Joined: 22/07/2022(UTC) Posts: 62 Location: New South Wales, Sydney
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I have some old passenger cars that I had since I was a kid. The outside was never cleaned and has a glossy appearance now from many fingerprints with oil, grease etc... I recently bought a second hand car to match the set, which looks matt (like it should). What is the gentlest cleaning solution that will get rid of aforementioned grime WITHOUT removing delicate paint detailing ?  A bit hard to capture in the photo. Top is matt, bottom is glossy. Compare the area around the far-right windows. (If it's any value, my trains are Märklin mini-club Z-scale) Happy Modelling
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 1 user liked this useful post by Manga
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Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,928 Location: Michigan, Troy
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The glossy area looks like oil. I only use a dry soft cloth first. If that doesn't work, I use a mild soap and water. Rubbing alcohol if that doesn't work. Test first on a small less noticeable spot, like the end of the car.
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 3 users liked this useful post by marklinist5999
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Joined: 29/07/2007(UTC) Posts: 1,437 Location: Switzerland
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Breathe on the sides of the model with your mouth from very near it and simultaneously wipe the area where the breath is still visible with (for instance) a lens cleaning tissue like it is common for delicate photographic lenses. Repeat if necessary. Apply stronger fluids lightly with a soft cloth only if really necessary.
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 3 users liked this useful post by Unholz
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Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,565 Location: Paris, France
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Hi Use dishwashing liquid highly diluted with warm water (distilled water is preferrable as it leaves no residue). Never Ever use alcool to clean the marklin cars and locos as it dilutes the nitrate paint and the tampography (fine letters etc. I learned this by almost ruining an HO Märklin loco with alcool. Here is a late Märklin treasury I got. The Edelweiss Sans titre.png (1,212kb) downloaded 61 time(s).Cheers Jean |
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 4 users liked this useful post by JohnjeanB
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Joined: 26/07/2021(UTC) Posts: 635 Location: Sydney
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I use lighter fuel. Just make sure electricity is off everywhere, especially when cleaning rails! https://www.bunnings.com...-1l-shellite-1l_p1563463Also use it on architectural models for cleaning before spray painting so paint sticks. Also for cleaning pretty much all residue off all surfaces before delivering finished model.
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 1 user liked this useful post by Toosmall
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Joined: 22/07/2022(UTC) Posts: 62 Location: New South Wales, Sydney
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Thanks to all the replies.
I'll start with highly diluted dishwash liquid in distilled water (would 1 drop in 2L be considered highly diluted ?).
I'm wary of the lighter fuel, it just sounds nasty. However it states "A weak solvent that is unlikely to affect the surface of most materials"
Then again, I have isopropyl alcohol, which is also a solvent.
I'll start on a less noticeable area with more aggressive solutions if needed. I don't want the delicate white painted lettering to disappear.
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 2 users liked this useful post by Manga
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Joined: 18/03/2007(UTC) Posts: 6,764 Location: Brisbane, Australia
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Hi Manga, For HO models I agree with Stefan (unholz). I call it spit but I have for many years used this on models. It is surprising how much grime can be removed without at all affecting the paintwork or printing. Stefan says use your breath, which is a much nicer way of putting it.
regards Kimball |
HO Scale - Märklin (ep II-III and VI, C Track, digital) - 2 rail HO (Queensland Australia, UK, USA) - 3 rail OO (English Hornby Dublo) - old clockwork O gauge - Live Steam 90mm (3.1/2 inch) gauge. |
 2 users liked this useful post by kimballthurlow
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Joined: 29/07/2007(UTC) Posts: 1,437 Location: Switzerland
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Originally Posted by: kimballthurlow  I call it spit but I have for many years used this on models. It is surprising how much grime can be removed without at all affecting the paintwork or printing. Stefan says use your breath, which is a much nicer way of putting it.
Now for a moment, I'm not quite sure whether we actually mean the same method.  It's a slightly delicate topic, so I'll try to explain: I did not really refer to actual "spit" (a nicer expression might be saliva?), although this certainly can work too. I really mean "breathing" (in the sense of using the warmth of one's breath) onto the surface to form a coat of condensation and then immediately wiping over the surface with a soft "lens tissue" or a similar soft wiping cloth. Apart from this detail, I fully agree with Kimball's observation that it is surprising how much grime can be removed without at all affecting the paintwork or printing by applying this "natural" method. I hope nobody is offended by the details.
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 3 users liked this useful post by Unholz
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Joined: 15/09/2023(UTC) Posts: 103 Location: Ely, England
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Originally Posted by: Unholz  Originally Posted by: kimballthurlow  I call it spit but I have for many years used this on models. It is surprising how much grime can be removed without at all affecting the paintwork or printing. Stefan says use your breath, which is a much nicer way of putting it.
Now for a moment, I'm not quite sure whether we actually mean the same method.  It's a slightly delicate topic, so I'll try to explain: I did not really refer to actual "spit" (a nicer expression might be saliva?), although this certainly can work too. I really mean "breathing" (in the sense of using the warmth of one's breath) onto the surface to form a coat of condensation and then immediately wiping over the surface with a soft "lens tissue" or a similar soft wiping cloth. Apart from this detail, I fully agree with Kimball's observation that it is surprising how much grime can be removed without at all affecting the paintwork or printing by applying this "natural" method. I hope nobody is offended by the details. I've forever called this breathing method 'huffing' - which is what I do to clean my glasses. Huff on them and then wipe with a clean handkerchief.
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 3 users liked this useful post by dave55uk
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Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 497 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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Wasn't it in the good old days that your mama would spit on a handkerchief and wipe dirt of your face? (Not sure it ever happened to me).
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 3 users liked this useful post by Copenhagen
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Joined: 20/01/2015(UTC) Posts: 1,204 Location: Kerikeri
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I have never seen a real train which has been freshly painted [ in a matt or satin paint ]. They are always painted in gloss aren't they. You only have to look back through this forum to see pics of restored old engines etc to see how shiny they are.
Just having a dig at Marklin's non shiny [ or non authentic ] paint work. |
Northland. NZ REMEMBER 0228 for ä |
 1 user liked this useful post by dominator
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Joined: 15/12/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,594 Location: Spain
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Originally Posted by: dominator  I have never seen a real train which has been freshly painted [ in a matt or satin paint ]. They are always painted in gloss aren't they. You only have to look back through this forum to see pics of restored old engines etc to see how shiny they are. Just having a dig at Marklin's non shiny [ or non authentic ] paint work. Even with matt or satin paint, the Märklin locos looks much too new! The factory-fresh look doesnt last long in real life, as dirt, rain, wind, bugs, smoke, rust, oil etc... quickly degrades the freshness. For the DB orientrot, the suns UV light also took its fair share. I think the satin look is a nice touch, to at least kill off the "worst" factory glossiness of the model. |
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 2 users liked this useful post by hxmiesa
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