Do magic erasers 'open pores' on ponies?

[daffodil101]

I know this is a weird question, but can your ponies be over-cleaned?   I've been going over my collection the last week with magic erasers, getting rid of marks and residual surface dirt that didn't come off when they were washed.  I've noticed that they almost feel rough, like your hair after shampooing but before conditioning.  They actually seem more matte.  Am I basically just sanding them back?

I also know that mould and pindot form in the tiny pores in the plastic, and I've been wondering...  is there any merit to wiping ponies over with some kind of sealant, maybe very diluted almond oil or hair conditioner?  Maybe some kind of thin barrier would protect them a little from getting dirt or mould in the pores now that they're all raw and exposed. 

[Lady.Arachnia]

Magic Erasers are some kind of micro sandpaper...so if you use them * to much* it could give the surface a matte finish. Therefore are they commonly used in the Ball Jointed Doll scene.

I must say that I get also good results with no scratshes at all with *normal* diswashing sponges and then using the rough side only on the spots and have never had any problems at al!

I would be careful with oils on plastic! I think *but this is only MY opinion, so use with care!* is to make them shine up is to use things like cockpit spray for cars or silicone spray, they are also ment to use on plastics. But i would not spray the pony, but spray some on a dusting cloth and then softly wipe the pony. And after it has set for a couple of minutes wipe the excess off!
*Disclaimer! Try it first on a bait pony and not your most expensive in your herd!!!*

[BlushingBlue]

Yes, melamine foam (aka magic erasers) removes marks via micro-abrasion, so you are basically just sanding them.

If you live in a mold-prone environment and wish to seal your ponies, I'm afraid you'd have to do more than just wiping them with almond oil. (Your ponies' pores would be impregnated with rancid oil a year down the line. I wouldn't recommend it.) Using a dimethicone-based product, like some hair conditioners, would be a better bet, but would leave your ponies fairly glossy and the other substances in hair conditioner might react badly with the vinyl over time.

If you want to get serious about it, first you'd have to sterilize the ponies, otherwise you're just sealing existing spores into the plastic, then you'd have to apply a product that's made to protect vinyl. You can often find these for use on cars/boats. I don't know what's available in where you are, but the brands I'm familiar with are 303 and Poorboy's World. (My uncle restores vintage cars which is how I know about them at all. I do not use these products on my own ponies.) Keep in mind, you might have to repeat the application process every so often, which may eventually cause damage to your ponies in itself, although not of the mold variety. I don't know what the long term effects on ponies' paint would be, for instance. It's up to you whether it would be worth it or not.

Sorry for the essay, but I hope that helps you a little. 

[hathorcat]

Yup; agreeing with everything above. They are sandpaper so when using them you are abrading the surface of the pony hence the rough feeling.

As for the pores - they are always there, using the magic eraser does not "open" them. Its better to allow plastics like this to breath otherwise they have a tendency to sweat or general condensation. If you cover them over with a sealant you will do much more damage to them than the odd mark to the body may (as its quite a dramatic action) but you may also cause yourself further issues down the line.