Washing Plastics

[Correus]

How many of you wash your plastic minis first?

[Parus Ater]

I do!
I don't wash the sprues, though since I tend tp handle the parts a fair bit while making them so what I do is wash the completed models.

[Correus]

I don't wash the sprues, though since I tend tp handle the parts a fair bit while making them so what I do is wash the completed models.

Interesting point......

[grant]

I never do. Doesn't seem to be a problem.

[Cubster]

I don't but I should. Quite often the paint just slides away when I'm trying to touch up basecoat on areas the sprays hasn't reached.

[Parus Ater]

I never do. Doesn't seem to be a problem.

Generally it isn't but every now and again to get a set that just resists paint, especially if the set is newly released so I've been washing them before priming for about twelve years. A bit of greasy coating on a mini isn't always an issue since over time it can calm down, I think by getting diffused through the paint so it isn't sitting under it. Skirmish order models get handled more directly than rank models so for ranks it could be a lot less important.
I see the difference it males every time I wash them, the water forms into beads on the surface until it's been cleaned and after with a good rinse the water flows over it, wetting the entire surface. For the sake of floating a couple of models in a bowl of soapy water for ten minutes and sieving and rinsing them out under the tap then I would rather minimise the chances.

[Stuart]

I usually remember to do as I base coat using an air bursh, (just easier when basing many figs at once). I remember leaving some WG ECW plastics in a bowl of soapy water, went to sort my workstation out ready for them and when I came back found a load of dirty dishes in with them ! of course, I was in the wrong

[mikeland]

I always wash them. Usually I wash the sprues, but I suppose it makes sense to assemble first. Though I make a rule that I don't put the new boxes of figures away until I have washed the sprues. That way I always know I have done them.

I leaned the hard way, my first bOx of WG plastics just wouldn't take undercoat, then I read about washing them!

[Parus Ater]

My tip is to buy a small collander or sieve to contain them then lift it out and run under the cold.

[Centurio Marcus T]

Yes i too also wash all plastic figures in warm soapy water,then rinse them off with water and then allow them to dry of on paper towel.I also wash all my metal miniatures with the same method to remove any residues left in the moulding process.Since i have started doing this i have had no problems with paint adhering.