How To Clean Your Lps

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The neck section of Littlest Pet Shop toys can be subject to rust if it gets wet or is kept in conditions of high humidity. This rust can stain around the neck area of the toy, leaving unsightly marks or circles. If you have rust on any elements of your Littlest Pet Shop (LPS) toys, using one of the following methods should help to remove it.

1

Find a clean Q-tip (cotton swab). If you don't have one around, you can also use a tissue, paper towel, or cotton ball.
2

Place the Q-tip under running water. Dampen it well but do not leave it dripping. Too much water will still leave rust.

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3

Squeeze a little dish soap on the Q-tip. Don't add too much, just a dab. If it starts dripping, massage the soap into the swab.
4
Push the Q-tip under the neck of the toy. Rub it back and forth over the area affected by the rust. Sometimes it can take a lot of scrubbing, so be patient.
- You can also try scraping off the rust using a soft toothbrush, a long fingernail or a toothpick. Be aware though, this can scrape off any paint.
5

Keep cleaning in this manner until the rust ring or stain has been removed from the neck of the LPS. Then, rinse off the soap with warm water soaked into a sponge. (wring it before use) If it's too chunky, you can use another dampened cotton swab.
6

Allow to dry thoroughly. Rub it with paper towel or a clean cloth to remove any water, then allow it to air dry before using again. Be aware that you might need to do this again, depending on how bad the rust is. Always be careful with your LPS around water.
7

Enjoy! You are done with cleaning the rust.

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1

Fill a small container with white vinegar. Use this for dipping the Q-tip into. Make sure it's not dropping wet, but damp enough.
2
Rub the vinegar soaked Q-tip around the rust ring or stain on the LPS toy. Continue doing this until the stain lifts. Sometimes it takes a lot of scrubbing.
- You can also try scraping off the rust using a soft toothbrush, a long fingernail or a toothpick. Be careful, it might lift off the paint.
3

Rinse off with warm water soaked into a sponge (wring it before use), but you can use a cotton swab if the sponge was too big.
4

Rub a paper towel or clean cloth to remove as much liquid as possible.
5

Allow to air dry in a warm place.

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1
Choose a commercial cleaner to remove the rust rings or stains. Some options include:
- A natural stain remover pen
- A commercial rust remover (but be very sure to read what surfaces the remover works on; you don't want the toy to dissolve).
2

Sponge wash the area affected by the rust. Use warm water and gentle dish detergent. Then apply the commercial cleaner in very small amounts, using the Q-tip or a soft old toothbrush.
3

Scrub gently until the stain lifts. If it's hard to come off, scrub a little harder, but don't

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scrub too hard for it might lift off the paint, too.

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1

Rinse off with warm water soaked into a sponge (wring it before use), or you can use a damp cotton swab.
2

Rub a paper towel or clean cloth to remove as much water as possible, this will keep it from rusting again.
3

Allow to air dry in a warm place.

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Add New Question

Question

Will these methods work on any kind of Littlest Pet Shop toys?

Yes. I tried them on my different LPS, and they all worked the same.
Question

What if the rust comes back?

If the rust comes back, you can follow the instructions to clean it again.
Question

Will the vinegar come off?

Sure, as long as you rinse it off.
Question

Will I have to take the head off of the toy?

If it is a Generation 5 pet, yes. Otherwise just using a q-tip will be fine. Be sure you can get it in the hole or rusty spot or it won't get cleaned.
Question

How do I get rid of the rust on metal pets?

You can still follow the same method to remove rust from metal pets, however you may have to put a little more effort into the metal pets.
Question

Is there anything I shouldn't use that could erase the paint on the toys?

You can't use nail polish remover. The paint will come right off, depending on which brand of nail polish remover you have.
Question

Can I use the same methods of rust removal on all the parts of my Littlest Pet Shop toys?

Yes. You can also use a toothpick covered by a disinfectant wipe. This will not prevent future rust, so pound the water out.
Question

Can the new style Littlest Pet Shop toys get rust? If they can get rusty, how do I remove it?

No, they will not, because there is no metal in the neck. The older ones have metal springs, which will rust, but the newer ones are just plastic spin balls.
Question

Where do I get cleaning supplies to clean rust from the toys?

Any grocery store.
Question

How do I clean rust from my Littlest Pet Shop toys if I don't have soap?

You can use an old toothbrush and toothpaste. I use it and it works very well.

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Do not push too hard if cleaning over a painted area, as this may lift off the paint.
You may wish to wrap a twisted napkin or scrap piece of cloth around the neck of the LPS while cleaning, to capture any water that might otherwise enter the neck area and cause future rusting.
LPS' heads can come off during this process, if you're not careful. So hold the head, but also not too tight.
Be careful when you're buying pets online, as the pictures may not show damage they may have.
Keep your LPS from tubs and water in the future to prevent this from happening

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Marks on LPS reduce their value, as does damage from cleaning. Be careful if you want to retain the value. If you're just hoping to preserve the toy in as good as condition as possible for playing with, focus most on removing marks the eye can see without fussing too much about those marks hidden under the neck.
If using a commercial cleaner, test an inconspicuous part first, to ensure that it won't mark the LPS toy. Read the manufacturer's instructions carefully and avoid using anything that isn't suitable for the LPS material.
Rust rings and stains are commonplace on LPS that have been subjected to bathing, rain, high humidity and getting wet in any other way.^[1] Help children to understand that LPS are not suitable as bath toys or for playing with in any water source. It is not recommended to submerge the toy for cleaning, as water fills the head and you cannot get it out easily from all the crevices, meaning that no matter how hard you squeeze and shake the toy, some water risks being left inside, ready to create new rust. Prefer an external-only sponge bath instead to keep the LPS toy clean.

Things You'll Need

Q-tip (cotton ear bud) (or soft toothbrush, toothpick, long fingernail)
Dish soap and warm water
White vinegar
Paper towel and clean rags
Sponge
Commercial cleaner

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