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Subject: 
Re: What to do first?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.general
Date: 
Sat, 5 Jan 2002 07:49:01 GMT
Viewed: 
856 times
  
In lugnet.general, Kevin Wilson writes:
Kevin Salm wrote in message ...
Naw...forget the soaking bit.  Just sort the Lego pieces by color into • pillow
cases and add them to a regular load of laundry in an automatic clothes
washer.

Just make sure you use a STRONG pillowcase, and don't keep reusing the same
one (lego bricks have sharp corners which wear the fabric).

When you have had a pillowcase break in the washer, you'll know why: it
takes a lot of time to pick all those little pieces out of the wet clothes
and the back of the washer, and they keep turning up for the next few weeks
as they work their way back out from the little crevices where they hid.
Some have very weird grinding marks on them after this experience, and the
noises the washer makes are pretty weird too.

Yes, this has happened to me - twice.

Kevin Wilson


You know, I _have_ noticed that my pillow cases are getting a bit frayed. :)
A trip to the fabric shop is overdue so that I can make new pillow cases.
And I think I will even make some smaller versions specifically for
washing Lego.

I have not had any pillow cases break open yet, but did have one come
untied so I had to fish a lot of Lego out of the washer.  Pretty sure I
got all the pieces on the first try so I will consider myself lucky.

But even having to scoop Lego pieces from the washer is still far less effort
than hand washing Lego bricks.  And what I like the best is the fast dry time
-- only 24 hours for washing machine Lego versus 72 hours for hand-washed
pieces.

So, other than not using worn out pillow cases, the only other major caution
is for breakable pieces and those that will be damaged.  Valuable minfig
torsos; bricks with older paper-based stickers; and decorated Flags should
be hand washed to prevent scratching and fading.  All other decorated and
stickered elements survive the washing machine very well.

And, while breakage of parts is rare, it can be of some concern with more
valuable pieces.

Also, I always get a few chuckles over the way that various elements become
_stuck_ to or into others.  It seems that antennas and plates really like to
get wedged in the bottom of regular bricks and lattice fence pieces attract
all kinds of other pieces.  Window glass often gets sucked out of the frames
but even the oldest pieces easily go back in place with no damaging effects.

So, for anyone considering washing Lego in an automatic clothes washer--
go right ahead.  You will save a ton of time and effort and your pieces
will look almost new again !!!


__Kevin Salm__
....Lego brick enthusiast for over 20 years....


.



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: What to do first?
 
Kevin Salm wrote in message ... (...) pillow (...) Just make sure you use a STRONG pillowcase, and don't keep reusing the same one (lego bricks have sharp corners which wear the fabric). When you have had a pillowcase break in the washer, you'll (...) (22 years ago, 5-Jan-02, to lugnet.general)

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