What about dust?

[Roadtrp]

What do you use to get the dust off your layout? I've only been modeling a few weeks now, so it isn't an issue yet but I'm sure it will be. I assume a soft cloth will take care of trains and track. But what do you do about scenery and buildings? The trees especially look like they will be dust magnets. Does a can of compressed air work, or would that just blow the dust all over?

This is probably a lame question, but I really need to know. My wife HATES dust!

[(-D]

[Big_Boy_4005]

Blowing just recycles dust. You really want to pick it up.

Vacuuming is the way I do it, but it is very time consuming and difficult when you have a lot of detail on your layout. For the delicate areas, I use a very soft bru***o dislodge the dust while holding the end of the hose near by.

If you are worried about losing detail parts, take a piece of screen and fasten it to the end of the hose with a rubber band. This way if you have a small herd of cattle on your layout, you won't recreate that scene from the movie "Twister".[:D]

[Anonymous]

I've heard panty hose work good too becuase they are finer so grass won't go through them.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Panty hose may be too fine, and not allow the dust to all be picked up, or become clogged too often as you're working. Your scenic materials should all be well glued down, long before you ever have to dust the layout. You actually want all of the loose scenic material off the layout, since it has a tendancy to find its way into the gears of your trains. If some of the scenic material is lost, you may just have to touch up a bit, but that helps give your layout that "fresh " look that you were going for by dusting in the first palce.

[Anonymous]

Except for the band saw I moved all major tools to the garage. I bought a micro hose and attachments for the shop vac but haven't used it yet. this was designed for cleaning computers

[Anonymous]

Buy some of those new swifer dust handbrooms, should work well and not upset the scenery.

Jay

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by NTDN

Buy some of those new swifer dust handbrooms, should work well and not upset the scenery.

Jay

The Swifer won't be the problem. It's the thought of you dancing on the rails that troubles me[:0]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Fergus

QUOTE: Originally posted by NTDN

Buy some of those new swifer dust handbrooms, should work well and not upset the scenery.

Jay

The Swifer won't be the problem. It's the thought of you dancing on the rails that troubles me[:0]

Just for that, I'm coming over and dancing on your layout as I dust it! [:-,][:-^]

Jay.

[michaelstevens]

If you use a wet/dry industrial vac. (necked down) like I do -- its a good idea to pay attention to its exhaust -- otherwise you are going to be recycling lots of really fine dust.
I use a brown paper grocery bag held with a rubber band over the foam rubber filter, then a damp towel draped over the external exhaust port.
I even ask the wife to close the basement door, when she is vacuuming upstairs -- so much do I view dust to be the enemy !!

[RhB_HJ]

Many moons ago there was an April Fools joke in MR where someone advocated pressurizing your layout room in order to get some extra space. The idea was it would expand like a balloon.

Actually having higher air pressure in the layout room will keep dust out.

Highly recommended
a) finished ceiling
b) finished floor ( if possible with carpet, your equipment will thank you)
c) separate workshop where all the "dirty stuff" takes place (trust me walking back and forth will take less time than cleaning the layout).
d) keep the critters out (no cats and/or dogs allowed)
e) No Smoking!!

[AntonioFP45]

Good tips!

Big_Boy is correct regarding blowing but, there is one blowing trick that can be helpful in conjucntion with a vacuum cleaner. If you accumulate dust in "hard to reach" areas and you have an air compressor (any size), you can gently blow the dust in these areas "at very low pressure" towards more open areas on your layout. Wait about 1/2 hour for the fine dust to settle and then vacuum up.
Don't wait too long to clean your layout![:0] I went to Cypress Gardens last year and they have an ENOURMOUS H.O scale layout. While impressive, it was covered with about a "1/8 thick layer of dust.

Sidebar: Dust on rolling stock.
Don't know how much equipment you have but if you have locos and cars that you take off the layout and store, consider putting them in either a dresser drawer or build a cheap multi-shelf model train cabinet out of wood that can be covered with plex-glass.These are advertised in the hobby magazines---but they are expensive! Cheaper to build one yourself! Home Depot and Lowes sell plexiglass now in small pieces that you can cut yourself with a jigsaw or they'll cut it for you. You'll be surprised at how fast dust accumulates on locomotives and freight cars. A dusty model train running on a layout will contribute to the problem. Hope this helps! God Bless![:)]

[Anonymous]

I use a brush by Floqil called a "flogger" to dust off the structures, autos, trains, etc. on the layout, with the nozzle of the vacuum just a few inches away, to catch the stirred up dust.
After all the dusting is done. I spray the layout with a very fine mist of distilled water. This gets all the dust out of the treetops and off the bushes, shrubs and lawns, and makes everything appear as fresh as just after a spring rain!

[Anonymous]

These are good ideas i should be working right now.

[Roadtrp]

Thanks for all of the great ideas.

[tup] [:)]

[Seamonster]

If you're afraid of the shop vac ripping stuff off your layout, why not use a battery powered hand vacuum? That's what I use for most of my cleaning jobs on the layout. It will suck up loose ballast and scenery material and it's easy to retrieve things from its little collection cup. I use it in conjunction with a soft 1/2" paintbru***o clean structures. The shop vac is reserved for heavy duty jobs after major scenery or track work but it seems to spit out as much dust as it sucks up despite having a 2-layer filter inside. As far as having dusty structures, I find it nicely kills the plastic shine and makes them look more weathered and natural. But, that's just me.
...Bob

[Anonymous]

I think most would agree the best way to keep a layout clean is to not get it dirty in the first place. Having the layout in a finished room and not allowing smoking or wood working projects, etc. in the room are all very good ideas the have been proposed already.

The next level of that same line of thought is to clean the air itself of the dust that does get in. I would suggest you get a simple air filtration system to keep the dust from being much of an issue to begin with. It would also deal with smoke and whatever else got in the layout area. It helps keep the room from smelling like all the various chemicals and compounds we use in they hobby as well.

I use a dehumidifier too to keep the water content in the air from going nuts. It can get a bit out of hand in Seattle [;)] It can pull more than a gallon from the air from the time I leave in the morning till the time I get back from work.

Warren

[Anonymous]

Another, abet drastic measure, is to build a canapy over the layout and have the sides open during running and close then tight durning unused times, this will drastically seal out most dust, so that an occasional cleaning is needed.

Jay.