One of the biggest challenges with LEGO displays is to keep them dust-free. In the past we have discussed several methods of keeping your LEGO displays clean (see links at the end of this post), however it is a good idea to bring up the subject again as new people come to the LEGO hobby. I know from experience that on pretty much all LEGO related websites and forums this is one of the most frequently asked questions that keeps popping up on a regular basis. So let’s discuss what methods are the most effective. 🙂
If you just have a few LEGO creations on display it is easy to just give them a quick wipe as you do your regular house-cleaning. A soft clean cloth or duster, and maybe a few bursts of compressed-air to reach some of the smaller crevices, can do the job. You can also partially (or fully) disassemble smaller displays and simply wash them off in the sink and let them dry before reassembling. Of course this won’t work if the display has stickers or electric parts, but other than that water is a great way to clean LEGO, plus it gives you a good excuse to play a bit; after all who doesn’t like to mess around with LEGO in the sink or bathtub? 🙄
However if you have a larger LEGO display that cannot be quickly wiped off or easily disassembled for washing, you will need to come up with a system that will help you keep it clean – and most importantly – something you can follow on a regular basis. In fact, it cannot be overemphasized that the most important aspect of keeping your LEGO displays clean is consistency. It is much easier to give your LEGO display a quick wipe-off once a month when the dust is still thin and loose, then trying to clean it after years of dust and grime have caked on it.
In the video below JANGBRiCKS shares ways he keeps his very large LEGO display clean. He uses a combination of methods; brushes, compressed-air and a handheld vacuum cleaner. I actually use the same methods myself, with an occasional rinse-off of some smaller LEGO creations. And I also learned a good tip from JANG that I didn’t do before. I tend to clean all my LEGO displays at the same time, and yes, just like he said, this sometimes leads to procrastination. I liked his tip of breaking the work into smaller chunks over a period of time, and I’m going to try it.
I hope the video gave you some good ideas on how to keep your LEGO displays dust-free. You should be able to find all the simple tools JANG uses locally, however if you have any trouble with this, they are also available on Amazon. Also, if you have difficulty finding small enough attachments to your vacuum-cleaner, you can insert a cutoff piece of women’s stockings in between the attachment you do have and the hose. This will prevent small pieces from being sucked up into the vacuum.
- Handheld Vacuums on Amazon
- Keyboard Vacuums on Amazon
- Micro Vacuum Attachment Kit on Amazon
- Compressed-Air Cans on Amazon
- Dusters on Amazon
What do you think? Did you find the tips and video here helpful? What cleaning methods do you use to keep your LEGO displays dust-free? Do you have a regular schedule you stick to, or tend to procrastinate? Feel free to share your own tips, tricks, and tools in the comment section below! 😉
And you might also like to check out the Care and Feed of LEGO section for more ideas, or select from the following related posts:
Thanks for posting this. Having the Death Star on a top shelf it is hard to keep dust off it 😛
I have a hand held vacuum so that should work. As long as there is no loose pieces 😛
I like these tips, interesting. I might use them, but only if I need to.:)
Thanks for the tips. I never would have thought to use compressed air.
Compressed air works quite well, and I actually use it more aften than Jang. The only thing is that it is expensive. But for LEGO displays they last for a pretty long time. I buy cans at Sam’s Club as they have larger packs for a better price than most retailers.
Thanks for the tips! I’ve finally gotten to the point where I need ideas how to get rid of dust easily.
As long as you don’t let a heavy layer of dust build up, I have found a feather duster to work well on displays and it is quick, easy and inexpensive.
“Swiffer” cloths works amazing well on pieces that have a lot of dust really caked on…but I generally use this method on individual pieces.
Good suggestion. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thanks for sharing admin. =)
This has been really helpful, thanks for this article. My LEGO is dust free…for now.
Yeah, that’s the thing… dusting has to be done regularly, but it also gives us an excuse to play some with our LEGO displays. 🙂
One thing I just started using for cleaning legos, esp. difficult areas and crevices, is this cleaning gel: Cyber Clean 25054 Home & Office Foil Zip Bag – 2.65 oz.
The gel works pretty well and is very easy to use. Plus I have found more uses for the gel than just legos.
Hm… that looks really interesting! Thanks for sharing! Never seen anything like it before! I added it to my products to try out list! 😛
I put my displays in different sized zip lock bags to keep off dust. It actually works pretty well. 🙂
How do i do this on my older stuff that has never been dusted
I would say it depends on how dusty they are. If the dust is just layers of fine dust, then the methods mentioned here would work fine. However if the dust has been mixed with moisture from the air, and caked on the displays, then you will need to wash them.
If you don’t want to take the displays completely apart, you can just wash the top layers that are exposed to dust with some mild dishwashing soap and a soft brush to get between the studs (a soft toothbrush works well). If you don’t mind taking apart the displays, you can wash them all in a tub, or even in the washing machine/dishwasher by using a laundry mesh bag.
I recently opened a box with some sets and base plates that had accumulated ~10 years worth of dust before being packed away. It was pretty gross and caked on. For those, I had to disassemble the models and wash them in a pan of water, using a soft plastic-bristle brush to scrub the nooks and crannies. No soap was needed, but I had to change the water a couple times. It took a while, but now they look like new!
Sam, nice work! Thanks for sharing. 🙂