How To Properly Clean Your Model Train Collection
Are you just beginning your model train collection? To keep your models in pristine condition, you must learn how to properly clean them. When you have a collection like this, most of the time, you are not touching the trains, or they are sitting on a shelf for some time collecting dust. Taking care of your collection instills value back into the trains—for the best cleaning techniques, keep reading.
How Should You Get Rid of Dust?
When you plan your model train layout, most items will remain stationary and accumulate dust. You can remove the dust in two ways—with a soft brush or duster or with compressed air. The soft brush dusts in delicate places where you don’t want to harm any details; this is usually where you sweep over everything to get most of the particles. You’ll use the compressed air to get in the tighter spaces you can’t reach with the duster. Compressed air is also an excellent option for any moving parts on your collection because it won’t harm any mechanics or mechanisms.
How Should You Get Rid of Grime?
Dust is easy to handle, but grime will stick to your trains and be harder to slough off. Be wary of what chemicals you use to clean the grime—typically, a 1 percent solution of soap and water will work great. This is exactly what they use to clean artifacts in museums. Put a dollop of soap on the end of a damp rag and slowly work it in circles around the grimy areas of the train. Be careful about how much pressure you use so that you don’t rub away any tiny details.
Products To Avoid
To avoid damaging your model train collection, you can properly clean the figurines with the above elements but never use the following chemicals. WD-40 is safe for most plastics and metals but can rub paint and other materials off your train models. Vinegar, acetone, and Dettol will all eat into the plastic and rubber of the trains, ruining them indefinitely. Stick with the washcloth and avoid the household sponge because some bristles will be too abrasive for the trains.
To keep your collection in tip-top shape, clean your model train cars once a week. Avoid using harsh chemicals or cleaning materials; some details you can fix, and others will be impossible to repair. Take care of your collection so that your models can last long and be passed down from generation to generation.