Best way to clean Legos?

What's the best way to clean Legos?

Had a beer can explode (not my brewer) next to a constructed Lego set. Cleaned up everything that got beered except the Lego.

Any advice on cleaning the Legos? Should I take the set apart and rebuild to clean it?

I've got a little bit of PBW from work. Kinda leaning towards soaking it in that and maybe giving it a bit of stir around for mechanical action.

I was going to say OxyClean.  PBW is pretty much the same.

Dawn dish soap is another viable option to soak in.

I think I've seen people put the pieces in a mesh bag and chuck it in the dishwasher. Wouldn't try that with bricks that have stickers.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

No stickers. Good tip though!

I presume top rack with heated dry off? Or are they tough enough to handle a heated dry?

My wife is an elementary teacher. I think Legos go through our dishwasher about once a year. 

Mesh bag like Keith mentioned. She's not here or I'd ask about temp/heat. 

I'd go mesh or lingerie bag in the clothes washer personally.

I concur with dishwasher, mesh bag or similar, top rack, no heated dry (just to be safe)

RevRico said:

I'd go mesh or lingerie bag in the clothes washer personally.

I dunno.  I think I like the dishwasher idea better.  Clothes washer is going to have a lot of mechanical action.  A bag of legos might come out with all the corners rounded like a bunch of polished gemstones. 

1988RedT2 said:

RevRico said:

I'd go mesh or lingerie bag in the clothes washer personally.

I dunno.  I think I like the dishwasher idea better.  Clothes washer is going to have a lot of mechanical action.  A bag of legos might come out with all the corners rounded like a bunch of polished gemstones. 

And it makes a hell of a racket in the dryer.

Keith Tanner said:

I think I've seen people put the pieces in a mesh bag and chuck it in the dishwasher. Wouldn't try that with bricks that have stickers.

Definitely Not with stickers. I washed Duplo in a wash machine in a bag. The stickers disintegrated leaving the glue behind.  The bricks came out clean, though.

Bricks are ABS and dishwasher use without drying will be fine.  Top shelf heated drying should be fine too.  

Alternatively, stick 'em into a couple of socks and run them through your washer. Wouldn't run it through the dryer, though.

That's also surprisingly effective when trying to clean your keyboard's key caps. Well, as long as you don't forget to tie a knot in the sock.

Put a spare one in the dishwasher utensil basket and run the full cycle including heat.  See if it melts.   

If it does run it again  with another spare one, without heat, and see if it melts. 

I have heard of people giving them a good soak and swirl in a tub full of water and a bit of bleach, but honestly dishwasher top rack on a low-heat cycle sounds a lot easier. As a rule, I would avoid putting anything plastic (aside from utensils with plastic handles) on the bottom rack.