Home >> Collecting >> Collecting Vintage Toys

How to Clean Lionel Post-War Trucks

Lionel is a classic American toy train company. The popularity and iconic shape of Lionel train sets have made these trains a popular collectible. Because many collectible train sets are so old, it is sometimes necessary to clean parts of the train cars. The train part most likely to need cleaning is the wheel carriage on the bottom of the train cars, called trucks, as well as the tracks. Train collectors can clean these delicate and important pieces using just a few household items.

Things You'll Need

Light oil spray
Cotton swabs
Utility knife

Instructions

- 1
  Remove a train car from the track and lay it on its side.
- 2
  Spray light oil onto a cotton swab. Gently rub the dirty areas with the damp swab to break up residue. Wipe away any excess grime that breaks off with a clean cotton swab.
- 3
  Coat a utility knife with light oil, and gently pick at harder grime deposits or layers of residue. Be patient and deliberate to avoid damaging the train piece. After removing a chunk of grime, try to clean the rest away with a cotton swab coated in light oil to see if the utility knife is no longer necessary.
- 4
  Coat a non-metallic kitchen scouring pad with light oil and rub the pad along the train tracks to remove any dirty spots. You can also use a utility knife to remove particularly stubborn grime.
- 5
  Wipe all surfaces clean with a fresh cloth after cleaning is complete.

Collecting Vintage Toys