15
votes
Accepted
Remove 3, maybe 4, decades old PVA glue from Lego
Take it for what it is, I am not a material scientist and this is not a guarantee that the following information will work in your case.
I believe your approach is correct, or at least as good as you'...
- 929
12
votes
Remove 3, maybe 4, decades old PVA glue from Lego
Self-answer to let you all know how things went.
Warm water was having some effect but it took forever. So Saturday morning I went to the DIY store and got myself a 5 liter jerrycan of white vinegar.
...
- 1,192
8
votes
Accepted
Does soaking Lego pieces in isopropyl alcohol discolor or otherwise damage them?
First of all, sorry for your loss and we all wish you good luck recovering your bricks!
As for cleaning LEGO bricks, if you need to remove physically visible dirt, here you can find lots of tips on ...
- 14.7k
6
votes
Accepted
How can I remove old LEGO bricks that are stuck together?
Try using this brick separator tool
Source: https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Brick-Separator-630
A simpler version used to come with older sets. Some of the images demonstrate how the tool may be used ...
- 76
6
votes
Accepted
How to protect my LEGO city from the dust?
Where I'm from it's called Plexiglas. Other tradenames are Crylux, Acrylite, Lucite or Perspex...
Anyway, you can get sheets of it cut to size in D.I.Y-shops or hardware stores to build your own domes....
- 9,844
6
votes
Accepted
Lego Duplo Train Track Switcher washable? / Best way to clean them?
According to this page it is glued together and can not be opened without damaging the part
You are correct about it containing a metal spring
I would just wipe it with a slighty wet towel
- 11.8k
5
votes
Remove decals from LEGO Friends mini-dolls
Pure eucalyptus oil works excellent, won't damage your minifigs, (and it smells good too!). You can get it in small bottles at health-food stores, pharmacies, and Asian stores. You don't need much, so ...
- 10.2k
5
votes
Accepted
How can I stop bricks 'skating' over plates?
I suspect you are encountering an effect similar to what happens when stacking large plates together. 6x4 doesn’t seem particularly large but any area larger than 2x2 can be difficult to initially ...
- 2,607
4
votes
Is it safe to wash LEGO pieces in the dishwasher?
I have washed thousands of Lego and Duplo bricks in the washing machine as per the suggestion of Lego Store staff that have kid's events. The Lego stores use washing machines. None of by bricks have ...
- 107
4
votes
Restoring valuable minifigures
First off be very careful of the printing on the minifigure, the plastic is quite durable but the printing can wipe off rather easily. I list a few different methods to remove permanent marker all ...
- 1,357
4
votes
What kind of soap can I use to clean LEGO?
The official guidance from The LEGO group suggests using a mild detergent.
Cleaning your LEGO® bricks is really easy! We recommend that you clean
your LEGO® parts by hand using water no hotter than ...
- 17.5k
3
votes
How to remove printed decoration
I got good results using Soft Scrub with Bleach, an old towel, a Scotch-Brite scrubber sponge (the green and yellow one), a bottle brush, and a pile of Q-tips.
Put a dollop of Soft Scrub on an old ...
3
votes
How to remove printed decoration
I tried Eucalyptus Oil a found on some figures it worked very slowly and took a lot of rubbing, while on other figures it worked on very quickly.
I don't know what the difference in the figures paint/...
- 31
3
votes
Is it safe to wash LEGO pieces in the dishwasher?
Don't use the dishwasher. My husband misread washing machine and we put them in the dishwasher nearly half of them warped!
- 31
3
votes
Accepted
Neutralize brick scent
I've read that vinegar or baking soda (but not both at the same time!) can remove scents. If I were you I'd start trying with the baking soda, since the vinegar itself has some odor.
Activated ...
- 14.7k
3
votes
Cleaning Bricklink pieces bought as "new"
No. 10 out of 10 orders were in perfect condition. Cleaning the bricks would have been a waste of time, and would have added unneccessary scratches.
- 2,595
3
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to sand/polish LEGO bricks?
It is definitely possible, since ABS is a plastic that can be either mechanically or chemically affected. Cleaning bricks is a well-studied field, you will find useful information regarding this topic ...
- 14.7k
3
votes
Why are different ID informations printed in the inside of the same sort of bricks?
On newer pieces (maybe also the newest of the ones you show), there's a number identifying the mold and one identifying the position in the mold, allowing LEGO to trace a problem all the way back and ...
2
votes
How to clean dirty white tiles?
Check out this previous question. There is a solution called "retr0brite" in which you make a chemical compound that you apply to the yellowed bricks, leave them exposed to light for a while, and the ...
- 16.6k
2
votes
LEGO Cleaning/Sterilisation
There is no LEGO product specifically meant for this, however you can use third-party laundry-bags, or even a pillow-case, to wash your LEGO in the dishwasher or washing-machine. If you use the ...
- 10.2k
2
votes
How to protect my LEGO city from the dust?
I know it is a bit simplistic, but you might try just using a light sheet. If it is a light, tight fabric, it probably will go on and off pretty easily.
If you have lots of delicate parts on your ...
- 233
2
votes
How can I remove old LEGO bricks that are stuck together?
(@emagar has done the editing asked by moderator)
Leverage does the trick with no need for spacial separators or tools that might damage LEGO plastic. Use a long brick as lever, a smaller brick as ...
- 21
2
votes
How to remove printed decoration
I used tea tree oil, it worked but tended to leve a ghost and if removed that would impair the plastics ability to reflect sunlight.
- 21
2
votes
Is it possible to dismantle and refurbish an original 870 Technic motor?
While it is important to keep old and rare Lego pieces in good condition;
looking at the part in LDCAD, it does not look like there are any screws to take it to pieces, so I think it is internally ...
2
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to dismantle and refurbish an original 870 Technic motor?
Being very curious as a kid, I tried to disassemble one; from what I remember the cap where the plug goes in was sealed/glued quite firmly and not only was removing it a challenge; putting it back ...
- 21.1k
2
votes
How To Deal With Hydrogen Peroxide After De-Yellowing?
After doing a simple search, it seems that the general consensus is, it's okay to pour the used amount down the drain.
Most of us get it. The stuff's been sitting in your house taking up space, ...
- 8,893
2
votes
Accepted
Separating old 2 x 4 brick with wheel holder
I actually have one of these that comes apart easily (no idea where the internal tubes are).
It appears that the glue that used to hold them together gave out. You can still see where it used to be, ...
- 13.3k
1
vote
What is an effective way to clean clear LEGO bricks?
Almost all LEGO can be washed with dish soap and warm water (Do not use dish washer soap though, it sometimes contains grit to help grind off dried food. This will scratch your bricks)
Second best ...
- 761
1
vote
How to clear off oils in a way that will not damage the plastic?
Your question is general, so I'll try to answer generally, but I'll use the pneumatic cylinder as an example since you mentioned it.
If applicable, the first thing you'll want to do is break down the ...
- 37.1k
1
vote
LEGO Cleaning/Sterilisation
I don't know if this is the generally accepted method, but when I cleaned my old pieces, I put them in a washbasin in soapy water and then used a soft toothbrush to clean them off. After that I just ...
- 161
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