Hot Toys and others - What humidity is too much?

Besides the obvious facts of not leaving your figures in direct sunlight or exposed to other UV rays, are there other things we should be doing to keep them in good shape?

Such as;
Moisturizing pleather
Keeping room at specific humidity and temperature (if yes, what? What's an acceptable humidity?)
Bending joints so they do not become stiff

humidity generally keep it under 60%. pleather protection? if it's black you can apply mink oil which will darken colors but is safe for black.

Avoid smoking near them which somehow some people do that.

Humidity should be 30-40%. Pretty much if you are comfy , that's a perfect humidity.

I highly recommend Honda Shin-Etsu Grease for any rubber products. It’s automotive grade rubber lubricant for extreme weather conditions, low odor and only needs applied 1-2 times at most a year depending on how the collections are displayed.

bunnyfreakz said:

Avoid smoking near them which somehow some people do that.

Humidity should be 30-40%. Pretty much if you are comfy , that's a perfect humidity.

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@30-40% you risk rubber parts cracking due to dryness.

potato said:

@30-40% you risk rubber parts cracking due to dryness.

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I live in Arizona where the humidity is really low and I had never had any pieces crack or deteriorate.

The little meter we just bought considers 35 low, and 45 optimal, if I'm remembering correctly. So we try to keep it a little above 40.

I’ve read up on this subject on various websites and the consensus is humidity should range between 40 and 60 percent. I’d say 50 percent is just about perfect.


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bunnyfreakz said:

Avoid smoking near them which somehow some people do that.

Humidity should be 30-40%. Pretty much if you are comfy , that's a perfect humidity.

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Wow, people do that? Would hate receiving a used figure with the smell of nicotine.

Chainedstream said:

Wow, people do that? Would hate receiving a used figure with the smell of nicotine.

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if they smoke inside the home/room, why not? i have received one which smells like a pack of Malboro out of the box. took everything out left it out for a week, put in charcoals, even though the figure doesn't smell, the box still has slight scent if you smell it close.

Lumos said:

The little meter we just bought considers 35 low, and 45 optimal, if I'm remembering correctly. So we try to keep it a little above 40.

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My humidity in room is generally high 30s to 45. Living in New York has weird weather so I will have to see what it’s like during the summer. I may get a small dehumidifier if it gets really bad.

potato said:

humidity generally keep it under 60%. pleather protection? if it's black you can apply mink oil which will darken colors but is safe for black.

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I’ve seen a lot of people recommend these products from amazon;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018R2DD42/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_eK5hJLo36oJmZ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0185PU34O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XUwwCbCMAAA9V

Tho I am hesitant to use them


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chemicals said:

I’ve seen a lot of people recommend these products from amazon;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018R2DD42/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_eK5hJLo36oJmZ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0185PU34O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XUwwCbCMAAA9V

Tho I am hesitant to use them


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if you can apply it on both sides.

I have about 40% humidity in a room that was built about 3 years ago and for some reason cloth parts are covered in moldy spots. Some are completely unaffected, while others, like the Hasbro Saga 12" Count Dooku and Sideshow Collectibles LTK James Bond are heavily affected by mold.

I don't know how to get rid of those spots. Should I undress the figures and dip them in some anti-mold liquid or will that affect the fabric negatively?

Freakazoid! said:

I have about 40% humidity in a room that was built about 3 years ago and for some reason cloth parts are covered in moldy spots. Some are completely unaffected, while others, like the Hasbro Saga 12" Count Dooku and Sideshow Collectibles LTK James Bond are heavily affected by mold.

I don't know how to get rid of those spots. Should I undress the figures and dip them in some anti-mold liquid or will that affect the fabric negatively?

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photos? 40% doesn't mean mold won't survive. sometimes mold were packed together with the figure in factories.

if it's light colored fabric not much you can do about it. if it's white you can try bleach, may or may not get rid of them.

are they exposed or inside closed cabinet? you may want to purchase some chunks of moth balls, don't unwrap them cut a small hole at the plastic so you don't poison yourself and they should last few years. those big chunks, not small balls.

They were kept in a box with other 1/6 figures and somehow only the two were heavily affected- maybe the mold just prefers figures based on British actors. :/
I hope there is some way to clean these and prevent future spreading without damaging the fabric.

Freakazoid! said:

They were kept in a box with other 1/6 figures and somehow only the two were heavily affected- maybe the mold just prefers figures based on British actors. :/
I hope there is some way to clean these and prevent future spreading without damaging the fabric.

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Use something like this:




It's a non-bleach formula and pH neutral. Just spray it on and wipe off with a cloth. It will kill the mold and clean the clothing without causing any damage.

Looks like mildew on the clothes, which likes humidity above 65%, but the spores might've been already present when the figures were boxed. It will thrive with lack of airflow.

Freakazoid! said:

They were kept in a box with other 1/6 figures and somehow only the two were heavily affected- maybe the mold just prefers figures based on British actors. :/
I hope there is some way to clean these and prevent future spreading without damaging the fabric.

View attachment 444037View attachment 444038

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"In A Box". welp that explains everything. humid & heat tend to accumulate inside boxes and have difficulty escaping.

my guess is the whole box is contaminated so best to decontaminate everything inside even if they aren't showing.

what i would do:

remove everything inside the box in an area you don't mind being contaminated (outdoor/toilet).

if the box is plastic wash it and let it fully dry. if cardbox burn it with fire (or discard it inside a plastic bag).

for figures you feel comfortable stripping everything do it, put the fabrics inside warm water with washing detergent. do not do that on parts containing leather/pleather/rubber we will talk about those later. then soak them again in clean warm water, dry them up fully. at this time if you think of ironing the clothes do it but make sure the temperature is not too hot.

do the same for plastic parts (head/weapon/shoes/body). do not wash parts containing metal, electronics etc.

for those that can't be washed, for hard parts use microfiber cloth + lighter fluid and wipe them.

for rubber/vinly/leather/pleather, use damped microfiber cloth to wipe them clean. you may need to do it multiple times. using a white cloth will let you know if there's still residue they will turn yellow/brownish.

once everything is 100% dry. put them all in a plastic box, purchase those moth ball chunks (size of a palm), and some dehumidifying packs. This should kill off any mold residue. once done your figures should be decontaminated.

i'm not sure how many boxes you have, but if you don't see signs of mold, you can still put some chunks of moth ball & dehumidifying packs inside just to be safe.

thing about moth ball chunk, don't open it fully, poke a small hole, they should last for years. as for dehumidifying packs, purchase those that doesn't turn jelly after use because you will need to replace them or else they grow mold. those that doesn't turn aren't as effective but better than nothing.

you can also purchase some air purifiers with plasma technology that claims to kill 99.9% germs.

or buy sanitizing UV bulb. but handle with care and only turn them on when no one's exposed. don't turn them on too often as they can decolor stuffs. google says it only takes few seconds to sanitize when within range.

Thank you Asta and Potato for the advice! The only figure I'm a bit worried to wipe down is the Hasbro POTJ Darth Vader's bodysuit, which is made from a pleather-like material. It might be contaminated by the mildew spores, but there are no stains showing.