Action Figures, DIY tutorials, Something to think about
How To Take Care Of Action Figures & Statues
Taking care of your action figures and statues means regular dusting (at least once a month) and making sure they’re sitting on a solid surface with no risk of falling or slipping off or breaking under the statue’s weight.
How Do I Protect My Action Figures & Statues?
If you have a large statue, make sure the surface you’re placing it on can take its weight. Shelves and display cabinets have certain weight limits, so make sure to check those out first.
If your statue is the max of the weight limit, you need to choose a different surface with higher weight limit. This is especially true if you’re using glass cabinets to display your figures and statues.
The whole base should lay flat on a solid surface. If it hangs over the edge a bit, it doesn’t take a lot to be accidentally knocked over. Avoid wobbly surfaces or any surfaces that move with slightest vibrations (running around, pets, kids, outside traffic, etc.).
If you live in active fault zone area (where two tectonic plates meet), there’s an increased risk of earthquakes and cabinets should be secured to the wall to prevent them from falling over.
Non-skid pads under your statues will also prevent the statues from sliding around from vibrations.
Bear in mind any strings kept taut on the figure (like the drawstring of Connor’s bow below) will lose its elasticity over time. Most of the time it’s not an issue as it can be replaced with a new string.
Avoid Direct Sunlight
You should keep your action figures and statues from direct sunlight as the UV rays can fade or damage the paint on the figure. Lighter colors may become yellowish or fade, so best keep those in darker spots than dark-colored figures.
A lot of 1/4 and 1/6 scale figures also have fabric parts and direct sunlight can fade those as well.
Are LED Lights Safe To Use?
Yes, LED lights, which many people use to light their collectible displays, are safe to use. They emit minimal UV and also give off barely any heat. If you’re using older lightbulbs, make sure to keep the figures away from them as the heat could damage them. Switch to LED lights for peace of mind. 🙂
Does Hot Or Cold Weather Affect Figures & Statues?
Extreme weather conditions can damage your figures. The best way to store your figures is at room temperature, away from things that generate heat (lightbulbs, air vents, radiators, etc.). Heat can melt and deform PVC figures, resin statues can also deform. Heat can cause paint to bubble.
Try to keep the humidity around 40%. Too much humidity can cause loose joints in action figures, peeling paint and also mold, which isn’t good for the figure or statue nor you.
Avoid Dust
Dust is the enemy number one for action figures and statues. Unfortunately it’s impossible to have a completely dust free home and if your home is drafty, you’ll see that it gathers more dust.
How Do I Keep My Collectibles Clean?
Well, the easiest way would be to keep them in their boxes. But not all figures and statues come in cute boxes and not everyone has space for boxes.
Not sure if you want to unbox? Read my article about unboxing!
Avoid Canned Air & Electric Dusters
Canned air, while great for cleaning electronics and inside PC cases, is not very suitable for figures and statues. It can chip away at paint and if you’re using too much, it can damage more fragile parts which can fall off and break.
Can I Use Water & Soap?
Generally try to avoid water and any chemicals. If you get a new figure and can see small dirty streaks from production, take a clean microfiber cloth, dip it in lukewarm water and gently try to clean it off.
Don’t try to wipe the dust with wet cloth, it will just move the dust around and create those wet dark dust lumps which are hard to get out.
Use Make-up & Anti-static Brushes, Microfiber Cloth
The best way to get rid of dust on your figures and statues is to use soft, clean make-up brushes. I personally use make-up brushes and people I know do too.
A basic set of brushes no more than $10 will do great (try this one), plus the brushes are in various sizes, so you can use the larger ones for large areas and small ones for all the nooks and crannies. They are gentle and won’t scratch the paint.
There are also soft anti-static brushes which the dust will grip onto. I find that make-up brushes do the job well but you can try the anti-static one (try this one). Microfiber cloths are great for large surfaces and they often come in an inexpensive multipack (like this one).
How To Clean Action Figures & Statues From Dust
If you have a collection of FunkoPOP figures, you can simply wipe them with dry microfiber cloth. Bigger and sturdy statues can be wiped down this way as well, though you will probably need to use smaller make-up brushes for wiping dust from detailing.
Getting up close and personal with the statue will remind you of all the sweet little details that you may have forgotten about and appreciate the statue again and again.
Dusting your figures once a month should be sufficient for most, if you keep them inside a closed case it can be less often, depending on the environment. Definitely don’t let the figures and statues gather a thick layer of dust as that’s harder to get rid of.
- Move your figures/statues one by one from their display, ideally outside. Take care not to drop them! 🙂
- If your figure has removable accessories, make sure to remove them first.
- Gently wipe sturdier large pieces with dry microfiber cloth.
- Use bigger make-up brushes for larger areas.
- Use smaller make-up brushes to clean tiny spaces in the detailing of the figure/statue.
- Don’t forget to dust off the base and the display shelf/cabinet!
If you like to display your FunkoPOP figures in their boxes, make sure to wipe the boxes from dust as well!
Dusting regularly will also give you the opportunity to pose your action figures differently!
Check The Batteries
If your statue comes with batteries, periodically make sure that haven’t leaked. If you’re dusting once a month, open the battery compartment and check whether everything looks okay. If you’re not using any battery-powered features on your statue, might as well take them out.
What Is The Best Way To Display Action Figures & Statues?
The best way to display your action figures and statues is in a closed cabinet with glass to minimize dust piling up. Of course not everyone has the space or can afford a new cabinet just for their collectibles, so they have to make do with what surface is already available.
My room has custom made furniture and really no space for more cabinets, so I have to make do with the shelves that I do have. I don’t have that many figures (yet), so they don’t take up much space. Only the front of the shelf is open, so they’re a bit more shielded.
A lot of collectors use IKEA furniture and cabinets, which is an inexpensive way to display their figures and statues. IKEA furniture is highly customizable and will fit into any interior.
Here are some most used IKEA display cabinets for figures and statues:
- FABRIKÖR glass door cabinet
- DETOLF cabinet
- BESTÅ storage (doors can be switched for glass ones)
- KALLAX shelf unit
As mentioned above, always check the weight limit of each piece and the sizes of the shelves to make sure your figures and statues (including base!) fit the dimensions.
If you have more money to spare, check out ModuCase which offers stackable cabinets. You can find a few single pieces on Sideshow. Or you can have a custom cabinets by a local carpenter or you can try building them yourself!
How To Store Action Figures & Statues
If you are putting your figures or statues into storage, make sure you take out all batteries if the collectible has them. Over time batteries can leak and corrode the contacts inside the battery compartment.
While handy, garage or an attic is not the best place to store your statues. The temperature inside can change rapidly even during the day. If you don’t have the space, renting some secured storage space might be a solution for you.
Make sure you are renting climate controlled storage unit, especially if you live in an extremely hot/cold areas.
Can I Store Action Figures In Plastic Bags?
As some figures come in the dreaded blister packaging, chances are you’re not keeping the destroyed packaging. Plastic bags can be a good first step of protecting your action figures in storage. However, be sure to use acid-free/archival-safe plastic bags.
If you have more action figures like this, you can store them in a plastic box with some silica gel packets for absorbing moisture and bubblewrap to minimize any damage. Plastic boxes are better than cardboard and pests are less likely to eat through it.
You can buy acid-free and archival-safe plastic bags and boxes for collectibles here.
How To Store Large Figures & Statues?
If you bought a large statue (1/4 scale and higher, like the Animus collection I wrote about here), it usually comes in parts safely wrapped in polystyrene (i.e. Styrofoam). If you can keep both the box and the Styrofoam, I recommend doing so.
If you move in the future (or decide to sell), it’s going to make transporting large figures much easier.
Conclusion
Collecting action figures and statues is a matter of the heart. A lot of money goes into this hobby, so you should take care of your collectibles by protecting them from falling and sliding around, making sure they’re on a solid surface and dust them off generally about once a month.
Dana
I’m a 30-something year-old woman and more of a gamer than I’ve ever been before. Ever since I was a little kid, I’d play games on our PC. I'm here to help you find great, quality video game merchandise and talk about your favorite video games and everything related to them. :)
