Proper way to dust your collection.

A feather duster. Maybe a soft artist brush

I always used make-up brushes, as they are VERY soft, and come in a variety of sizes and handle lengths.

Like Hot Water referred to, make-up brushes.  They're cheap on Amazon.  Anywhere from $.93 to $3.49 depending on the size.

Swiffer Wipes

@EMD posted:

Swiffer Wipes

Just my opinion but, since all my equipment was weathered, there is no way I would ever use those chemically treated wipes!!!

Dust???  Dust is natural weathering.   I won't have none of that de-weathering stuff!  Not me.... LOL!

@Hot Water posted:

I always used make-up brushes, as they are VERY soft, and come in a variety of sizes and handle lengths.

Doesn't the makeup mar the finish?

@phrankenstign posted:

Doesn't the makeup mar the finish?

Absolutely not! I used various size make-up brushes on EVERYTHING, i.e. rolling stock, locomotives, and buildings. With the brush in one hand and the vacuum tube in the other, the dust was gone into the vacuum cleaner.

After watching all those antique shows, I now just leave everything alone and call it “patina”.

An old paint brush to clean out the dust. As others have said, patina is not a dirty word.....no pun intended.

Bob

I have a small Craftsman shop vac. It has two nozzles: one blows, while the other sucks. I'm thinking of building a "drive through" building wherein the "blow" nozzle hits the car/engine first and the "suck nozzle" then removes any freed-up dust.

Hal

If the dust has been there awhile, dusting with a brush of any kind isn't going to remove it, or will just remove the top layer. Nor will it have any effect on removing whatever tobacco smell is attached. Also, keep in mind that dust is an abrasive; if brushed or rubbed against a surface, it can cause minute scratches in the finish. My suggestion is:

Do one car at a time. Get a couple of bathcloths. Go to the kitchen sink and turn the water on at a low rate, lukewarm. Soak one of the cloths and apply a little gentle dish soap like Dawn, and sudse that up in the cloth. Your other bathcloth will be left dry and used to dry off the cars. Hold the car upside down in your hand over the sink next to the spout, and with the other hand, cup some water and gently apply water the length of the top. The water serves as a lubricant and not only starts to clean, but will prevent the dust from having any abrasive effect. Then use the soapy cloth (make sure it's fairly well soaked with water) and softly wash the top of the car with light back and forth motions. Avoid any hard rubbing. After that, use the cupped hand technique again and carefully apply clean water to the top, washing off the soap. There may be some areas where a very soft toothbrush may help in cracks, etc. Just be sure you only brush lightly, and that there's water and soap on the surface as you gently brush. Then dry with your other cloth. If there are some bits of water stuck under something after you've dried, just blow it out and wipe it up with the cloth. Obviously, you want to keep water out of the inside of the car, and the truck areas, but holding the car upside down in your hand and not splashing too much takes care of that.

This process actually goes pretty fast - usually not more than a couple of minutes per car. This will be a complete wash and will remove all layers of dust, and should help remove the smoke smell as well. It most cases it leaves a extremely clean and great-looking finish that is far superior to just brushing the surface with a brush of some type.

Another thumbs up for make-up brushes

I use throw away 1 inch paint brush but somewhere on this forum some one posted a video where the use a feather type duster in a tunnel that every time a train goes through it is dusted.

From my sweetheart.

Most of the cleaning is done on the workbench, an air hose, with very low air pressure, speeds the cleaning.  Open display tends to become greasy, after awhile, even in a non-smoke home.   Windex, in a spray bottle, works as a solvent.  The Weaver M1a pictured above, came from a smoke environment, 15 years later, you can still smell smoke.   Mike CT.

I also use makeup brushes to remove dust but use a slightly stiffer brush on running gear.  Also use tweezers to remove pet hair from running gear.  Pet hair is my enemy but it's impossible to keep the cats off the layout.

@Mike CT posted:

From my sweetheart.

   

Most of the cleaning is done on the workbench, an air hose, with very low air pressure, speeds the cleaning.  Open display tends to become greasy, after awhile, even in a non-smoke home.   Windex, in a spray bottle, works as a solvent.  The Weaver M1a pictured above, came from a smoke environment, 15 years later, you can still smell smoke.   Mike CT.

How about that smoke fluid smell Mike.

I really like the scents that are available these days but after a couple of day running trains the oily scent material left behind isnt the same as when first used.  ............  Something like maybe the gang got together in the observation car with a card game and a generous amount of  cigars and adult beverages.

Thanks everyone  for the input and the detail of "the process to use". I was concerned about "rubbing the surface" because dust can be abrasive. Also the scent of smoke. In the old days (early 70's) everyone I knew collecting postwar was squirting with Pledge or WD40..Like they say- "anything worth doing is worth doing right."

Depending on how bad the locomotive is (think eBay), I use Phoenix Disc cleaner and special q-tips (very soft and abosrbent, not hard ended) and use them to wipe every visible part of the train.  I find it very effective to remove oil from ABS as well.  I wear nitrile gloves when handling all my items as well.  What can I say? I have issues.

Anthony

Dumb question...I take it that Phoenix Disc cleaner is for computer CD's?  Sounds like a safe method!

@Rockyroad - It is.  Hopefully they haven't changed the formula.  A friend of mine now uses it to clean a special black mirrored piece of artwork that got heavy hand handled.  I know it's probably overkill but I've been so happy with the results.

A

I don't use smoke often for the very reason stated in some of the previous posts.  I use a "lipstick" retractible very soft makeup brush frequently on the equipment out on the layout.

@Number 90 - I gave up on smoke as well. If you look under "The Stuff I Love", you'll see a Lionel RI GP7.  If you look closely around the grill, you'll see some ABS damage from where the previous owner filled the unit full of smoke fluid and then put it back in the box.  The damage is actually much more extensive than appears in the photo (I took the best one).  Photos taken at an angle really show the extent of the "discoloration".  Not a big deal though since that unit was purchased for the motor and chassis and the shell is to be replaced with the Lionel RI GP7 (unpowered).

A

For routine dusting, you only need one of these, a photo lens brush. You can get them for $5 on Amazon. Same soft bristles, which don’t shed as easily as makeup brushes.

This is what I have done for several years

To minimize dust in the layout room:  HEPA AIR PURIFIER. Model 50250-S True HEPA Air Purifier,   I have two of them

To prevent the dust that does get through from landing on your trains:, cars, trucks, and any hard surfaces: STATICIDE

To blow off any residual dust:  AEROSOL DUSTER (sometimes needs a soft brush for encouragement)

Taken care of...

Ok. Dks  way wins in my book.