How to clean Your Anime Figures: Tips for Collectors

Buying anime figures can be a significant investment, so taking care of their maintenance is important. These collectibles are cherished by enthusiasts and preserving their condition is crucial for maintaining their value and aesthetic appeal over time.

In this article, we will first understand what a figure is made of, especially the plasticizer chemical. We will then detail all the tips to maintain and clean your figure to maximize its longevity, ensuring your beloved figures remain in excellent condition for years to come.

Anime Figures Can Become Yellow Over Time

Depending on how you display or store your figure, it’s a huge factor in your figure's durability. Proper storage and display are crucial in preserving the appearance and condition of your anime figures.

This is because of a chemical inside called plasticizer that can degrade under certain conditions. Plasticizers can cause figures to yellow, become sticky, or oily over time, depending on multiple factors we will explain.

Understanding Plasticizer

Plasticizer is a chemical used in all plastic PVC/ABS figures. It is incorporated into the material to make it flexible and durable, ensuring that figures are not brittle and prone to breaking.

Plasticizers are essential for anime figures as they maintain the figure's elasticity, allowing for detailed and intricate designs. However, over time, plasticizers can evaporate, causing various issues such as yellowing, stickiness, and an oily surface.

plasticizer evaporation explanation (click to see)

The evaporation process is a natural phenomenon where plasticizers, being volatile, escape from the material into the surrounding environment. This evaporation is accelerated by factors like heat, UV light, and humidity. Once plasticizers evaporate, they cannot be reintroduced into the material, making the yellowing and other issues irreversible.

Now that you understand how a figure can lose quality, let’s now see all factors that can cause that.

Environmental Factors

Several environmental factors can accelerate the degradation of your anime figures, causing issues such as yellowing, stickiness, and overall deterioration. Understanding these factors can help you take preventive measures to protect your collection.

Figure under UV exposure

• UV Light: Exposure to UV light, especially direct sunlight, can cause the colors on your figures to fade and the plastic to degrade. UV light accelerates the evaporation of plasticizers, leading to yellowing and brittleness. To prevent this, keep your figures away from direct sunlight and consider using UV-protective film on windows or displaying figures in cases with UV protection.
• Heat: High temperatures can significantly speed up the evaporation of plasticizers. When figures are exposed to heat, the plasticizers evaporate more quickly, causing the figures to become sticky and yellow over time. It is best to store and display figures in a cool environment, away from heat sources such as radiators or electronic devices.
• Humidity: High humidity levels can interact with plasticizers, leading to sticky surfaces and promoting mold growth. Humidity, combined with heat, can cause severe degradation of the figure’s material. To mitigate this, keep your figures in a dry environment, possibly using a dehumidifier if you live in a humid climate.

The best environment for your figures is a cool, dry place with good ventilation. Ideally, display your figures in glass cases to protect them from dust while allowing airflow to prevent moisture buildup.

Don’t Lock Your Figure Inside the Box

Anime Figures stored inside boxes

It's not a good idea to keep your figures inside their boxes for long periods. This practice can lead to increased degradation of the figures. When figures are kept in their boxes, the plasticizers that evaporate from the figure have nowhere to escape. This trapped gas condenses inside the box, often on the figure itself, leading to yellowing and stickiness.

The condensed plasticizers and other chemicals inside the box can create a sticky and oily residue on the figure, which is difficult to clean and can permanently damage the figure's appearance. To avoid these issues, it’s best to display your figures outside of their boxes in a well-ventilated space, ideally in glass display cases.

Regular Maintenance

There is natural evaporation of plasticizers that occurs over time, no matter what we do. This evaporation can lead to the accumulation of residues on the surface of your figures.

Therefore, it’s important to clean the surface regularly to remove accumulated condensed plasticizers. Regular cleaning helps maintain the figure's appearance and prevents issues such as stickiness and yellowing.

How to Clean Your Anime Figure

Maintaining the cleanliness of your anime figures is essential to preserve their appearance and longevity. Here are detailed steps to ensure your figures remain in top condition:

First, let’s talk about how to clean dust. It’s recommended to use a small soft brush to remove dust regularly. This method helps in gently cleaning the surface without causing any scratches. You can use a makeup brush or a soft paintbrush for this purpose. Brush lightly to avoid damaging delicate parts. Another good option for cleaning places where it’s difficult to brush is to use compressed air. This can effectively blow away dust from hard-to-reach areas, preventing any potential damage from brushing.

Next, if your figure has sticky residues, you can wash it using mild soap and water. Be gentle and avoid submerging the entire figure, especially if it has delicate parts or electronics. Use a soft cloth or a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean the figure. Focus on the sticky areas and gently scrub to remove the residue. Don’t forget to dry the figure thoroughly to avoid mold. Use a soft towel to pat the figure dry and ensure all moisture is removed. It’s better to dry weak parts with compressed air to prevent any damage.

When handling figures, always be cautious to prevent any damage. Be gentle and use both hands to support the figure, especially when cleaning intricate details. This helps prevent breakage and ensures that the figure remains stable during cleaning. For regular maintenance, consider investing in an anime figure cleaning kit, which often includes specialized tools and cleaning solutions tailored for collectible figures. These kits can make the cleaning process more efficient and help maintain the quality of your collection.

Quality Variation

The quality of the figure and the materials used can significantly affect how well it stands the test of time. Figures made from higher-quality materials are generally more durable and less prone to issues like yellowing and stickiness. For instance, some high-end figures incorporate materials like ABS in addition to PVC, which offers greater durability and resistance to environmental factors.

Lower-quality figures, on the other hand, might use cheaper materials that are more susceptible to degradation. These figures might become sticky, oily, or yellow more quickly due to the higher content of plasticizers and less robust material composition. Understanding the quality of the materials used in your figures can help you better care for them and set realistic expectations for their longevity.

The Case of Resin Figures

Resin figures are a popular choice among collectors due to their ability to capture intricate details and their overall higher quality compared to PVC figures. However, resin figures require special care when it comes to cleaning and maintenance.

Cleaning Resin Figures: Resin is more brittle and less flexible than PVC, making it more susceptible to damage from physical impact. When cleaning resin figures, use a soft brush to remove dust, just as you would with PVC figures. Avoid using compressed air on delicate parts, as the force can cause them to break. If the figure has sticky residues, use mild soap and water carefully. Ensure the figure is completely dry before handling or displaying it again to prevent mold and mildew.

Handling Resin Figures: Due to their brittleness, always handle resin figures with extra care. Support the figure with both hands, especially when moving it. Avoid placing resin figures in high-traffic areas where they might be accidentally knocked over.

Environmental Considerations: Resin figures can also be affected by environmental factors like heat and humidity. However, they are generally less prone to yellowing compared to PVC figures. Keep resin figures in a cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight to maintain their appearance. Displaying them in glass cases can provide additional protection from dust and environmental damage.

Conclusion: Preserving Your Anime Figures

Maintaining and cleaning your anime figures is crucial for preserving their beauty and value over time. By understanding the materials and chemicals used in these figures, particularly plasticizers, and the environmental factors that can affect them, you can take proactive steps to ensure their longevity.

Key points to remember include:

• Avoid exposure to UV light, heat, and humidity: These environmental factors can accelerate the degradation of your figures. Keep them in a cool, dry place, ideally in a display case with UV protection.
• Do not keep figures locked in their boxes for extended periods: Trapping evaporating plasticizers can cause yellowing and stickiness. Display your figures in well-ventilated areas instead.
• Regular maintenance is essential: Clean dust with a soft brush or compressed air, and wash sticky residues with mild soap and water. Ensure thorough drying to prevent mold.
• Handle figures carefully: Use both hands to support the figure, especially when cleaning intricate details. Resin figures, in particular, are more brittle and require extra care.
• Consider using an anime figure cleaning kit: These kits often include specialized tools and cleaning solutions tailored for collectible figures, making regular upkeep easier and more effective.

By following these guidelines, you can keep your anime figures in pristine condition, ensuring they remain a cherished part of your collection for years to come.