Protecting figures from dust

[Leyster]

Hello everyone, it's been a while, life took its toll. Anyway, I moved and I'm no longer able to use the Billy cabinets I used to shield figures from dust. So I was wondering, does anybody here leave their figures "unprotected"? How do you dust them? How often? Is there anything you can do to prevent dust buildup? I've read something about high HEPA air purifiers, but since they're not exactly cheap I thought of asking first.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

[SenSx]

Good question, I don't have a glass in front of it to protect my figures, and not only the dinosaurs 
So I just dust them with the Tamiya pencil.

Optimal clean is 1 peer month imo, more than that would be annoying for me.
But I got to admit sometimes it's more every two months 
I'll try to improve on that.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

My collection hasn't been on display for a while now but it was a few years ago (5,000+ piece collection) on open book cases.

For me, I just would take a weekend and take everything off the book cases (13+) and dust the shelving. Then as I reorganized the displays and put things back I dusted them as I went. It can be time consuming, but even with such a big collection I could complete it with in a day if I worked at it and went uninterrupted. For me, it was a great chance to get reacquainted with the models, practice some curation skills with displays, and I usually put on a movie/documentary or audiobook/music to listen to while I did it.

Sadly, I don't think there is a way to get around the dust issue!

**EDIT: My collection was also in a rarely used  large basement room, so there was dust still but not a ton, and they were not in a direct display for visitors to see. I dusted every few months initially, but as it to be a bigger job twice a year.

[Concavenator]

I don't have a cabinet to display my figures in, either (though I certainly hope to get one when I have the chance!).

I've been dusting my figures once a month for years. I dust both the figures and the shelves they're exposed at. Generally, I use a duster like this for most of the figures:

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However, for very small figures (like Kaiyodo's Yi or the BotM 1:18 Velociraptor), and in order to allow for a better control, I use a glasses cloth, like this:

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I would say it takes me about 20 min to dust both my figures and the shelves they're exposed at, but my collection is only 17 figures at the moment.  That's a fraction of most people's collections.

[Halichoeres]

The only way to keep dust off of them is to put them behind a barrier. You can reduce dust by putting them in the least-used part of the house. Otherwise, it's a matter of removing it periodically. I have a lot of shelves so I'll do one every weekend or so I eventually get to everybody (although quite a few of mine are behind glass).

[Bread]

Another method is using these air cans for keyboard cleaning.



Just do not spray your figures too hard as it does create moisture, just light sprays from a distance help spray the dust off, allowing you to then wipe all the excess dust off the area at which the figure stands.

[Halichoeres]

I would have guessed that compressed air would be hard on paint, but has that not been your experience @Bread?

[stargatedalek]

Compressed air is very gentle, not like a pressure washer. I can not imagine it doing anything to paint unless maybe it was already flaked and lifting off the figure.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Same. I used a combination of a manual fluffy duster thing and canned air. In my broad collection (japanese brands, modern, vintage, original finish, damaged finish, and customized) I have never had an issue.

The only detraction is that the can will freeze on the outside (due to physics of compression) so you might want to have 2-3 cans to swap between if you have a large collection, or realize the can may need some time in between uses to warm up again.

[Bread]

I would have guessed that compressed air would be hard on paint, but has that not been your experience @Bread?

I've never sprayed a figure with a full repaint directly, and even if it would be a split second. So I would say no it does not damage paint, but I am afraid of the strong spray of moisture that sometimes is produced by the can.

Compressed air is very gentle, not like a pressure washer. I can not imagine it doing anything to paint unless maybe it was already flaked and lifting off the figure.

Correct, and just to add it's super gentle even on a full press of the spray. I'm not even worried about it possibly causing a figure to fall over. Though like I stated earlier holding down the spray can cause a splash of moisture.

[Bread]

The only detraction is that the can will freeze on the outside (due to physics of compression) so you might want to have 2-3 cans to swap between if you have a large collection, or realize the can may need some time in between uses to warm up again.

I second this as well. Typically I order the three can pack on Amazon for ~$16.
Just look up "keyboard cleaner air can" and it will be most likely the first result

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Yeah, it goes by a few names in the US. Electronics spray/cleaner is common, or even "canned air". It does work well though as long as it done with some regularity (before it bonds with natural oils from your skin transferred during handling and other air pollutants [if your collection is near your kitchen for example]).

[Joliezac]

My dinosaur collection is open to the air. I have an air purifier I got recently and it has really made a difference. Every 1-2 months I take each dinosaur down and wipe them with a cloth. More fragile figures I take outside and spray with canned air. I also use makeup brushes on the teeth and mouths to get dust out. All my figures are in my bedroom so I try to minimize dust as much as possible by vacuuming 1-2 times a week, leaving my door and windows shut.

[Halichoeres]

Good to know, thanks everyone! Today I learned.