Help with custom I received

[timpertie]

Hi guys. I just received this lovely little Baby Wind Whistler custom from another arena member. The member received the custom from a lot on ebay originally and we don't know who made her or where she came from. As such, I don't know how she has been painted/what with and so I come to you, gracious customisers, for help.

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As you can see from her photos, she is quite grubby. Her paint is rubbing in some places as well. I am no painter, but I would like to clean her up as much as possible and ensure no further paint wears off (she is not being played with, just for display). So here are my questions:
1) Can I clean her? And, if so, how should I go about it (warm water?)?
2) Can I seal her? And, if so, how should I do that and what with (mod podge?)?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[kaoskat]

Well, how you'd clean her would depend alot on whether or not she was sealed and with what and if not what sort of paint she was painted with. Some sealers/paints are relatively waterproof and a light cleaning with a damp rag wouldn't do any damage. Others though, are not waterproof at all and the paint will peel right off.

[Eluluu]

Yeah I'd test the bottom of a foot with a damp rag to see how durable the paint is. If it doesn't wipe off try gently cleaning her. It looks like any repairs will be easy tho if you wanted to try to patch up the rubbed spots.

Either way I'd recommend resealing her with some dullcoat after her cleaning to help preserve her.

[timpertie]

Thanks guys! I have cleaned her up with a warm, damp cloth and it has taken the dirt off. The paint looks okay, although it did feel a little tacky for a little while after cleaning. Will mod podge do the job for sealing her? Does it come in matt or gloss or both?

[StrawberryMeadow]

It comes in both. You'll want matt and should probably water it down before you use it to avoid tackiness (you can always add another layer after it's fully dried). Speaking of which, make sure she's not tacky before you seal her or she'll stay tacky for EVERRRRRRRR (/Pinkie voice!) She's completely adorable, congrats on a lovely little custom!