I watched a video from a used Lego store about how they clean their Lego, and they have a much easier method. They use a fine mesh bag (actually several inside each other) fill it up with dirty Lego and run it through an old laundry machine. Each load gets spread over several plastic folding tables and left to dry with the assistance of a few fans. I realize you aren’t really buying a lot of bulk Lego anymore, but I did want to throw this alternate cleaning method out there as an option for folks who are still building their collection through bulk Lego purchases.
I can spend HOURS sorting. It truly is one of the most cathartic experiences ever. I've got a local thrift shop that usually has 25 pound or so bags of LEGO and I'll give each one a careful look over before I decide which one I want understanding that there are often treasures hidden inside that I can't see. I've been fairly lucky so far - minimal MegaBlock or Tyco (or puzzle pieces or crayons) but like you, I love finding pieces that I've never seen before or seen only rarely and the excitement when I find the majority of sets long discontinued (Sponge Bob and TMNT being my most exciting finds) can't be beat! The last bag I bought had the entire Friends Heartlake Grand Hotel in it and I swear somebody played with it and kept it outside 24/7 because every piece is filthy!! Your cleaning technique is going to come in so handy once I get this entire bag sorted. Thank you so much!
I started buying unsorted inexpensive bulk and sort it with my son. It is so much fun to have a lottery approach to Lego and just kind of find things that don't come packaged with an A-Z instruction manual and especially find things we wouldn't have specifically selected to buy. It is work. But there is a fruit to the labor. One suggestion is there are local libraries or other donation centers that would be quite happy to receive the non-Lego pieces (re: your "recycling" bag).
I agree with you 100%! It is so fun! Yes so I have thought of that, however I find TONS of non-lego bricks at donation centers when I look plus most of the stuff I find is either small/beat up or a quantity that isn't really worth it. But if I was to find a larger lot of it, that is a great idea!
Thanks for this helpful video. I have just come back into Lego after 31 years of absence but I bought some sets this month and I am starting again properly in 2025. I really like the retro floating boats and ships from the 1980's and 1990's if you have any of those covered such as Lego 4020 or 4010 etc? They are great fun. Merry Christmas and I have subbed, all the best AP.
Yay another AFOL coming back to Lego! I hope you have the most fun coming back to it! I know I have! There’s so many more parts now which can be overwhelming! Thanks for the support. I only have a Renegade Runner pirate ship from the 90’s but that’s about it for ships. Merry Christmas to you as well!
I clean minifig parts with all the rest of the pieces. I’ll pull fabric elements like capes or flags, but otherwise I just make sure to separate the heads, torsos and legs so they can dry faster!
Very true. I have a little cart now with several tiers on it. I still can’t clean as much at once but I have found over time that I prefer doing less at a time other wise it feels too overwhelming
All of it! If it’s used, I wash it. Even parts that don’t look too bad from lots I’ve gotten, I’ve washed them and the color of the water always shocks me. That’s of course a total preference. It’s not like a little dirty Lego will kill you. lol. But I like knowing it’s all been washed. It makes it all feel fresh again and is kind of way of making it feel like my Lego now.
@@JJJBricks I've been ordering a bit from BrickLink (not bulk, though!) and mostly haven't been washing. Got a mailing last week though that looked suspiciously grungy, so into the lingerie bags it went! Thanks for your videos and info.
Thank you for watching Beth! I’m glad it’s helping! Also good shout: I don’t normally wash Bricklink orders! I think I’ve only ordered a couple that were used parts overall though.
Yes! I have seen that used! We don’t have one in our house cause we would probably never use it, otherwise I would have tried it, but maybe we’ll get one someday and I can test it out!
I am planning to buy a salad spinner to aid in the drying process; we have one but I'm sure that I don't want to spin my salad lettuces in the same thing I do used LEGO.
Hahaha yes I have thought about this as well. Generally I’m ok with leaving it sit overnight to dry. It just means I need to plan a little more ahead of when I want to start sorting it!
So for those of us who don’t have an unreasonably large sink 😂 jk jk this is very helpful. Last time I washed Lego I painstakingly laid them out to dry in a single layer and it was awful. Will definitely be using the rinse and dump plus fan method going forward!
The name of the game! Can be quite repetitive but it feels good when they’ve gotten a fresh rinse. Even parts I’ve picked up that I’ve thought didn’t seem too dirty, after cleaning the water was more gross than I imagined so in my opinion, it’s always worth giving them a wash!
Cleaning LEGO can be such a chore!!! Thanks for sharing your process with us!! Great content and channel; we just subscribed! We would be honored if you took a chance to swing by and check out our LEGO content too! Either way, keep building and smiling!!
I never thought I would enjoy watching someone clean Lego this much 😂
The post clean water shot was for you Coral! I knew you wanted to see it!
I watched a video from a used Lego store about how they clean their Lego, and they have a much easier method. They use a fine mesh bag (actually several inside each other) fill it up with dirty Lego and run it through an old laundry machine. Each load gets spread over several plastic folding tables and left to dry with the assistance of a few fans.
I realize you aren’t really buying a lot of bulk Lego anymore, but I did want to throw this alternate cleaning method out there as an option for folks who are still building their collection through bulk Lego purchases.
Yes! I have seen that method myself, but the idea of possibly breaking my washing machine to clean my Lego pieces freaks me out too much. lol.
Damn Jim - that is a sink FLEX and a half dude! Great vid as always!
Hahaha thanks dude! :)
I can spend HOURS sorting. It truly is one of the most cathartic experiences ever. I've got a local thrift shop that usually has 25 pound or so bags of LEGO and I'll give each one a careful look over before I decide which one I want understanding that there are often treasures hidden inside that I can't see. I've been fairly lucky so far - minimal MegaBlock or Tyco (or puzzle pieces or crayons) but like you, I love finding pieces that I've never seen before or seen only rarely and the excitement when I find the majority of sets long discontinued (Sponge Bob and TMNT being my most exciting finds) can't be beat! The last bag I bought had the entire Friends Heartlake Grand Hotel in it and I swear somebody played with it and kept it outside 24/7 because every piece is filthy!! Your cleaning technique is going to come in so handy once I get this entire bag sorted. Thank you so much!
Yesss! Thank you so much for sharing! It is sooo cathartic right? Glad you enjoyed the video and I hope it helps! :)
the plastic cat in the recycle bag made me giggle (around 3:10 mark)
You find some interesting things sometimes for sure in bulk Lego bins!
Im coming to you personally to ask you if I could use liquid like dawn soap and thank you for replying@@JJJBricks
I started buying unsorted inexpensive bulk and sort it with my son. It is so much fun to have a lottery approach to Lego and just kind of find things that don't come packaged with an A-Z instruction manual and especially find things we wouldn't have specifically selected to buy. It is work. But there is a fruit to the labor.
One suggestion is there are local libraries or other donation centers that would be quite happy to receive the non-Lego pieces (re: your "recycling" bag).
I agree with you 100%! It is so fun! Yes so I have thought of that, however I find TONS of non-lego bricks at donation centers when I look plus most of the stuff I find is either small/beat up or a quantity that isn't really worth it. But if I was to find a larger lot of it, that is a great idea!
Thanks for this helpful video. I have just come back into Lego after 31 years of absence but I bought some sets this month and I am starting again properly in 2025. I really like the retro floating boats and ships from the 1980's and 1990's if you have any of those covered such as Lego 4020 or 4010 etc? They are great fun. Merry Christmas and I have subbed, all the best AP.
Yay another AFOL coming back to Lego! I hope you have the most fun coming back to it! I know I have! There’s so many more parts now which can be overwhelming! Thanks for the support. I only have a Renegade Runner pirate ship from the 90’s but that’s about it for ships. Merry Christmas to you as well!
To speed up drying, you can first put the wet Lego in a pillowcase, for example, and swirl it around outdoors to remove extra water.
Ooh good shout! But let’s be honest Storm, you do that just because it’s fun to whip Lego around outside in a pillowcase! 😂
I use a salad spinner for smaller pieces. Helps speed up the drying time!
Yes I have heard of this too! I may need to try that to speed up the process!
The montage was perfection. 🤌
Thanks friend!!! :)
If you ever want to post sped up film of just Lego sorting, I will watch that. 😊
Good to know Brianna! I might just do that! :) I still have all the smaller parts to sort yet...
Next time I’m cleaning something, I am totally going to have “rinse and dump” stuck in my head. 😂
Another stellar video! 🎉
Thanks Wren!!! :)
Thanks for yet another great video.♥
Thanks Warner! Appreciate your support of the channel!
I did not expect the Lego suds swirl in water ASMR to be that good
Oooh added feature!
Rinse, dump, repeat. Also thanks for the lovely description of the dirty water...
You are so welcome!
how do you clean minifigs that come in the bulk
I clean minifig parts with all the rest of the pieces. I’ll pull fabric elements like capes or flags, but otherwise I just make sure to separate the heads, torsos and legs so they can dry faster!
great sink content
treat lego like babies - not to hot. got it
you need a giant lego spoon to stir tbh
Lego is baby yes
Lego spoon.... hmm.
I really like our sink. Gotta show it off!
I have a jacuzzi we never use. I dump em in there with a little dish soap, turn on the jets, then rinse them with the shower nozzle. 😁
Oh heck yeah! Awesome idea!! Do you put a drain cover over it when emptying to not lose pieces?
@@JJJBricks one of those little metal screens.
Nice yeah I use that in the sink as well. It always scares me that a Lego piece is going to fall into the garbage disposal 😖
you are limited by the size of your table
instead put towels on the floor and get much greater surface area
Very true. I have a little cart now with several tiers on it. I still can’t clean as much at once but I have found over time that I prefer doing less at a time other wise it feels too overwhelming
@@JJJBricks good lesson to learn
Novice question: Do you wash *all* bulk Lego that comes into your house, or only the Lego that looks dirty?
All of it! If it’s used, I wash it. Even parts that don’t look too bad from lots I’ve gotten, I’ve washed them and the color of the water always shocks me. That’s of course a total preference. It’s not like a little dirty Lego will kill you. lol. But I like knowing it’s all been washed. It makes it all feel fresh again and is kind of way of making it feel like my Lego now.
@@JJJBricks I've been ordering a bit from BrickLink (not bulk, though!) and mostly haven't been washing. Got a mailing last week though that looked suspiciously grungy, so into the lingerie bags it went! Thanks for your videos and info.
Thank you for watching Beth! I’m glad it’s helping! Also good shout: I don’t normally wash Bricklink orders! I think I’ve only ordered a couple that were used parts overall though.
Use a salad spinner to get most of water off before drying. Speeds up drying.
Yes! I have seen that used! We don’t have one in our house cause we would probably never use it, otherwise I would have tried it, but maybe we’ll get one someday and I can test it out!
Doing that too 👌🏽😁
The drying is what takes the longest. I need some heavy-duty fans.
True!
I am planning to buy a salad spinner to aid in the drying process; we have one but I'm sure that I don't want to spin my salad lettuces in the same thing I do used LEGO.
Hahaha yes I have thought about this as well. Generally I’m ok with leaving it sit overnight to dry. It just means I need to plan a little more ahead of when I want to start sorting it!
So for those of us who don’t have an unreasonably large sink 😂 jk jk this is very helpful. Last time I washed Lego I painstakingly laid them out to dry in a single layer and it was awful. Will definitely be using the rinse and dump plus fan method going forward!
Yay!! Yeah I found it will dry overnight especially if you only have one layer. Glad it helped friend!
rinse and repeat
The name of the game! Can be quite repetitive but it feels good when they’ve gotten a fresh rinse. Even parts I’ve picked up that I’ve thought didn’t seem too dirty, after cleaning the water was more gross than I imagined so in my opinion, it’s always worth giving them a wash!
Cleaning LEGO can be such a chore!!! Thanks for sharing your process with us!! Great content and channel; we just subscribed! We would be honored if you took a chance to swing by and check out our LEGO content too! Either way, keep building and smiling!!
Thanks Fromania! ❤️