Subject:
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Re: Cleaning used Lego
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Sun, 28 Oct 2001 18:35:50 GMT
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Viewed:
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8942 times
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I have a method that works well for "dirty/greasy" used LEGO...
Soak the bricks in a solution of hot water and dishwashing detergent. Use
one table spoon of detergent to one gallon of hot water. The water should
not be too hot! If it hurts your hand, it is too hot. THIS IS THE
IMPORTANT PART: Use the type of detergent that you would normally use in an
automatic dishwashing machine**. It is worth noting that some of these
detergents contain chlorine bleach and some do not (even the same brands
will vary the ingredients, so read the package carefully). I have great
results using detergent WITHOUT chlorine bleach.
I typically fill a plastic food container with water, detergent and LEGO. I
stir up the mixture and cover with a tight fitting cover. Shake it up and
let it sit for an hour. For really dirty batches, I let it sit overnight
and will shake it all up every few hours. If there are pieces with visibly
caked on dirt, scrub with a toothbrush after soaking a few hours, then
continue the overnight soak.
Rinse the pieces thoroughly - I use a colander and not too hot water.
Up until this point, you have spent very little time actually cleaning the
pieces. The time consuming part is drying the pieces. I find that LEGO
bricks will dry overnight if they are carefully arranged on some paper
towels such that the pieces do not touch and the pieces are placed on their
sides so as not to collect water. While this is by far the most time
consuming portion of the process, if you take the opportunity to sort the
pieces as you spread them out to dry, you will not have to sort them later.
I do not clean printed bricks, or bricks with labels, or other "delicate
pieces by soaking overnight. I recommend cleaning these pieces "gently" by
hand.
The pieces will be clean and have that "grippy" feel - like brand new LEGO.
A note on white pieces that have apparently "yellowed". You may be tempted
to use a detergent with chlorine bleach to "whiten" these pieces, however,
I have found that 99% of these "yellowed" pieces are merely "dirtied"
pieces. In other words, the bricks are only dirty, and do not need
"bleaching". I would be hesitant to bleach any LEGO pieces. If they have
yellowed from the sun, leave them be.
Hope this helps, and please forgive the spelling gaffs.
-Brew B
**Dishwashing machine detergent (eg. Electrolux, Cascade, etc) NOT hand
dishwashing soap.
Richard Morton wrote in message ...
> Hi all,
>
> Quick question. I have just received a HUGE amount of used Lego I won in an
> eBay auction. Some of it is quite dirty/greasy etc and I want to have a go
> at cleaning it up a bit.
> My question is, in your expert opinions, what is the best way to do this?
> Warm water and washing up liquid?
> Anyone tried putting Lego in a dishwasher at low setting? Is that a stupid
> idea? (Probably!)
>
> Obviously, I'm not about to load up my dishwasher full of Lego, but I just
> wondered what the best way to clean it up is?
>
> Hope you can help
>
> Richard.
>
>
>
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | RE: Cleaning used Lego
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| I use the same method using a 5 gallon bucket. 1. 1-2 scoops (I use Electro sol DW crystals) in ~3 gallons of warm water. Mix thoroughly. 2. Add 2-3 gallons of LEGO, (after proper sorting of course) no more, or you will not have enough "stirring (...) (23 years ago, 28-Oct-01, to lugnet.general)
| | | Re: Cleaning used Lego
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| (...) Believe me, printed bricks (other than some early ones) can absolutely safely be soaked. I have never had a printed brick be damaged, even when soaking for several weeks (yea, sometimes I get a bucket of LEGO soaking and then run out of time (...) (23 years ago, 28-Oct-01, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Cleaning used Lego
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| Hi all, Quick question. I have just received a HUGE amount of used Lego I won in an eBay auction. Some of it is quite dirty/greasy etc and I want to have a go at cleaning it up a bit. My question is, in your expert opinions, what is the best way to (...) (23 years ago, 22-Oct-01, to lugnet.general)
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