How to clean and care for statues and figures

Dusting

• Use a soft, clean make-up brush or a camera air blower. They reach folds and hair without pressure.
• Work from the top down, holding the piece by its base or its torso, never by a thin part.
• Avoid feather dusters and cloths on detailed areas: they catch on small parts.
• For a mark that does not brush off, use a cotton bud barely dampened with water, and test it first somewhere hidden.
• Do not use alcohol, solvents or household cleaners. They can dissolve paint and leave clear parts cloudy.

Sunlight

Direct sun is the main long-term enemy. Ultraviolet light fades paint, yellows white and clear parts and makes some plastics brittle. Keep displays away from windows, or use blinds or UV-filtering film on the glass.

Heat and leaning

PVC figures soften with heat. In a warm room, a figure standing on one leg or holding a heavy weapon can lean slowly over the months. Keep them away from radiators, lamps that give heat and closed cabinets in the sun, and use the supports that came in the box.

Humidity

High humidity encourages mould on fabric clothing and on the foam inside boxes, and can lift decals. A room that is comfortable for people is fine for a collection; a damp basement or an uninsulated attic is not.

Sticky figures

Some PVC figures become tacky after years, especially when kept sealed in their box or in a closed space, as the plasticiser comes to the surface. Washing gently with lukewarm water and a little mild soap, then drying fully in the air, usually helps. Giving figures some air prevents it.

Handling

• Wash and dry your hands first. Skin oils mark matte paint.
• Lift with two hands from the base and the strongest part of the body.
• Take off swords, wings and other swap-out parts before moving a statue.

Keep the boxes

The original box and its shaped foam are the safest way to move or ship a statue, and a complete box raises the value if you ever sell. Store them flat-packed where you can, in a dry place.

Packing for a move

1. Photograph each piece before packing, including any flaw it already has.
2. Remove every detachable part and wrap each one separately.
3. Put the piece back in its own foam and box. If you no longer have them, wrap it in soft foam, not in newspaper.
4. Place the box inside a larger one with padding on all six sides.
5. Mark the top side, and move the heaviest pieces yourself if you can.

When something breaks

Keep every fragment in a bag. Clean breaks in resin and polystone can often be repaired almost invisibly by a specialist, and a repair you attempt in a hurry with instant glue is harder to correct later. Note the damage and the repair in your records; it matters for the value.