Are you ready for Contrast? From resin to plastic, check out some fast ways to clean your miniatures and get them ready to paint in no time!
Something that every hobbyist should know is how to clean their minis. We’re talking right out of the box before any glue or paint gets put on. Plastics are pretty good nowadays for the most part. You shouldn’t really have to wash them, but metal and resin (and even some plastics to a degree) need some soap and warm water.
Washing your models ensures a good stick by paints, and helps to prevent chipping later on in the life of your minis.
Washing Minis by Hand
Miniature companies have to use a special oil-like chemical called mold release to separate the finished product from the mold to some degree. If you look for it when you pick up a resin bit, you’ll probably be able to feel a thin slippery film over it. That needs to go. If you don’t wash your minis and leave that layer between the paint and your model, it could prevent the paint from getting a good hold and your paint will begin to come off a lot easier than it should.
It’s an easy fix. Just get some warm water and soap. Make sure that if you’re washing resin not to get the water too hot. If you leave your bits in the heat too long they’ll warp and that’s another headache.
Essentially, you’ll want to get all the stuff from your model and throw them into the bowl with the soap and water. Take an old toothbrush and pick each bit up scrubbing all over. When you’re done, just run it under some water from the sink and set it to the side. Repeat this until all your bits are clean! Leave them out to dry and soon enough you can start your hobbying!
Important notes:
- Use lukewarm-warm water. Cold water won’t really help release the chemical and hot water will warp your resin if you aren’t careful.
- Don’t do everything in the sink. If you aren’t careful, you could drop a mini and it’ll be lost forever down the drain. Have a bowl where you keep all your minis.
When working with small amounts of resin on a very rare occasion, that can work, but if you are constantly working with lots of resin or plastic minis, the Sonic Cleaner is a great option for making your hobby life easier!
Ultrasonic Cleaner
H&B Luxuries Ultrasonic Cleaner
There’s a cleaner out there that’s big enough to fit multiple tanks (or a Baneblade) into. You can set your bits down into the basket, turn it on and it’ll pulse water and soap around every surface of your bits. It uses vibrations as the “Scrubbing” mechanic and the best part is that this thing is completely hands-free. You can dip some bits in, hit a button, and keep hobbying on some of your other things while you wait.
To use, add a little soap plus water to the fill lines to the tub. You can use hot water or use the heat function built into the tub. Set the time desired and fill with resin pieces you wish to clean. Then, just set it and leave for the time set while the machine buzzes away!
Once the timer hits zero, pull out your models and rinse with water, then set them somewhere to dry. Putting them by a fan will help them dry faster.
All in all, this thing is a lot cleaner than setting up an entire space in your kitchen/bathroom to scrub minis by hand. If you don’t mind spending a little cash, this thing is perfect. Especially if you’re working with lots of resin models in large quantities OR large models in general.
Ultrasonic Cleaner- Smaller/Portable
If space and budget are a bit tighter in your hobby area, but you were still wanting a hands-free cleaner, you can always opt for the more portable version of what we just covered above! This thing has 18 preset cycle times and cleans every surface of your bits with ultrasonic waves of water.
Another alternative that is great for second-hand pickups (like the questionable paint quality on eBay) is Testers Easy Lift Off.
Testors Easy Lift Off
This stripper, while a tad bit harsh, will completely remove paint from models in under a minute, along with any residues, soaps, etc. Once dry you will have one of the cleanest surfaces to adhere paint to ever. Perhaps best of all it’s safe for use on most metals and plastics.
Two sizes are available depending on your budget, and best yet, the liquid is reusable to a degree as well!
If you’re ready for Contrast, be sure to check out our review below:
How do you wash your minis? Do you work with a lot of metal or resin? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
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About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
