Preserving Memories: Old Toys

 

Stuffed toys: Teddy might be filled with anything from horsehair to shredded wood to plastic beads, so it’s likely the insides will wear differently from the outside. Wrap stuffed toys n acid-free tissue or unbleached muslin and store them in a cool, dry place. Keep them clean by gently vacuuming with a brush attachment, and never eat around them—Teddy’s innocent attendance at a tea party could lead to an unpleasant insect infestation. If a stuffed toy springs a leak, mend it with cotton thread to avoid any further loss.

 

Metal toys: Cars, tractors, soldiers and noisemakers could contain aluminum, iron, steel or zinc—or a combination. If the piece is covered in paint, it’s best not to try to clean it. You should always wear white cotton gloves when handling metal toys, because the salts from your skin can cause corrosion. Paint, rubber wheels and plastic parts can make keeping these toys in good shape tough—your best bet is to store the toy in a polyethylene bag, and add a silica gel packet to the archival storage container.

 

Plastic toys: Early plastics are going to deteriorate no matter what you do, so the best course of action is to store the toys, wrapped in acid-free tissue paper, in ventilated archival boxes. Flexible pieces can lose their shape over time, so use supports to keep them from slumping. If you need to clean a vintage plastic toy, use distilled water on a clean sponge. Never use a solvent; it could dissolve the plastic.

 

 

All Dolled Up