Just can’t resist taking your new Star Wars figurines out of their boxes, actually tracing their lines with your fingers … maybe making them have a little conversation, or letting Luke Skywalker finally win that fight without losing his hand? Nobody can blame you! And in fact, for most people, there is no point in collecting something that remains in its box for its entire life… there is just no joy. Whether you're into Batman and Robin, Marvel Legends, Avatar, Harry Potter or Captain America Reborn, if you like to play with your toy collection, here are some tips for keeping it in good shape.
1. Summer, bad! Winter, good
Summer is terrible time for your action figures. They hate:
- Direct sunlight, which fades the plastic and can also make it brittle over time
- Heat, which can cause paint to soften, plastic to soften and wear more easily when toys are played with
- Humidity, which can make the paint on your figurines peel.
You'll have to keep a close eye on your action figures during summer. If you want to keep them in pristine condition, storing them in the basement for 3 months of the year would not be a bad idea… if you can suffer that long without them!
2. Dirt and dust
These are not necessarily permanent problems, but over time if action figures are repeatedly played with with oily, grimy hands, the paint may degrade and articulated parts will get all gunked up. They may become difficult to move, and long soakings (argh, no good for paint!) might be needed to loosen dirt that is actually within the joints. Of course, some wear and dirt is unavoidable - if you simply make sure that your hands are reasonably clean before playing with the figures, they should survive well.
3. If you’re storing your figures…
Store them in zip lock bags in a cool place to prevent humidity damaging them. Alternatively, store them with an anti-humidity device in a sealed plastic container. You'll just have to change the pad on the device every so often.
4. Cleaning
Sometimes cleaning action figures can cause more damage than just leaving them dirty. Some guidelines are obvious - don't use caustic cleaners, don't use abrasive pads, etc. You should also:
- Use only lukewarm, not hot water
- Don’t soak your figurines
- Don't use antibacterial soaps - they leave a coating on toys (and you hands) which may degrade the toys over time
In guides to action figures, there are plenty of models that fetch significant amounts, even when they've been kept loose. Don't be afraid to play with your toys … these tips will you keep them at C8 or better.
Great Tips!!
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