Star Wars Hot Toys Maintenance

[Sithdaddy66]

Hey guys I’m new to this Hot Toys collecting space, I’ve only recently picked up my first two figures. I just wanted to ask the community here the best way for maintaining the longevity of these Star Wars figures so I’m not bining them in a few years time



Throughout what I’m found online it basically mentions the following.

• Keep them in a glass cabinet and dust them of every few months with a soft make up brush or compressed air
• Keep them out of sunlight
• Apply conditioner like (303 aerospace protectant) once every 2 months on pleather and rubber parts
• Wash capes and robes in laundry detergent, rinse and repeat till all the dye is removed. Lay it on a piece of paper towel and use a fan to help with drying
• Buy a dehumidifier and have the humidity kept between 40-50%
• Keep room temperature no higher than 30 degrees Celsius
• Remove all batteries
• No dynamic poses with figures that have pleather and rubber parts

Lemme know if I’ve missed something or if something is in correct here. In terms of the capes/Jedi robes, if they are not touching the neck face or hands of the figure, would it still need the wash treatment, could the dye transfer onto other cloth or plastic materials. I have the clone wars version of anakin. If I stored the robes away in there boxes, would the dye transfer or destroy anything in the packaging potentially?

With figures with rubber arms like CW Ashoka, would you apply the conditioner on to her arms?

In terms of figures like qui gon jin who have that tan soft fabric outfit that doesn’t look removable, would the dye transfer over onto his hands and neck?

Thanks for patiently reading through and I apologise in advance if others have asked similar questions cheers

 

[shadow_wolf]

Hey guys I’m new to this Hot Toys collecting space, I’ve only recently picked up my first two figures. I just wanted to ask the community here the best way for maintaining the longevity of these Star Wars figures so I’m not bining them in a few years time



Throughout what I’m found online it basically mentions the following.

• Keep them in a glass cabinet and dust them of every few months with a soft make up brush or compressed air
• Keep them out of sunlight
• Apply conditioner like (303 aerospace protectant) once every 2 months on pleather and rubber parts
• Wash capes and robes in laundry detergent, rinse and repeat till all the dye is removed. Lay it on a piece of paper towel and use a fan to help with drying
• Buy a dehumidifier and have the humidity kept between 40-50%
• Keep room temperature no higher than 30 degrees Celsius
• Remove all batteries
• No dynamic poses with figures that have pleather and rubber parts

Lemme know if I’ve missed something or if something is in correct here. In terms of the capes/Jedi robes, if they are not touching the neck face or hands of the figure, would it still need the wash treatment, could the dye transfer onto other cloth or plastic materials. I have the clone wars version of anakin. If I stored the robes away in there boxes, would the dye transfer or destroy anything in the packaging potentially?

With figures with rubber arms like CW Ashoka, would you apply the conditioner on to her arms?

In terms of figures like qui gon jin who have that tan soft fabric outfit that doesn’t look removable, would the dye transfer over onto his hands and neck?

Thanks for patiently reading through and I apologise in advance if others have asked similar questions cheers

"Apply conditioner like (303 aerospace protectant) once every 2 months on pleather and rubber parts"

I do this once a year, once every 2 months is overkill imo.

 

[Mike86]

Personally I feel like some people are a little too obsessive. I don’t really do a lot of special treatment.

I dust my shelves regularly because my figures are on open shelves rather than something enclosed. I did do water treatment on the Jedi robes. I also try to keep them out of direct sunlight if possible.

 

[DarkChocobi]

first few figures when first started collecting - HOLY S HIT THESE ARE ACTUALLY DETERIORATING.

years later - hmmm, some of these peeled so damn hard...cool, will make good battle damaged alternatives.

 

[asgardianboy]

Hey guys I’m new to this Hot Toys collecting space, I’ve only recently picked up my first two figures. I just wanted to ask the community here the best way for maintaining the longevity of these Star Wars figures so I’m not bining them in a few years time



Throughout what I’m found online it basically mentions the following.

• Keep them in a glass cabinet and dust them of every few months with a soft make up brush or compressed air
• Keep them out of sunlight
• Apply conditioner like (303 aerospace protectant) once every 2 months on pleather and rubber parts
• Wash capes and robes in laundry detergent, rinse and repeat till all the dye is removed. Lay it on a piece of paper towel and use a fan to help with drying
• Buy a dehumidifier and have the humidity kept between 40-50%
• Keep room temperature no higher than 30 degrees Celsius
• Remove all batteries
• No dynamic poses with figures that have pleather and rubber parts

Lemme know if I’ve missed something or if something is in correct here. In terms of the capes/Jedi robes, if they are not touching the neck face or hands of the figure, would it still need the wash treatment, could the dye transfer onto other cloth or plastic materials. I have the clone wars version of anakin. If I stored the robes away in there boxes, would the dye transfer or destroy anything in the packaging potentially?

With figures with rubber arms like CW Ashoka, would you apply the conditioner on to her arms?

In terms of figures like qui gon jin who have that tan soft fabric outfit that doesn’t look removable, would the dye transfer over onto his hands and neck?

Thanks for patiently reading through and I apologise in advance if others have asked similar questions cheers

I'd daresay that 303 on the pleather might do almost nothing.

I'd suggest that pleather dies MOSTLY because of oxidation of glue that keeps together the inner fabric and the leather-like plastic exterior, which might not take place by oxygen attacking the less-porous, plasticky exterior, but the heavily porous, fabricky interior.

Nevertheless, there is more than enough oxygen inside a figure's clothing, & it is renewed at a high enough rate through the clothing itself, for it to keep taking its toll on the glue. After enough time, destruction is served. Hence pleather on old figures disintegrating right after opening them for the first time, e.g. 10 years after being manufactured.

Only real fix: getting real leather spares. You can do that yourself for simpler parts (belts, maybe boots). But but complex stuff (coats, pants).... that is a huge/expensive customizing problem.

 

[Mondragon]

I just wanted to ask the community here the best way for maintaining the longevity of these Star Wars figures so I’m not bining them in a few years time

 

[Bob Fett]

I’ll dust,but I’m not wiping them down using a cleaner.
I have about 30 or so,and I know that these will all eventually disintegrate over time.It is what it is.
I just enjoy them for now.

 

[choombaz]

Yeah I wouldn’t overdo it. I’ve got figures going back nearly 20 years and 90% of them have zero issues. I just dust every 6 months or so, they are all in detolfs. The ones that do have issues, like pleather flaking, were bought like that and I’m too lazy to do anything about those ones lol.

 

[Mike86]

Shouldn’t jinx myself but of all the figures I have I think one has an issue. My T-800 (MMS238) has some peeling on the jacket. Otherwise at least that I know of I don’t have any other major issues.

 

[choombaz]

Shouldn’t jinx myself but of all the figures I have I think one has an issue. My T-800 (MMS238) has some peeling on the jacket. Otherwise at least that I know of I don’t have any other major issues.

I’ve got all the T-800 Arnie figures and the only issue is I bought one which already had a crumbling belt. All the jackets look great.

So next week they will all start falling apart lol.