from the damp and it’d be better to start with the easier problems first.

I was pleased to find out they fared quite well in their boxes. Boba Fett has some staining where the chest plates meet his tunic, I think that’s likely to be the adhesive breaking down with age and lack of air. The T800 will need a new pair of trousers and bet to go with it. Upon handing, the belt literally crumbled in my hands!

With that out of the way, I set up a plastic bowl filled with a 1:4 mix of distilled white vinegar and water. The bodies and all other plastic parts were soaked for about an hour and a half, then placed under a running tap. The clothes were also soaked (separated into lights and darks) then hand washed with detergent. Pleather items have been set aside for another time.