Figure Care & Storage: Protecting Against Yellowing, Leaning and Dust

1. Priority one: avoid direct sunlight — yellowing is irreversible

UV light is a PVC figure's worst enemy. A few months by a window turns white and skin-tone parts yellow, and once it happens there is practically no way back. Window sunlight is far stronger than indoor lighting.

Choose display spots by one criterion: does direct sunlight ever touch it during the day? Glass cabinets do not block UV. If a window spot is unavoidable, UV-cut film or curtains are the minimum defense.

2. Summer leaning: heat plus pose

PVC softens with heat. In rooms that pass 30°C, scale figures standing on one leg or holding weight-heavy poses slowly lean over months. Long thin parts — weapons, hair strands — bend first.

Prevention is temperature control (no direct sun, no sealed hot spaces in summer) and keeping figures pegged to their bases. For parts already bent, the common fix is 20–30 seconds in 50–60°C water, gently reshaping, then setting with cold water — but be careful around painted areas.

3. Dust: blower and brush, never wet wipes

A dust-proof display cabinet reduces cleaning the most. Slight ventilation is safer than full sealing, which traps humidity.

• Camera air blower — the safest basic tool for crevice dust
• Soft makeup or hobby brush — for surface dust, with a light touch on painted surfaces
• No wet wipes or alcohol — they can dissolve paint and topcoat or leave stains
• For stubborn grime, a cotton swab with diluted neutral detergent on the spot only, then dry with a soft cloth

4. Should you keep the box? If you might ever sell — yes

In the pre-owned market, the box is a major grade factor. A complete item with box and blister commands a very different buy-in price from a loose figure. How condition grades map to prices is covered in the pre-owned figure grade guide.

If space is tight, boxes can be flattened, though window film may crease. Standing a few of your biggest boxes in a storage bin is usually the better compromise.

5. Long-term storage in the box

• Keep figures inside their blister trays — they are designed to prevent parts pressing on each other
• Avoid hot, humid spots (low shelves over high ones; never a summer balcony)
• Do not seal in plastic bags — trapped moisture can make paint sticky over time
• Check items once a year — compression marks and plasticizer ooze must be caught early

6. A collection log makes care easier

Past a certain count, it gets hard to remember what you own. Logging purchase dates, condition and photos prevents duplicate buys and documents condition if you ever sell.

If you have a Yosimarket account, purchases are logged automatically in my collection, and items you already own can be added with the 'I own this' button on any product page. Uploading photos keeps a condition record too.