Rust Questions v2: Because this time I'm not chicken

[WaterDraw]

I know, I know, those of you who have seen my past posts are probably thinking "Really? Another post talking about how much she thinks tail rust is icky and disgusting!?" ...Okay maybe not all of you but you guys are probably wondering what it's about now.
All of this week I was going antiquing. I had to face my fear of germs on old toys and ended up coming out a little bit braver than before. I didn't find anything super rare or good (and nothing pony related sadly ), I did face my fear of touching old, naked, dirty, TLC-needing barbies. (And I only screamed and tossed one in disgust and fear ONCE! ...Alright some of you are probably thinking that's a bit extreme but it was seriously disgusting and it didn't help that it was in a dusty, moldy basement and it was okay after wards because I lightly tossed it into the table in front of me as a knee-jerk reaction.)
OKAY ANYWAY, the point is I came out braver, and slightly more ready to work on my big ol' problem pony.
Yes everyone, my infamous Bridal Beauty with the possible hunk of rusty metal in her symbol.
I've been reading the MLP Preservation Project section about tail rust and been watching multiple YouTube videos about how to fix it in order to prep myself up, but I just have two questions to ask:
1. How bad is it for the pony to just do nothing at all about the tail rust? Just to keep her on display/stored away? Are there any negative affects to doing this?
2. How costly is it exactly to fix tail rust? Plus, will white hair/tinsel be stained from the rust, or will it be hard to get out but i can for sure get it out? Will it always just be there as a faint mark?

That is it for now. Hopefully you guys can help! Also I'm on my way home, so sorry if I don't reply immediately for a few days.

[Baby Sugarberry]

Rust isn't good to leave on plastics - it tends to stain long term, and is quite stubborn to get out.  If you keep away humidity/water then it won't get more rusty than before, but that's still not ideal.  It's always the tail washers that rust first and if left unchecked it can progress to the tail clamp, the part that actually holds the tail hairs together.  If that happens then it's a more difficult fix than just removing the washer and cleaning up the rust.

How permanent the staining will be depends on how bad it is to begin with, and how much effort you're willing to put into getting rid of it all.  White unfortunately tends to show even small remaining traces. 

[KottonKandy]

Rust isn't really frightening to deal with. It's a fairly common problem considering MLPs were first and foremost a children's toy.
Baby Sugarberry is full of delightful info, and here is a page on dealing with the issue:
http://www.mlppreservationproject.com/hair.html


However, in the end, I have to say, if you're legitimately freaking out over touching old toys, you should probably find a new hobby. The grand majority of toys were played with by young folk. and if they're retro toys, then they've touched multiple hands at that point.
Nothing you can do about that.

[nhal039]

I have seen marks on the outside of a pony happy cause of rust from the inside, its like it started a cancer spot. Rust is bad news and its worth cleaning to be honest.

Cleaning it is timely but not expensive at all. Popping heads can be a bit tricky to get the hang off but once you have got it sorted you will be good to pop heads of all ponies. Maybe practice popping heads on some bait ponies first.
As for the actual cleaning I use a tooth brush and white tooth paste to clean out the rust. On really rust insides some marks wont be able to be removed but you will be able to remove alot of the muck. On rusty tail washers I pull out the tail and throw out the washer. I  just pop the tail back in with no washer. On really rusty tail clamps, I remove the clamp with pliers, its quite time consuming. I then use cable ties to secure the tail, I use 2.. one to go around the hair and one to hold the 1st cable tie in place (I hope that makes sense).

To clean rust from tails, white tooth paste and a tooth brush will get a lot of the rust out, some tails will be permanently stained. Ihave heard some people put lemon juice on white tails and bleached tails in the sun, I have never done this to verify if it works or not.

I absolutely am one for sorting out the rust, I have seen nasty things happen by leaving rust in ponies. Also whatever you do do the pony make sure the inside is very dry before sealing her up again so you dont get mold

[Shaz]

Having had my share of OCD and germ-phobia, I really feel for you. It may help to remember that harmful bacteria are not actually able to live for very long on plastic surfaces; anything nasty left by the hands of previous owners would be long gone. Also, dirt/grime/rust is not the same as germs. Sure, second-hand toys can sometimes feel a little icky, but it's not harmful (I mean, unless you plan to eat them or something) and there's not much that can't be improved by soap and water.

I don't have any advice on rust (everyone else has given good advice), but I just had to give my pennyworth on the dirt-and-germs subject because it's close to my heart. I hope you're able to carry on getting braver!

[hathorcat]

They are your ponies; if you are forever going to have them in your collection and not be too worried about some continued deterioration then you shouldn't worry about it too much. Especially if you have a serious issue in dealing with them

However, for the sake of the ponies and your collection, I do think it would be worth trying to get them cleaned up. Rust left too long will stain heavier and eventually contribute to discolouration. Perhaps you could get a friend or family member to help you with the worst of it? And, if you cant, its worth focusing on what others have said there is nothing going on that can hurt you.

Good luck! 

[emily_katie]

I don't have much to add in terms of how to get rid of tail rust because everyone has it covered, but I do empathise with you on the germ fear thing  Have you ever considered carrying alcohol hand gel with you to flea markets etc? I do just because it gives me piece of mind. While you are cleansing your new finds, like the barbies or while you are fixing the tail rust maybe you would benefit from buying some plastic disposable gloves like are used in hospitals? As others have said there is likely no harm that comes from handling dirty old toys but if you had a barrier like that I imagine your anxietys would be greatly decreased. All the best xx

[banditpony]

I don't know. If I had a phobia of rusty/dirty/germy ponies, I certainly wouldn't be able to have one in my herd that knowingly is getting worse due to not addressing the issue.

Trust me, I know that phobias are hard. I have my own-- and I take them on. Get yourself geared up (gloves, mask), get the tools ready (toothbrush, baby bottle cleaner, pliers, baking soda toothpaste). Tell yourself what's going to happen. Get your mind ready what you are going to see. Ask yourself what's the worst that will happen. Open her up and pull the tail. If that's all you can handle at the moment, then take a break. That will be the grossest part. And then when you feel like you can try again, go at it. And when you start cleaning the tail, and you see it coming clean with ease, you'll know you are doing the right thing. Making what you fear go away. And if you had to do it again, it might not be any easier. But you'll know it's something you CAN do. Because, honestly, you CAN do it if you put your mind to it.

If not, to be honest, I'd say maybe sell the pony to someone else who won't let the pony deteriorate and buy a mint one.

[SaraMari]

I have some issues with germs myself but as it has been stated before rust is not germs. The vast majority of germs do not last more than a couple weeks on inanimate and some can't even last 24 hours. Your skin is designed to keep germs out. If touching an old Barbie causes such a visceral reaction as to literally scream, what benefits will you get from doing rust removal?

Rust removal as others have stated is not difficult in the scheme of things. Also cost wise there really isn't much. Get a pack of toothbrushes from the dollar store, use toothpaste and a pliers you likely already have. A foreceps really does make tail removal easier, they cost under 10$. You can use a ribbon to pull the tail back in.

[WaterDraw]

Thanks everyone for the advice and the help I'm hoping to get started as soon as I get home. I'll try to take things slow and at my own pace.
It helps me to think that I am helping the pony get better. She is pretty nice besides the rust (nice and white, good blush, tame tinsel, etc) and I think cleaning her up would help me get over my fears just a tiny bit more.
I've been thinking of carrying thin plastic gloves with me since I feel like that would help me deal with the toys I'm handling.
I know my grandmother used to carry disinfectant wipes with her which always helped me when I was little, so I think I might carry that around also. Either that or I have a friend help hold or inspect the toy for me (to which they criticize me for being so squeamish as to not be able to touch something until I am sure it is "in the clear").
I have gone a long way in facing my fears (believe it or not I used to be worse) and I thank all of you for your kind words. Hopefully, fixing Bridal Beauty's tail rust will be another step in the right direction, even if it's only a tiny one.
Wish me luck everyone! Fingers crossed her rust isn't too bad.