Soft Vinyl Prep

Cleaning Soft Vinyl

It is VERY important to clean off any possible oils or surface debris before painting a blank soft vinyl figure. Otherwise, it cannot be guaranteed that the vinyl paint will be able to chemically bond to the vinyl substrate. This is particularly important if your figure is a little oily to the touch. The most effective means of cleaning and prepping your vinyl is through a vinyl solvent bath. You can do this by simply scrubbing the piece with an old chip brush dipped in thinner. You can get a stiffer cleaning brush by trimming down the chip brush with scissors. If you only plan on painting specific areas like eyes or mouths, you can just spot-wipe the figure. If you’re painting the piece disassembled, take special care to wipe around joints since these areas receive more wear. We recommend a solvent bath right before painting. This is because Vinyl Wonder Thinner consists of a special solvent mixture that not only degreases the surface but also temporarily opens up the vinyl substrate to allow for an even stronger chemical bond.