Eww, my PRJF toys are all sticky...

[Dr Kain]

So I go to dust off my Power Rangers Jungle Fury figures and they are all sticky and rubbery feeling. What the hell? Has this happened to anyone else? It is disgusting and it seems to stay that way no matter how much I drench them in hot water and dry them off with a towel.

 

[FC3S]

Its most likely that dust and sunlight may have made the plastic oily/rubbery.

 

[sinzz]

its plasticizer. Most figures that contain mostly PVC will tend to leak out plasticizer.

Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC)
PVC is one of the most common plastics used in the world. It's quite similar to rubber and the toughness/malleability of PVC is dependant on the plastisers added. More plastisers = more softness, since they straighten out neatly the long macromolecular polymer chains into neat rows. Some figure collectors complain of an oily film after a while and I would think this is due to the plasticisers migrating to the surface of the plastic. Small plasticiser molecules are pretty mobile and after a period of time, they accumulate on the surface to produce a oily crud.

This is also why PVC tends to get a bit crappy and brittle after a long time. Oh yeah these plasticisers are quite toxic too. And if you have a fire at home, dump your figurines at them to extinguish it, since the chlorine produced retards the flame. Btw, some plasticisers are thought to reduce the quality of MAN SPERM.

A very large percentage of the figures sold are made of PVC. From gashapon, trading figures to 1/6s, these are mainly PVCs. Cheap material cost, easy of moulding, ductility (it won't break much, just bend) are the reasons why it is used.

Never leave them in the sun. Ultraviolet rays produce free radicals on PVC, chlorine free radicals, that combine to form chlorine gas and the material is decomposed. The sun also heats them up and PVC distorts at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. Being a thermoplastic, you can actually heat it up and bend it, then cool for it to maintain that shape.

PVC, due to the addition of chlorine atoms which have a pretty high molecular mass compared to C and H, is heavy for a plastic.

 

[StaticShin27]

Hmm, I have a few DC Direct figures just under my window, it's not direct sunlight that shines on them in the morning since my drapes are there...should I move them?

 

[Zenoff64]

Most figures that contain mostly PVC And if you have a fire at home, dump your figurines at them to extinguish it, since the chlorine produced retards the flame.

This is probably a terrible idea as they likely won't put out a fire, but make a ton of toxic smoke though I'm sure you were joking, lol.

Btw, some plasticisers are thought to reduce the quality of MAN SPERM.

As oppose to FEMALE SPERM?

But yeah, certain types mimic female hormones which can screw with male fertility, and make girls go through puberty at a much younger age.

All those canned goods with the lining inside be damned.

Never leave them in the sun. Ultraviolet rays produce free radicals on PVC, chlorine free radicals, that combine to form chlorine gas and the material is decomposed. The sun also heats them up and PVC distorts at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. Being a thermoplastic, you can actually heat it up and bend it, then cool for it to maintain that shape.

Even without the sun a lot of those toys outgas really hard. I'd recommend keeping some houseplants in the rooms with higher than normal chemical concentrations (New carpet, paint, toys, etc) as they can filter the air and keep some of that junk out of your lungs.

Some are better than others, but I prefer Dracaena reflexa. Can take some pretty nasty stuff out of your air and make the room fresher and more pleasant to be in.

 

[Dr Kain]

1. These figures have not been anywhere near sunlight. They are on the other end of the room where the sun don't shine on them.

2. How do I clean them then?

3. It is the arms, legs, and heads most of all, the bodies are fine. Would the bodies not be affected to?

 

[NateRiver]

What have you been doing with them exactly?

 

[Zenoff64]

1. These figures have not been anywhere near sunlight. They are on the other end of the room where the sun don't shine on them.

2. How do I clean them then?

3. It is the arms, legs, and heads most of all, the bodies are fine. Would the bodies not be affected to?

1. They don't need to be. It happens on its own, sunlight simply accelerates the process.

2. Not entirely sure.

3. The bodies don't need to be flexible because they're the largest piece and have no movement, therefore require less or no plasticizer since they're structurally sound.

 

[Dr Kain]

What have you been doing with them exactly?

I have been taking GekiYellow and Mele on a nightly basis and... CENSORED BY SOPA

Seriously though, nothing other than neglect. I bought them when they first came out, posed them, and then put them on my Toku shelf. When I went to clean them the other day, they were all sticky and crap. I'm about ready to just sell them on ebay and stick with my unopened vinyls even though they have no posseability whatsoever.