do anime figures get less dust in glass case

by Otha Keebler 8 min read
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Displaying your figures in cabinets is a good way display them and slow down the dust build-up. Glass cabinets and enclosures are popular because you can protect the figures from the dust while still being able to see them. Just make sure that the figures aren’t getting too much sunlight—sunlight will do more damage than dust ever will.

Use a Glass Display For Your Figures
Not only does its transparency work well to showcase them, but it also limits the amount of dust that covers them. Some dust does sneak in over time, but a glass case can help you make action figures and toy cleaning infrequent.
Jul 23, 2021

Full Answer

How do you display a figure without dust?

Simply spray a bit of canned air into the crevice to blast the dust free and keep it from caking up where you don't want it. Note that canned air doesn't get rid of dust, but simply loosens it and “blasts” it away from where it isn't wanted.

Does dust affect action figures?

Dust does nothing- my old Secret Wars figs have been washed off with soapy ater many time and they're still fine. Dust is mostly dirt and skin particles, pet dander, etc- nothing that hurts plastic. Not sure if dust does damage but it's a tell tell sign.

How do you clean dirty anime figures?

Use water or dishwashing liquid to help wash off any stains that a simple wipe can't remove. If there are any stains in hard to reach places, use the Q-tips. Use your second piece of microfiber cloth to pat dry your figure. If you use water for cleaning, it may leave water stains if you let it dry by itself.

Why are anime figures so cheap?

Smaller Production Runs The more units of an anime figure that a merchandise company makes, the cheaper the costs for them because they can buy the materials that are unique to one particular figure in bulk.

How do you take care of anime figures?

1:444:59Anime Figure Care 101 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI just use some cheap makeup brushes. I got my studio to get me you can use a Swiffer duster as wellMoreI just use some cheap makeup brushes. I got my studio to get me you can use a Swiffer duster as well I use that too canned air you know the stuff that you use them to clean out keyboards.

How do you get dust off figures?

The most important thing to remember is to use care when removing surface dust. The best way to clean dust from your porcelain figurines is to use a hair blower or a small, soft-bristled artist's or basting brush.

What is a good price for anime figures?

The average price of an anime figure is around $30 but can range anywhere from $10 to $20,00 depending on the character, rarity, and condition of the figure.

Do anime figures increase in value?

Some people buy figures as financial investments as the majority of figures historically increase in value over time. Others buy figures to show off their personality. It's not just about the anime they like, but also the style of the figures that reflects their personality, be it cutesy, shounen or edgy.

Why are crunchyroll figures so expensive?

It's considered art. And with any good art comes the cost to own it. With most of them being limited runs that means not everyone can have it so many want it. That in itself will drive a price up at times.

Types of Anime Figures

These figures are the cream of the crop of anime figures. Scale figures are done at a very high standard and can be very expensive. Scale figures are made at a certain scale comparative to the measurements of character. The most common scales are 1/7 and 1/8. Other scales like 1/6 and 1/4 are becoming more common though.

Where to Find Information on Anime Figures?

If you are looking for information on a figure, the go-to resource would be the MyFigureCollection database. You can also consult the manufacturer’s website although MFC’s database usually has more information. Do note however that MFC does not list any figures made by Chinese companies.

How to Order Anime Figures?

Rem scale figure by Good Smile Company — Those who failed to preorder regretted it.

Should I Buy a Bootleg?

While collecting anime figures is as expensive as it gets, it does not mean that you should go buy a bootleg just to save money. Bootlegs are of very low quality so even if you are paying less, most of the time, it still isn’t worth it. In general, bootlegs are harming the anime industry.

How to Spot a Bootleg?

You can check out our guide on how to spot a bootleg figure. Essentially, if the price is too good to be true, it usually is. This means that if you spot a figure being sold way below its fair market value, it is most likely a bootleg.

What Company Makes the Best Anime Figures?

There are many companies that make excellent quality figures. But there are also bad companies that make poor quality figures.

Hunting for the Exclusive and Limited Edition Figures

In some cases, limited and special edition figures are released. Exclusive and limited edition figures might only be sold at specific events or can only be shipped to a Japan address. Other limited figures are only sold at specific stores or have a limited production quantity.

Clean figures is important to a collector

The dust that well cake on your figures isn’t going to damage them, but as a collector you should be responsible for keeping them clean. Spending time and money getting these figures will be tough to enjoy when dust becomes part of the decoration. Luckily dust is easy to deal with, and it get’s easier with the recommendations I well be sharing.

What are the best ways to clean anime figures?

Many small brushes out their are usually under $15 dollars, so they are a good way to clean figures without spending much in the way of money. Brushes don’t need to be replaced all that often especially if you are just cleaning off dust. This is something you just buy once and keep for many years. The best kind of brush would be a keyboard brush.

Best way to clean display cases

I decided while making this post to do a little bonus and inform you how it is you should clean your display cases

Cleaning anime figures are now made easy!

Cleaning anime figures isn’t exactly a challenge, but it is something you would need to spend time on every week or two. At least it gives you more time to have some kind of an interaction with your figures instead of just looking at them. Now that you know what cleaning products/methods you should use you will keep the collection nice and clean.

How to get dust off of a figure?

If the dust on your figures is just barely noticeable, then a simple feather dusting on a regular basis is going to go a long way toward preventing long-term build-up of dust. For the dust that is a little harder to get off, compressed air is a really good way to remove it. The strong blasts of air are pretty great for scattering the dust off of your figures.

How to suck up dust in air?

If you can manage to, try to suck up the dust in the air by holding the hose about a foot or so above your figure while/after dusting them.

How to stop dust from spreading?

Dust settles everywhere—your shelves, your bed, your floor, etc. Simply walking around in your room is enough to kick up dust from your floor. When your make your bed in the morning (assuming you do), shaking your blankets and pillow is spreading a ton of dust. Doing regular upkeep goes a long way in preventing dust build up.

Why are glass cabinets and enclosures so popular?

Glass cabinets and enclosures are popular because you can protect the figures from the dust while still being able to see them. Just make sure that the figures aren’t getting too much sunlight—sunlight will do more damage than dust ever will.

Does dust damage figures?

Answer: No. At worst, dust just makes your figures look dirty; however, that’s usually the worst thing it can do. Dust does not damage your figures. If you’re looking for some items to use for cleaning the dust off your figures, I have listed some resources here.

Is compressed air good for dust?

The strong blasts of air are pretty great for scattering the dust off of your figures. Buying compressed air on regular basis may get tiresome and expensive, so if you want to save a little money in the long run, an air compressor with a blower attachment might be ideal for you.

Can you use a shot vac to clean up dust?

When you’re using the vacuum hose or shot vac to catch the dust, don’t hold it too close to your figures, especially the small ones, or else you going to be cleaning your piece or figure out of a mountain of dust and whatever else you’ve used the vacuum to clean up.

What to expect in PVC figure care?

Anime PVC figures are made from synthetic resin and paints. Both materials can show signs of aging when exposed in uncontrolled environment for long time. Knowing sources of wear and prevent them from changing your figure’s condition is the best thing to do.

What to protect your figures from?

Sun light Ultraviolet rays in sun light can make paints to fade. Keep your anime PVC figures away from direct sunlight as much as possible.

Caring Tips

Store your figures in a place where no direct sunlight hit. If you store your collection in a display case, apply UV protection film on a case and dust off your collection often. You should use UV protection film on a case even when the case is away from direct sunlight because some fluorescent lamps also make UV rays.

Enjoying Your Anime Figures

Although caring your anime PVC figures well can make their life last longer than not maintaining them, you should not be too nervous about cause of deterioration. You must be careful not to expose your collections to high temperature, but otherwise do a quick check-up on them and enjoy your PVC figures the rest of the time.

Why Figure Stickiness is Such a Big Deal?

One would probably assume that it’s not a big deal. I mean, you can just wash it off. The problem with this stickiness in anime figures is that it’s not easy to remove. I learned the hard way that the stickiness that occurs on figures can’t be fixed with a simple wipe or wash. The stickiness that happens on PVC figures is persistent and stubborn.

What Causes the Stickiness?

The stickiness in the figures is caused by the plasticizer which, in the manufacturing process, is combined with PVC to make it soft and flexible. This allows the sculptors to do their magic. This plasticizer is naturally released over time but can be hastened when storing the figure in hot conditions.

How to Fix the Stickiness?

To fix the stickiness in your figures, you will need to use dishwashing soap. Do not use liquid detergent. That stuff is nasty so there’s no telling what damage it can do to your figures. Dishwashing liquid is not as harsh as liquid detergent but I can’t be certain it won’t cause damage to your figure. So use it at your own discretion.

A New Way to Remove the Stickiness

Update: Since I first wrote this article, a few more figures have gone sticky on me. These figures have all been unboxed and displayed. One other figure that has become sticky was Tokisaki Kurumi by Kadokawa. In this case, it is the base and the part where she is resting her knees that became sticky.

How to Prevent Stickiness?

Figures becoming sticky especially for old releases is common but you can prevent it. Here are some ways to prevent stickiness in figures.

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