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RESTORATION
Over time,
Littlest Pet Shop pets give way to general wear and tear. Some sets in
particular have shown problems as they age.
Contents:
Water Leakage
Battery Corrosion
Sticky Paint
Smoky Smell
Water
Leakage
The Sparkling Pond
Pets (1995) both contain thin plastic "ponds" that encase water and
magnetized accessories. Even when stored properly, the water from these
ponds sometimes has a tendency to leak out. The plugs on the bottoms of
the ponds are covered in what appears to be a relatively cheap glue that
naturally breaks down over time.
Placing additional
glue over this plug (photos coming soon) can help to prevent more water from
leaking out but it's neither a permanent nor a restorative fix. One could
attempt using glue solvent to remove the faulty glue, gain access to the plug,
and refill the pond (leaving several air bubbles so that the accessories can
still move).
Often times, the
best solution is to purchase another pond set on eBay.
Battery
Corrosion
Several LPS sets
require batteries: the Twinkling Sledding Party (1995), Water Garden Kitties
(1995), and the Shamu Family Playset (1995). Many collectors have
encountered problems with battery corrosion.
The best way to
prevent this problem from ever occurring is to simply remove all the batteries
from your LPS sets when they are being stored.
The clean-up
method for leaking batteries is dependent upon the type of battery used:
-
Alkaline: Alkaline
batteries contain potassium hydroxide, which can cause eye, skin, and
respiratory irritation. Using protective gloves, dip a Q-Tip in vinegar or
lemon juice and rub it on the soiled battery compartment. Be sure to clean
the electrical contacts thoroughly with this solution.
-
Acid: Wearing protective
gloves, dip a Q-Tip into a mixture of baking soda and water (about a 4:3
ratio). Use this solution to clean the battery compartment.
Make sure to let the
battery compartments dry thoroughly before using fresh batteries.
Sticky
Paint
Most LPS pets were
made of a hard, hollow plastic. Other pets were made of a solid,
rubbery-like plastic. The plastic from these latter pets often becomes
tacky and sticks very slightly to whatever surface it's exposed, often times
pulling up paint when it's removed. Several of the kittens, puppies, and
bunnies from the Mommy & Babies sets (1992) exhibit this problem.
To prevent this
problem, you can store your rubbery pets separately and wrap each one in tissue
paper. If you are displaying your LPS collection, placing a small piece of
tissue paper underneath the problematic pet can help to keep it from sticking to
any surfaces.
Acrylic paint can be
used for minor touch-ups where paint has flaked off. I recommend using Golden
Fluid Acrylics mixed with Golden
Acrylic Medium; the medium adds a touch of gloss and helps the paint to stay
flexible and dry with a stronger finish.
Smoky
Smell
Sometimes purchases
of Littlest Pet Shop items from eBay arrive with an unfortunate smoky smell that
can be difficult to get rid of.
A potential solution is to place the pets/playsets in an airtight bag for
several days with any of the following:
-
fresh kitty
litter
-
a fabric
softener sheet
-
baking soda
For any items that can be safely submersed in water, the following
vinegar & water
solution may work as well:
1. Mix 1/8 cup of vinegar into a 1/2 gallon of water and stir (vinegar
helps to get rid of resin and tar, which are the causes of the smoky odor).
2. Let the toys soak in the
solution for about ten minutes.
3. Rinse them in cold water and
let dry.
*Note: the vinegar smell will
remain temporarily but will diminish quickly.
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