8 min read · regularly updated
The short version: clean acrylic with a soft microfiber cloth, lukewarm water and a plastic-safe cleaner — and never touch a dry panel with paper towels or ammonia-based glass spray. That is the whole rulebook. Everything below is just how to apply it without leaving swirl marks behind.
Acrylic looks like glass, so people clean it like glass. That is the mistake. Real glass is harder than most of the dust that lands on it, so wiping is basically harmless. Acrylic is softer than the grit floating around a typical room, which means every dry wipe can drag tiny particles across the surface and polish a permanent haze into your case. The good news: once you build the right habit, keeping a case crystal clear costs about a minute a week. Here is the routine, the products to avoid, and the fixes for the problems that show up along the way.
In this guide
- 1/8 · What actually scratches acrylic
- 2/8 · The weekly dust routine
- 3/8 · The deep clean, step by step
- 4/8 · What never to use on acrylic
- 5/8 · Static, fingerprints and fog
- 6/8 · Cleaning tools and products compared
- 7/8 · FAQ
- 8/8 · The bottom line
1/8 · What actually scratches acrylic
Four things do almost all of the damage, and none of them is your collectibles.
Dry wiping. The film of dust on a panel is basically grit. Wipe it dry and you drag that grit across a soft plastic surface — the acrylic equivalent of sanding. It looks fine right away, then one day sunlight hits the panel and you see a web of fine swirl marks.
Paper products. Paper towels and tissues are pressed wood pulp, and wood pulp is harder than acrylic. Every pass leaves micro-scratches you cannot polish out at home. Cotton rags that have been through the wash with other laundry are nearly as bad, because fabric softener and trapped crumbs turn them into sandpaper.
Ammonia and harsh solvents. Classic glass sprays, acetone, nail polish remover and thinners attack acrylic chemically. The panel first develops tiny cracks (crazing), then turns cloudy from the inside. No cleaning fixes that; the panel has to be replaced.
The wrong cloth for the job. A dirty cloth used on the outside, then the inside, transfers grease onto the interior and makes dust stick faster. Keep interior cloths separate and effectively clean.
If you are still choosing between case types, our guide to picking display cases for collectibles covers which panels and doors hold up best — thick walls and magnetic doors are much easier to live with once you start cleaning regularly.
2/8 · The weekly dust routine
Most weeks you do not need a full wash — just a 60-second pass so dust never builds into a layer:
- Sweep the outside first. One or two light passes with a clean dry microfiber cloth, straight lines, no pressure. Dust from the exterior will otherwise fall onto your figures the moment you open the door.
- Dust the interior with a soft brush. A clean makeup brush or an anti-static dusting brush reaches between figures without lifting them. A small rotating blind box display stand makes this even easier — spin the platform instead of reaching over the collection.
- Follow with a barely damp cloth inside and out. Slightly damp microfiber picks dust up instead of flicking it back into the air. Finish with the dry side of the cloth to kill streaks.
That is it. Pressure should always be light enough that you could do it with one finger. If you need to press hard, something is stuck — deal with it in the deep clean below instead of scrubbing.
3/8 · The deep clean, step by step
Once a month — or any time a haze starts to build — take ten minutes and do it properly:
- Empty the case. Lift the figures onto a clean towel. Trying to clean around a full shelf is how figures get knocked over and panels get scratched.
- Rinse with lukewarm water. In a sink or with a wrung-out cloth. Water should feel comfortable on your wrist — hot water can warp thin panels.
- Wash with one drop of mild dish soap. A drop on a damp microfiber cloth is plenty for a whole panel. Wash in straight, overlapping lines.
- Remove the soap. Wipe every panel with a second cloth rinsed in clean water. Leftover soap dries into streaks.
- Dry immediately with a fresh, dry microfiber cloth. Light strokes, and swap to a second dry cloth if the first gets damp. Letting water air-dry on acrylic is what leaves those white spots.
- Let it breathe before you close it. Give the interior 10–15 minutes of open air. A well-sealed case — think of a 60cm magnetic-front acrylic display box — locks dust out precisely because it seals tightly, so any trapped moisture will fog the panels from the inside until you reopen it.
- Dust the figures while the case is open. A soft brush for resin and vinyl; keep plush and fabric items away from the washing water.
4/8 · What never to use on acrylic
Print this part and stick it inside a cupboard door:
- Ammonia glass sprays — the fastest way to haze a panel permanently.
- Acetone, nail polish remover, paint thinner — these partially dissolve acrylic on contact.
- High-strength alcohol wipes — occasional use in a pinch, but repeated wiping dulls the surface.
- Melamine sponges (the white “magic eraser” type) — a micro-abrasive that polishes haze into the panel.
- Paper towels and tissues — wood pulp scratches.
- Cream cleansers and scouring powders — designed to abrade; that is exactly what you do not want.
- Dry dusting with any cloth — wet or brush first, always.
5/8 · Static, fingerprints and fog
Static. Acrylic builds a static charge, especially in dry rooms, and freshly cleaned panels attract dust again within days. Two fixes work: wipe panels with a cloth lightly misted with an anti-static spray made for plastics (spray the cloth, not the panel), or run a small humidifier in the room. Collectors who rotate their displays — for example with a stackable rotating display case — also touch the panels less, which means less static and fewer fingerprints in the first place.
Fingerprints. Oils from hands hold dust like glue. The weekly damp-cloth pass removes them; if a smudge resists, one drop of dish soap on the cloth does the job without chemicals.
Fog and condensation. If the inside of the glass fogs up, moisture got sealed in. Leave the door open until everything is fully dry, then drop a small silica gel pack in the corner before closing. Never stack a case straight after cleaning.
6/8 · Cleaning tools and products compared
| Tool / product | Safe for acrylic? | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Microfiber cloth (damp) | Yes — daily driver | Weekly dust, fingerprints, light smudges |
| Microfiber cloth (dry) | Yes, on clean panels | Final streak-free pass after damp wiping |
| Mild dish soap + lukewarm water | Yes | Monthly deep clean, greasy marks |
| Anti-static spray for plastics | Yes | Dust-heavy rooms, dry seasons |
| Paper towels / tissues | No | Nothing — wood pulp scratches |
| Ammonia glass spray | No | Nothing — causes permanent haze |
| Melamine “magic” sponge | No | Nothing — micro-abrasive |
7/8 · FAQ
Is an acrylic display case worth it?
If your collectibles live on open shelves, dust alone settles on everything every few days, and one careless wipe can scuff a figure’s paint. A case turns all of that into a one-minute weekly wipe. Even a simple transparent acrylic display cabinet pays for itself in saved cleaning time — and unlike glass cabinets, it will not shatter if it takes a knock.
How long does an acrylic display case last?
Indoors and out of direct sun, a decent case stays clear for many years. What shortens its life is not cleaning — it is sunlight (UV yellows and brittles plastic), heat sources like radiators, and aggressive chemicals. Keep it out of the window light and it will outlive most of the trends in your collection.
How do you clean the inside without taking the figures out?
Use a long, soft dusting brush for the open areas, then a slightly damp cotton swab for corners and around figure bases. A case with a wide magnetic door helps here — you can reach the back rows with a cloth instead of working through a narrow opening. Save the full empty-and-wash for the monthly deep clean.
8/8 · The bottom line
Microfiber, lukewarm water, light pressure — and a strict no to paper towels and ammonia spray. A one-minute weekly pass plus a ten-minute monthly wash keeps any acrylic case looking showroom-clear, and the dust your collectibles never collect is the best protection you can give them.
If you are setting up from scratch, start by browsing the store’s acrylic display boxes and storage baskets, and read how racks, boxes and cabinets compare if you are still deciding which format fits your room. More cleaning and storage guides live on the ISSI Diary blog.