Expert: Leisha Hiester - 11/16/2008

Question
Hello,
We recently bought a bunch of doll molds (cheap) from a lady that was moving.  These molds had been in a flood and are coated with river mud.  Inside the molds is a layer of mud that has filled details of the mold.
I tried cleaning one of the molds with a plastic scrub brush and warm water.  I would guess that that was a bad idea as now the mold surface is very rough and scratched.
Is there a proper way to clean them in a case like this, or are they a loss?
Thanks,
Alan

Answer
Dear Alan,

A very soft cloth can be your best friend with plaster molds. As little contact as possible with the interior of your molds is best. As you've experienced, the fine details can easily be disturbed.

Plaster is very absorbent and therefore very easy to self-clean. When you pour a mold & remove the greenware nearly all but a few lines of slip will stick to the mold. Allow to air dry a bit & wipe with a soft cloth and the remaining slip will knock itself away from the mold.

Given this mature of plaster molds, have the molds from the flood been allowed to thoroughly dry? Simply leaving one in the sun can dry it, blow dryers help and even fans. Try drying one completely and see if the mud falls away on it's own, if it doesn't, you've got quite a chore on your hands. Then you'll need to soak away the mud with warm water & the mold will have to be allowed to be completely dried before using. If this doesn't work, you might try contacting one of the mold companies for further advice, like Duncan or Gare.

Good luck, Leisha