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I've recently been diving into collecting vintage vinyl toys, and I'm quickly realizing preservation is a HUGE factor. Some of thes old toys are incredibly fragile! I'm curious what techniques people have found most effective for keeping them in good condition.
Specifically, I'm concerned about discoloration (yellowing especially), cracking, and stickiness. I've heard conflicting advice about sunlight exposure – some say indirect light is okay,others say keep them in complete darkness. WhatS been your experience? What about cleaning? I'm hesitant to use anything beyond a very soft brush and maybe a touch of distilled water, but grime can really build up over the years.
Also, any tips on preventing that dreaded plasticizer leaching that makes vinyl sticky? I've read about archival-quality storage containers, but wondered if anyone had recommendations for particular brands or materials to avoid. I'm mostly dealing wiht toys from the 70s and 80s, things like vintage Star wars figures and some Japanese vinyl figures. Any insights welcome!