How to Clean Action Figures

How to Clean Action Figures

We have a fair amount of geeky collection paraphernalia. And I love it.

What I don't love is cleaning it.

Dusting is a pain in the ass just on its own, but when you have eight million action figures, it becomes more of a chore than scrubbing the bathtub. 

I have done everything in the past:

I have used standard dusters - you know the kind that just swish dust around and send it flying into the air so you can cough like you've been working in a coal mine? (How did we actually ever live without swiffers? I ask you).

I have used basic swiffer cloths, but getting into those nooks and crannies is difficult for all but the slenderest of fingers.

I have used the swiffer 360 doo-dad, which, while an awesome tool for normal dusting, attempting to use it for anything more intricate is going to rip that thing to shreds and may damage the item you are attempting to clean. 

I know this because I have broken Snape's wand and also failed to get the folds in his cape. I have knocked over Luke Skywalker's lightsaber more times than I care to count. Daryl Dixon has never really been clean. (Heh...it works on two levels, see?)

But then I had a brain wave.

Q-tips!

A good way to get into the tight spots and also be sure you're applying enough pressure to actually get the dust off.

All our action figures are boxed up right now, but I was working on the kitchen last night and pulled down magnets.

 

 Another angle:

Here's what I did. (It's so simple I'm not sure if I'm a genius or a moron for not figuring this out sooner.)

• Grab some Q-tips.
• Over the sink or a paper towel or whatever, spray a tiny bit of cleaner of your choice (I like Seventh Generation or JR Watkins) onto one end of the stick. (I found it worked best when I held the Q-tip almost directly next to the nozzle.) 
• Go to town with the dusting.
• Keep going, using a new tip as needed. 
• Can also use water, or even do a light water rinse/dust after using cleaner.
• I don't recommend using the Q-tip dry; the cotton tends to come apart and shred quite easily if dry.

The Q-tips after I finished. Seriously, eew.

I used 4 Q-tips for two magnets - 2 for Watto and 2 for Sebulba. Not too bad, I think. I am actually looking forward to unpacking my collector items and giving them all a thorough cleaning.