Article Summary

How to keep dust off displayed LEGO sets, from acrylic cases and glass cabinets to placement, and how to clean a dusty set or a box of loose bricks the way LEGO recommends.

The surest way to keep dust off a LEGO set is a closed case: an acrylic cover over a single set or a glass-door cabinet for several. On open shelves, dust settles whatever you do, so dust regularly with a soft brush, and take a properly dirty set apart to wash the pieces by hand, the way LEGO recommends.

Quick answer: one prized set, an acrylic case sized to it. Several sets, a glass-door cabinet. Open shelves, a soft brush and compressed air. Washing, by hand in water no hotter than 40°C (104°F), never in a dishwasher or washing machine. Keep everything out of direct sun.

Display cases

Acrylic cases

Acrylic covers made for LEGO sets are light, clear and less likely to break than glass, and many are sold sized to particular sets. They scratch more easily than glass, so clean them with a soft cloth. If the case will sit near a window, look for acrylic described as UV filtering. Shop acrylic LEGO display cases

Glass-door cabinets

A glass cabinet protects several sets at once and resists scratches. Check the shelf load and the inside dimensions before you buy: IKEA, for example, rates each shelf of its BLÅLIDEN cabinet for 7 lb and each shelf of its FABRIKÖR cabinet for 22 lb. Our guide to IKEA furniture for LEGO displays covers sizes and anchoring.

Bookcases with glass doors

A bookcase with glass doors keeps much of the dust off for less than a cabinet, though dust still gets in around the doors.

Storage boxes for sets you are not displaying

For sets in storage, lidded plastic boxes keep dust off, and are better than cardboard, which takes on moisture.

Keeping dust down on open shelves

  • Placement: keep sets away from heating vents and open windows, and out of direct sunlight.
  • Room cleaning: less dust in the room means less on the shelf; regular vacuuming and dusting help.
  • Air filtration: an air purifier with a HEPA filter reduces airborne dust in a room. Shop HEPA air purifiers

Cleaning a dusty built set

  1. Brush first: sweep dust off with a soft, dry brush, working from the top down. Shop soft brushes
  2. Tight spots: short bursts of compressed air, holding the can upright. Shop compressed air dusters
  3. Flat surfaces: a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Shop microfiber cloths
  4. Vacuum, carefully: on a low setting with a brush attachment and a piece of stocking over the nozzle, so small parts are not sucked in.
  5. Grime rather than dust: take the set apart and wash the pieces, as below.

Washing loose bricks, the way LEGO recommends

  • Separate stickered, printed and electronic parts first.
  • Wash by hand in water no hotter than 40°C (104°F), with a soft cloth or sponge.
  • Add a mild detergent if needed, then rinse well with clear water.
  • Do not use a washing machine or dishwasher.
  • Dry in the air, out of direct sunlight; never in an oven, a microwave or with a hair dryer. LEGO says bricks that get very hot can change shape and stop fitting.
  • Wipe electronic parts with a cloth moistened with water and a mild detergent without perfume or oil.

Sunlight and yellowing

Long exposure to direct sunlight can fade colored bricks and yellow white and pale ones, so the best protection is placement: keep displays out of direct sun, and choose UV-filtering acrylic or glass for a case near a window. Some collectors try to reverse yellowing with hydrogen peroxide, known as retrobrighting; LEGO's cleaning guidance does not cover it, results vary, and it can damage printed or stickered parts.

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