How to Clean Model Cars

Model cars have been a favorite hobby of people for years. Many models find themselves stored on bookshelves or desks for the majority of the time, and rarely moved due to their fragile nature. During this time they can collect dust and grime from their surroundings. While many hobby shops sell special tools to clean them, there are ways to keep them clean from home without having to spend anything.

• Compressed air - Compressed air cans are very common products at home now, used for cleaning out computers. Air is also a wonderful tool for dusting models without fear of doing any damage. It's important to follow the manufacture's instructions on usage prior to starting and checking for any loose parts that may be blown off by the air. While cleaning by air is simple, it's best suited for light dusting as opposed to deep cleaning.

• Warm bath - Dipping a model into a warm bath filled with a mild detergent is a very common way to clean a model. This approach allows deeper cleaning than a simple dusting. The bath itself should be only a few moments and one must remember to take care when patting it dry as to not scrape off any paint or decals. This is also an ideal step to take before building a model to assure a smooth casting to work with during assembly.

• Damp cloth - An alternative to the bath is to simply wipe the model down with a damp cloth. It is important to use a soft, lint-free cloth to avoid scratching the paint. Using warm water to lightly damp the cloth is preferred to most chemicals to cut back on any potential damage a cleaning solution may pose.

• Protecting the Model - A good way to head off having to clean a model is to keep dust and grime from ever touching it at all. Most hobby stores sell display cases in different sizes to display models. These cases are often quite inexpensive and can add to the visual appeal of a model as well as keep it safer from the elements than it would exposed.