What to use to clean your armor after each troop

[Jorran]

Last night I completed my very first troop (can we say: AWESOME!!!!), and I remember reading a thread here somewhere that said to keep your armor in good shape for years to come you should always lay it out when you get home and clean it up after each troop. Of course, I can't find that thread now.

 

I don't want to clean up everything - I definitely want that "lived in" look that scuffs, dings, and scratches bring to the TK look - but I do want to preserve my suit as long as I possibly can, particularly since The Boss ( :leia: ) has informed me that this will be the only armor that I ever have!

 

So my question is, what do you guys use to clean up your armor after you're done with a troop? For reference, I have an ABS TK.

 

Thanks!

[BananoPower22[TK]]

I don't have any fancy cleaning products, but what I do after a troop is that I use a cloth and try to clean the inside of the pieces so no sweat gets left there, then i leave it ouside for a couple of hours so it 'breathes', later i store it back in the box along with a couple of moth balls so it stays fresh. moth balls smell weird, but they've worked so far

[gazmosis[501st]]

I do nothing. My long term goal is for my armor to take on a life of its own.

[BananoPower22[TK]]

I bet your experiment must have a very unique smell...

[TK_LEPER]

Rinse with water, dry off, and use novus plastic cleaner. I would recommend you get yourself some microfiber towels to finish the job.

Edited October 29, 2011 by TK 4702

[adamwankenobi]

What TK 4702 said, but I also use an all purpose cleaner on the inside of armor parts that are prone to collect sweat. I also always wash my under suit. Once you have stood next to a trooper who doesn't, you'll understand why.

[TK_LEPER]

I would be concerned about discoloration with most cleaners.

[gazmosis[501st]]

I mean that I do wash the undersuit. The only thing I really clean is the black area that is left by the holster onl my thigh. I just use car polish.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

you have to be careful of car polishes they can contribute to rust metals embedding into the surface.

 

novus number one- clean and shine.

[SuperTrooper]

I use a Mr. Clean magic eraser to get off the major scuffs, I leave the rest. I always seem to bump into the colorfully painted clones and wind up with a red, blue, or yellow streak on my armor.

[Vultren]

I use a Mr. Clean magic eraser to get off the major scuffs, I leave the rest. I always seem to bump into the colorfully painted clones and wind up with a red, blue, or yellow streak on my armor.

 

Ah you beat me to the post. But yes, magic eraser is absolutely the best. I still don't understand how it works.

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

 

Ah you beat me to the post. But yes, magic eraser is absolutely the best. I still don't understand how it works.

 

What part of magic did you not understand?

 

My new nomex gloves got all manner of black on my armor and helmet today. A Mr. Clean sponge rubbed that stuff right off.... where a mildly soapy rag wasn't doing much.

 

Aloha,

 

-Eric

[TK_LEPER]

Ah the magic of chemistry

[geordietrooper]

cleaning armour is for sissys

[Jorran]

Thanks for all the tips. Where can you buy the Novus Plastic Cleaner and/or Mr. Clean Magic Eraser? I'm guessing Wal-Mart.

[SuperTrooper]

You can get the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser from any department/grocery store in the household cleaning area. Novus you will need to contact boat marina shops, plastic distributors or get it online. The cheapest I've found it online is from amazon for $8.

[bobojuice]

Cleaning armor is for desk jockeys. I let mine accumulate dings and dirt. Also, I had my old armor for over 2 years and never once cleaned the inside and it didn't smell one bit. The one thing you need to always remember is when you come home after a troop, keep your bin open for the rest of the day so the armor can air out. Oh, and always wash your under armor.

[Jorran]

Got the UA washed right away. The one spot I definitely want to clean up is where my blaster rubbed against my armor while it was holstered. That black smudge just doesn't say "realistic battle wear and tear" to me. Otherwise I'll let most of the dings build up over time.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

I would not use "magic eraser" as it possibly has solvent type cleaning agents.

 

even soap can have metals in it, and those metals get left behind and can yellow armor.

 

how many of you have had armor for 4-5 years with no yellowing?

 

trooperbay sells 8oz bottles of novus 2. works great!

Edited October 31, 2011 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[bobojuice]

Magic Erasers do not contain chemicals so that part is fine. The part that I would say to steer clear of them is that they act as a sort of sandpaper. The foam in Magic Erasers is actually kind of like a glass, so if you use them on your shiny armor, it might not be so shiny afterwards.

 

Here's a link for those that want more info on how they work: http://home.howstuffworks.com/magic-eraser1.htm

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

luis. you have some interesting information: but meamine foam products are a co polymer and they do leave a residue.

 

here is the WIKI which shows more information on the micro fine sandpaper aspects, and the CHEMICAL residue which has metallic co polymers!

 

 

quote:

 

"

Melamine foam is a foam-like material consisting of a formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer.

The foam is manufactured in Germany by BASF under the name "Basotect". It has been used for over 20 years as insulation for pipes and ductwork, and has a long history as a soundproofing material for studios, sound stages, auditoriums, and the like. The low smoke and flame properties of melamine foam prevent it from being a fire hazard^{[citation needed]}.

 

Contents

[hide]

• 1 As a cleaner
  
• 2 See also
  
• 3 References
  
• 4 External links
  

[edit] As a cleaner

 

 

In the early 21st century it was discovered that melamine foam was an effective abrasive cleaner.^{[citation needed]} The open cell foam is microporous and its polymeric substance is very hard, so that when used for cleaning it works like extremely fine sandpaper, getting into tiny grooves and pits in the object being cleaned. On a larger scale the material feels soft. Because the bubbles interconnect, its structure is more like a maze of fiberglass strands, when compared to the array of separate bubbles in a material such as expanded polystyrene foam (for example, Styrofoam).

Rubbing with a slightly moistened foam may remove otherwise "uncleanable" external markings from surfaces. For example, it can remove crayon, magic marker, and grease from painted walls, wood finishings, plastic-adhering paints from treated wooden tables, adhesive residue, and grime from hub caps^{[citation needed]}. If the surface being cleaned is not sufficiently hard, it may be finely scratched by the melamine material. The foam wears away, rather like a pencil eraser, leaving behind a slight residue which can be rinsed off.

Melamine foam for cleaning uses is supplied by several companies under brand names such as:

• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
  
• 3M Scotch Brite Easy Erasing Pad
  
• Nano Sponge
  
• Coralite Ultimate Sponge
  

and generically as a "dirt eraser".

 

 

"

end quote

 

so do you want to fine sand your ABS armor with a sodium based polymer? sodium is a metallic salt bonded to the polymer.

 

you'd be leaving a bisulfate polymer to react with a butyl polymer inside the abs.

not a good chemical reaction when added with water.

 

you know, most water has metal in it? right?

Edited November 1, 2011 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[geordietrooper]

how many of you have had armor for 4-5 years with no yellowing?

no yellowing here

Edited November 1, 2011 by geordietrooper

[firebladejedi[TK]]

Just give your armour a wipe over with a soft cloth after trooping. Novus polish if you want to clean off scuff marks.

[stormtrooperguy[501st]]

cleaning armour is for sissys

 

this

 

i let my suit get naturally dirty and will eventually just start wearing a backpack and pauldron

 

for cleaning i wipe out the inside every now and then with some febreeze sprayed on a cloth. if it starts smelling funky it's time to clean.

[RS Prop Masters]

Cleaning armour, Really? Well, I guess if I trusted my wife with my suits maybe . Man, I don't even wash my Boba Flight suit, that weathering and lived in look is part of it all. After troopin it time for

 

Rob.