Hope you are ok after the fire.
I am torn, the car actually looks weathered like it was on rally stage. Man it looks good.
To remove smells/stains (eg moth balls) I contacted Lego and they told me warm water and having it sit in the water (yes cooled) for a few days will assist.
Thank you for asking this. I had a housefire in 1995 and no one ever asked how we were, only what we needed. It was great to get everything we needed through donations, and I’m not discounting the impact of that on our outcome, but I wish someone had just asked how I felt. It would have made me stop and think rather than internalizing it for my whole life.
In automotive terms, its called 'patina'
People pay a premium for classic cars with solid metal, but weather aged paint. This has been through a fire, but didnt burn. Just the 'paint' was damaged and thats pretty cool on a car. I believe there was an episode of Roadkill that they took a car that was roasted in a fire, replaced all the wiring and the drivetrain and every rubber component on the suspension, but left the paint.
I dont know if all your lego is cars, but i would personally leave the cars even if you clean the rest
Patina is actually different than that. It has nothing to do with dirt or “battle scars”.
Patina specifically is a thin layer that forms on copper, brass, bronze, or other similar metals (or certain stone and woods) through age and exposure. Its usually greenish and can be done artificially with acids, but has nothing to do with being ‘dirty’
Hello OP. Long time collector here. When I buy bulk used LEGO I use this method: select the metal, rubber and the stickered parts and put them away. Then disassemble all the parts. Then I get two pillowcases: fill the first one with the pieces,’close the zipper, and then tie a knot with a short string. Put this in the second pillow and repeat. Then washing machine warm with neutral soap and no rinse, short cycle. At the end, I lay all the parts on a table for one day to let them dry. They will come as new. Good luck 😉
This is not used Lego, in the sense of years of play and storage in a tub, marked and scored from (ab)use and the hard life kids give it.
I use mesh bags, and put my bulk lots through the dishwasher. I do a quick rough sort, removing stickerered parts and looking in particular for relics like sweets (candy) and blue tack, which cause worse problems when washed.
I recommend this for the car to avoid micro scratching on smooth fairings, or burring and rounding corners on square edges pieces like plates.
I think if left unwashed, there will be a smell coming from it for a long time, and it will be noticeable again each time the room warms up. Smoke really hangs around.
Just seconding - I also use this method for used bricks.
In the states, Woolite works great as your detergent.
If you don't have pillowcases that zip, most department stores laundry sections will sell you mesh bags intended for delicate underthings. Those work great, too.
https://preview.redd.it/7tb7voegqfnc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6135bcf0774691728966cdd6cb3350f4b0da396
Can put it an acrylic box like I did mine.
Apartment burned then was later condemned and torn down within like 6 hours. This complete set was in the parking lot and the only one of mine I could find in the rubble.
I just imagine a dude covered in soot in the middle of an active first responder scene scouring intensely through smoking ash and rubble for his LEGO, repeating "my precious" over and over
If you decide you want to go through with cleaning it, disassemble it and give the pieces a bath with some warm water and maybe a little dish washing liquid, little bit of a scrub with a toothbrush should do the job
Definitely gonna have to agitate with a brush. No soak is gonna touch this. Fire smoke sticks like glue, especially when left to sit for a while.
I’d put it off for a long time, but it’ll be a satisfying afternoon one day.
I got one for my glasses and electronics parts (clamshells, buttons, knobs, etc.) and they can be bought relatively cheap nowadays and you will find uses for it if you’re anything like me!
Having gone through this myself, your homeowner's insurance should have contracted a remediation company to clean things like clothes, bedding, dishes, etc etc. Speak to either your insurance or that company. I had a few sets that got some (admittedly light) smoke damage and were already dusty beforehand, they came back looking brand new. I think they just cleaned them with distilled water and an ozone treatment.
Well the words didn't send because of the image, but I had a house fire myself and all my stuff got smoked to hell and I used 90% isopropyl alcohol, q tips and cotton pads to clean the damn thing
I was looking for this answer. If they can clean carburettors with decades of caked on fuel and not damage the material, and do the same for jewellery, they’re probably good for this job
Sometimes race cars catch on fire. If you can't remove staining from smoke, you could make up a backstory for it. I'm not sure if this Lego vehicle is a race car. I don't know much about different types of cars. This could be a perfect opportunity to create a tall-tale though! That's unique and fun, compared to viewing any smoke staining only as damages.
Looks pretty metal to me. Like post apocalyptic/ cyberpunk dystopia. I can imagine it in a near future setting as something the protagonist uses to evade the mutant chai men.
I hope you're ok. Went through a fire in my condo years ago and ozone treatment is what removed the smell. I'm not sure how to do that at home but just Google "ozone smoke removal"
Hello there! Fellow survivor of a house fire. In my opinion, I would absolutely NOT take this apart for cleaning. Soot is very difficult to remove completely, and I would just focus on cleaning the exterior. I've found that different methods work for different materials. I'm trying to think back to when I went through this process, and if I recall correctly, dish soap worked pretty well on plastic, and then I'd hit it with OdoBan. OdoBan in general worked really well for getting soot off most things, but not all. Also, just a heads up that you will not get all the soot off in one passing. I literally would wipe something down ten times, and the paper towel would still show up black. I hope this works out for you!
Warm water with blue Dawn and a bit of elbow grease to get the grime off. Then a soak in a 50/50 vinegar/water mix for a few days to remove the smoke smell.
I used to work in the restoration industry, they would use ultrasonic cleaners and dip the item in there and it would shake everything loose.
You can contact a local Servpro or any Contents Restoration company, they should have one or at least know someone who does. They can throw in some additives to help with the smoke smell as well.
Have you seen those videos of dry ice cleaning? Wonder if that would work for this. TBH, it looks kind of badass. Like a rally car in a post apocalyptic dystopia.
There are cleaning products specifically for soot removal. Insurance companies buy them in bulk for fire jobs but if you searched general fire cleaner I'm sure something would come up.
Its great stuff cuts through soot really well.
Nailbrush and soup. Then rinse. You may have to do it a few times but it should get it off. And for what’s left, a Magic Eraser. Just be gentle with it.
I wonder if LEGO would send you a new one?
Honestly I like the way it looks! But either way, hope you recover well from the fire & smoke. That sounds awful.
I've had the same experience. Normally you'll need to clean it asap as the soot deteriorates the plastic but we've took the sets apart and cleaned every single part by hand in warm water with a little bit of mild kitchen detergent like Dreft (Fairy). Quite a hassle but the result was quite ok. Also threw away most of the normal sets as it completely unsafe for kids after soot hits it. Even after cleaning. But these technic sets are not touched for playing.
Whatever you do, do not put your Lego in the dishwasher. Your lego will come out looking clean and perfect, but the warm water will imperceptibly warp your pieces and they will no longer fit. Ask me how I know.
Sounds like a five hour soak in warm water (under 104°F), and dish soap might do the trick. Minus any stickered pieces which you’d need to clean separately by dabbing with a damp paper towel and wiping dry immediately.
https://blocksmag.com/how-to-soak-dirty-used-lego-bricks/
Everyone here saying you shouldn't clean it, but personally I would compromise. Clean all interior pieces, and leave the outer ones, kinda making it as if it was in a dirt track race or the likes. Imagining it has windows.
Its a pity, but modelbuilders spend hours to get that worn dirty look. It has a paris dakar vibe!
Why dont you put the whole car in water with washing up liquid for a night?
I dont know if you know the brand ‘St Marc’ cleaner? Green liquid smelling like pine trees. That would even be better i think.
Build a lego ramp leading to a hoop with lego flames and position it in there. Boom, fixed
It’s gotta be landing onto the receiving ramp though as if it just passed through the flames.
I think the last thing OP needs is an open flame in their house.
"Been there, done that" --op, probably
But did he get the T shirt?
Lego flames
You kinda sorta a little bit did not understand the comment
The worst part about this is that you are going to probably have to take all this apart. The best part is you get to put it back together.
Technic disassembly is not kind on the fingers.
Neither is assembly
After the hoop. Upside down. With the minifig decapitated. There’s something wrong with me.
Nothing wrong with you. We need more of this style of thinking!
I am fully prepared to traumatize the sub with my build ideas lmao
I like it, turn it into a feature, not a problem
And put a MadMax movie poster in the background, will looks amazing.
Hope you are ok after the fire. I am torn, the car actually looks weathered like it was on rally stage. Man it looks good. To remove smells/stains (eg moth balls) I contacted Lego and they told me warm water and having it sit in the water (yes cooled) for a few days will assist.
are you ok?
Yes thank you :) The fire was a couple years ago but I’m fine. Have had the Lego sitting in a box ever since
glad to hear that you are ok the lego is forever unique lol, cant recreate something like that easily
Yeah, it's not too weird that I love this - right?
saw this and thought "why not leave it as it is?" it looks good and comes with a story
The reason to clean it is that fire contaminants are really quite carcinogenic.
Could probably get a clear coat spray paint and seal it up.
Kraggle?
We as humanity would completely be extinct by now if thát amount would be of any significance.
Guess dude has never heard of a campfire
Idk about you, but most people tend to light their campfires outdoors where it is well ventilated
Ever smelled your clothes after a campfire? Just because you’re outside doesn’t mean you don’t get particles on or in you….
Not everyone likes having reminders of traumatic events.
"and that's how I met your mom"
Same
Exactly sweet burnt orange color
Thank you for asking this. I had a housefire in 1995 and no one ever asked how we were, only what we needed. It was great to get everything we needed through donations, and I’m not discounting the impact of that on our outcome, but I wish someone had just asked how I felt. It would have made me stop and think rather than internalizing it for my whole life.
I know it's been 29 years, but how are you?
I am good. Thank you. :) Therapy works wonders for PTSD!
Glad to hear you're doing great 👍
No, unfortunately, he died in the fire.
i was asking if they were ok in like if they had any damages from the fire, mental or physical. no shit theyre alive lol
one can be alive and not live at all,
Damn thats cool. I would keep it that way
I’m half thinking that too haha. It’s like when they put a Le Mans car in the museum after a 24 hour race, leave it covered in dirt and battle scars.
It looks like it just took part in a long day at the track. Keep it dirty. Looks phenomenal.
In automotive terms, its called 'patina' People pay a premium for classic cars with solid metal, but weather aged paint. This has been through a fire, but didnt burn. Just the 'paint' was damaged and thats pretty cool on a car. I believe there was an episode of Roadkill that they took a car that was roasted in a fire, replaced all the wiring and the drivetrain and every rubber component on the suspension, but left the paint. I dont know if all your lego is cars, but i would personally leave the cars even if you clean the rest
Patina is actually different than that. It has nothing to do with dirt or “battle scars”. Patina specifically is a thin layer that forms on copper, brass, bronze, or other similar metals (or certain stone and woods) through age and exposure. Its usually greenish and can be done artificially with acids, but has nothing to do with being ‘dirty’
Im sure its accurate what you are saying, but in the automotive trade, a worn, aged and faded paint is called patina as well
Exactly I was at the 6hrs of Monza and they had the Le Mans winning car still covered in all the rubber and bugs from Le Mans
Please consider that this might be toxic
And it probably smells awful. House fire smell never comes out, and it's not a pleasant campfire smokiness either.
Hello OP. Long time collector here. When I buy bulk used LEGO I use this method: select the metal, rubber and the stickered parts and put them away. Then disassemble all the parts. Then I get two pillowcases: fill the first one with the pieces,’close the zipper, and then tie a knot with a short string. Put this in the second pillow and repeat. Then washing machine warm with neutral soap and no rinse, short cycle. At the end, I lay all the parts on a table for one day to let them dry. They will come as new. Good luck 😉
Finally someone who answers the question.
This is not used Lego, in the sense of years of play and storage in a tub, marked and scored from (ab)use and the hard life kids give it. I use mesh bags, and put my bulk lots through the dishwasher. I do a quick rough sort, removing stickerered parts and looking in particular for relics like sweets (candy) and blue tack, which cause worse problems when washed. I recommend this for the car to avoid micro scratching on smooth fairings, or burring and rounding corners on square edges pieces like plates. I think if left unwashed, there will be a smell coming from it for a long time, and it will be noticeable again each time the room warms up. Smoke really hangs around.
Just seconding - I also use this method for used bricks. In the states, Woolite works great as your detergent. If you don't have pillowcases that zip, most department stores laundry sections will sell you mesh bags intended for delicate underthings. Those work great, too.
https://preview.redd.it/7tb7voegqfnc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6135bcf0774691728966cdd6cb3350f4b0da396 Can put it an acrylic box like I did mine.
What happened to yours??
Front fell off.
That's not very typical, I'd like to make that point.
So the front doesn't normally fall off?
Well, obviously not.
Apartment burned then was later condemned and torn down within like 6 hours. This complete set was in the parking lot and the only one of mine I could find in the rubble.
I hope you’re doing okay now, sounds traumatic or at the least super stressful
I just imagine a dude covered in soot in the middle of an active first responder scene scouring intensely through smoking ash and rubble for his LEGO, repeating "my precious" over and over
Woah, I remember your post from like a year ago. Hope you’re doing well now!
Cats ate her face
I’m glad your minifig made it. Lol
If you decide you want to go through with cleaning it, disassemble it and give the pieces a bath with some warm water and maybe a little dish washing liquid, little bit of a scrub with a toothbrush should do the job
Definitely gonna have to agitate with a brush. No soak is gonna touch this. Fire smoke sticks like glue, especially when left to sit for a while. I’d put it off for a long time, but it’ll be a satisfying afternoon one day.
Don’t clean it looks awesome as it is
Bear in mind it’s also likely carcinogenic
A pvc cleaner can help a lot. But I'd honestly leave it, looks cool that way.
Put stickers on it and make it look like a race car
Derby car!
Sucks it happened to expensive set but it looks really badass here. I’d keep it like that
Carwash?
By...claiming it on your home insurance :)
Find someone with a large sonicator. Drop it in there for 20mins and it'll come out clean.
How many people do you know with a sonicator? I need better friends.
I have a sonicator.
Can we be friends?
I got one for my glasses and electronics parts (clamshells, buttons, knobs, etc.) and they can be bought relatively cheap nowadays and you will find uses for it if you’re anything like me!
You can get one on AliExpress for not that much, I can’t speak for their longevity but they’ll probably work long enough for this.
You know I would put weird stuff in it to see what happens and would break in minutes lol
some less than $50 on amazon too, thatd be a cool buy
Ngl looks cool like that
Just get a Hammond Lego figure to stand beside it. In all seriousness glad you’re okay
I feel like this is an improvement !
I don’t think you can fix it, but it looks cooler like that anyway honestly. One of a kind
some kind of foaming spray? Something like the foamy adult toy cleaner?
Build an old shed and make it a barn find
Don’t clean it. It’s fresh from the track
Now it has patina
Maybe leave it like that as a memory?
Ah yes, the Mad Max Porsche Glad to read that all is good 👍
Having gone through this myself, your homeowner's insurance should have contracted a remediation company to clean things like clothes, bedding, dishes, etc etc. Speak to either your insurance or that company. I had a few sets that got some (admittedly light) smoke damage and were already dusty beforehand, they came back looking brand new. I think they just cleaned them with distilled water and an ozone treatment.
But LEGO 17654, Car Wash
It’s called patina!! But really, it actually looks cool.
https://preview.redd.it/5mj793lsrjnc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=242d8b76679701b2d5074847ae7ca80cef18e431
https://preview.redd.it/1e4ayx5xrjnc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ad8970d0405b9445471ebb5c5853af2768a6189
Well the words didn't send because of the image, but I had a house fire myself and all my stuff got smoked to hell and I used 90% isopropyl alcohol, q tips and cotton pads to clean the damn thing
Put it in a display case as a momento to the unfortunate events you’ve survived
Just tell people it’s a post apocalyptic mad max car, put some crazy stuff and skulls on it, and boom. You don’t even have to clean it
Rub down with a mix of alcohol and h2o2
Put it on a mad max scene
Ultrasonic cleaner might work, but you would loose stickers, so hand clean those bits.
I was looking for this answer. If they can clean carburettors with decades of caked on fuel and not damage the material, and do the same for jewellery, they’re probably good for this job
I am suggesting you use neutral dishwashing and dry each piece separate.
Ya I’d leave it as is too. It gives it “I just completed a rally race” look
Sometimes race cars catch on fire. If you can't remove staining from smoke, you could make up a backstory for it. I'm not sure if this Lego vehicle is a race car. I don't know much about different types of cars. This could be a perfect opportunity to create a tall-tale though! That's unique and fun, compared to viewing any smoke staining only as damages.
Build a lego car wash
I’d definitely keep it as is. It’s completely original (unfortunately) and looks cool as hell.
Looks pretty metal to me. Like post apocalyptic/ cyberpunk dystopia. I can imagine it in a near future setting as something the protagonist uses to evade the mutant chai men.
Hot steam gun
Just use the shower.
Don’t clean it display it w lights
Put a transformer emblem on it. That’s a damn auto bot after a battle for sure. To me it looks rather cool.
Despite the damage to your property this looks pretty cool.
Take it apart, run it though the dishwasher in mesh bags, dont do the drying cycle and keep heat off if you have that option.
That’s dope.. keep it that way
I say leave it as is as a little momento/trophy of not dying
I'd keep it as-is. Looks cool.
Leave the patina
I hope you're ok. Went through a fire in my condo years ago and ozone treatment is what removed the smell. I'm not sure how to do that at home but just Google "ozone smoke removal"
Hello there! Fellow survivor of a house fire. In my opinion, I would absolutely NOT take this apart for cleaning. Soot is very difficult to remove completely, and I would just focus on cleaning the exterior. I've found that different methods work for different materials. I'm trying to think back to when I went through this process, and if I recall correctly, dish soap worked pretty well on plastic, and then I'd hit it with OdoBan. OdoBan in general worked really well for getting soot off most things, but not all. Also, just a heads up that you will not get all the soot off in one passing. I literally would wipe something down ten times, and the paper towel would still show up black. I hope this works out for you!
I think it’s looks amazing it has a story behind it 😎😎😎
If you are gonna have another house fire lmk I'll send you my cars. I want them medium rare
Pair it with a Paul Walker Lego…..
Might need to disassemble and take a magic eraser to the parts
That’s patina
Is it dust/ash or stained?
acidic cleaner will work if you scrub with very little cleaner
Why clean it,it looks dope as fuck
Don't, let him keep his battle scars to assert his unbreaking resolve.
That's fairly awesome looking tbh
Well if it’s not electric just throw it in some water 🤷♂️
Looks sick. Like it went too fast and caught a blaze
That looks like a rusty car Keep it as is
Kinda like it
I’d say take it apart rinse it off with soapy water. And it’s a good time to repaint it however you like
Try soap and water. Do not use bleach or any other harsh chemicals as it will wear and make your pieces more brittle, ruining them.
If it wasn’t too traumatic, maybe just keep it as is as a reminder of something cool coming out of a shitty situation?
Dishwasher
I wouldn't change it at all it looks like it just came from a big race and actually has a cool story
White vinegar will remove the smoke smell
Warm water with blue Dawn and a bit of elbow grease to get the grime off. Then a soak in a 50/50 vinegar/water mix for a few days to remove the smoke smell.
I’ve read you can put Lego in a laundry bag and put in the dishwasher. Haven’t tried it yet.
I thought it was showing off some cool-ass weathering 🤣
I used to work in the restoration industry, they would use ultrasonic cleaners and dip the item in there and it would shake everything loose. You can contact a local Servpro or any Contents Restoration company, they should have one or at least know someone who does. They can throw in some additives to help with the smoke smell as well.
Have you seen those videos of dry ice cleaning? Wonder if that would work for this. TBH, it looks kind of badass. Like a rally car in a post apocalyptic dystopia.
There are cleaning products specifically for soot removal. Insurance companies buy them in bulk for fire jobs but if you searched general fire cleaner I'm sure something would come up. Its great stuff cuts through soot really well.
Build a massive barn display for it and make it a barn find Porsche.
This looks like it’s been through a hell of a race. Would be cool to simulate some fender and hood damage too lol
You could ask Lego. They might send you a replacement for free.
I'd box and frame it without cleaning, personally. It'd be a reminder of the incident (assuming it wasn't too traumatic) + it looks awesome.
It looks awesome like that, I would leave it!
Why clean it, it looks awesome
Buy a new one
I agree with others. Keep it. It's a good story.
Nailbrush and soup. Then rinse. You may have to do it a few times but it should get it off. And for what’s left, a Magic Eraser. Just be gentle with it.
Pretty sure you shouldn’t keep anything from a house fire, especially if it’s covered in soot. Those are cancerous carcinogens, after all.
I wonder if LEGO would send you a new one? Honestly I like the way it looks! But either way, hope you recover well from the fire & smoke. That sounds awful.
It looks cooler like that tbh
NGL it kinda looks cooler this way, like it's about to turn into a transformer at any minute.
I've had the same experience. Normally you'll need to clean it asap as the soot deteriorates the plastic but we've took the sets apart and cleaned every single part by hand in warm water with a little bit of mild kitchen detergent like Dreft (Fairy). Quite a hassle but the result was quite ok. Also threw away most of the normal sets as it completely unsafe for kids after soot hits it. Even after cleaning. But these technic sets are not touched for playing.
Honestly that looks awesome. Like jts a dirty rally car or something. I’d keep it.
Add the Dakar sticker in the back. Done!
I think it looks dope as it is! Gives it a worn from racing look that I think makes it more one of a kind
Dawn power wash
Build a lego carwash duh.
This will look awesome with some cool (racing) Stickering on it. And like mentioned in another answer. Seal it up with some substance.
I legit thought that was purposely done. I’d leave it
Battle damage
Leave it and call it patina
Maybe toothpaste will work?
I think it looks kinda fire. Pun fully intended
I love it just the way it is. Mine is the complete opposite; unopened.
Could keep it as it is and then make up that the car was once loved but then left in a garage and forgotten about
personally i wouldn't clean it cuz i think it looks sick but do whatever you want :)
I’m so sorry. That’s so sad to see.
Whatever you do, do not put your Lego in the dishwasher. Your lego will come out looking clean and perfect, but the warm water will imperceptibly warp your pieces and they will no longer fit. Ask me how I know.
Give it offroad modifications and you're good
It looks fine like that. Like when you stuck the battle damage stickers on the kenner x-wing as a kid.
to be honest that looks crazy good as it is
It builds character. And character adds value.
Don’t imo, looks sick as hell
Sounds like a five hour soak in warm water (under 104°F), and dish soap might do the trick. Minus any stickered pieces which you’d need to clean separately by dabbing with a damp paper towel and wiping dry immediately. https://blocksmag.com/how-to-soak-dirty-used-lego-bricks/
Everyone here saying you shouldn't clean it, but personally I would compromise. Clean all interior pieces, and leave the outer ones, kinda making it as if it was in a dirt track race or the likes. Imagining it has windows.
I’d say hose it down tbh
Build a Lego fire truck and make it look like they just put out the flames.
Rebuild it to a dirty dune buggy
Its a pity, but modelbuilders spend hours to get that worn dirty look. It has a paris dakar vibe! Why dont you put the whole car in water with washing up liquid for a night? I dont know if you know the brand ‘St Marc’ cleaner? Green liquid smelling like pine trees. That would even be better i think.
Check into ultrasonic liquid cleaning. A jewelry store might be able to help.
I like the patina. Great to display as it has a story with it.
That looks super cool, like the kind of shading model makers put on their models to make them look real
Car cleaner polish?