Caring for Games
by Bruce Whitehill
When you think about it, it is amazing that games played over and over again and designed to last for years are, most often, fabricated from paper—paper, cardboard, and card-stock, light enough and thin enough to be subject to bending, cracking, tearing, and, over time, the onslaughts of such things as insects and mildew. It is astonishing how many games have survived for centuries.
Scores of games have been found prior to the 1870s, and even approaching the 20th century, where part of the box has been stitched together with thread or yarn, attesting to their esteemed value and the care bestowed upon them. Before household tape was readily available, games were repaired with “button” thread or embroidery thread, or even material like old fishing line.
Those days may be long gone, but the players and collectors of today also need to find ways to protect and repair any games they hope to keep. If you have a valuable, old and fragile game, such as a paper gameboard from the mid to late 1800s or a cloth or hand-colored board from even earlier, you should consider the professional help of a paper restorer or archivist if you are looking to clean, repair, or frame it. Your best bet is to look online or ask in an art supply store. Also, there, if you’re looking to repair your own games, you can pick up special materials, including acid-free glue and backing paper, along with some advice on how to use them.
Most collectors are interested in doing their own cleaning and minor repair work, and using materials easily at hand. Here are some things game collectors can do for their early games, and what the game player might consider to keep a collection in the best shape.
Before You Buy—What Can and Cannot be Cleaned
One of the best bargains you can find at a flea market is a dirty game—that is to say, one that is soiled. Sellers are either too busy to try to clean a game box or too afraid they will wind up removing some of the paper or color along with the dirt.
The spot check: Before you buy, you need to check the game carefully. Not all soiling comes off. Ink marks and stains, including simple water stains that turn paper a light brown, may be impossible to get out. Coal dust—not something most people have to worry about in their shopping regions—can appear like normal dirt, but has already eaten into the paper and will not come out. A good on-the-spot check is to wet your finger and rub it inconspicuously on a part of the box cover—if you wind up with a cleaner smudge on the box and a dirtier finger, there is a good chance the game will clean up well; if not, think twice before you buy.
Stacking and Storage
Before examining ways to clean and repair games, we should point out that in order to avoid more cleaning and repair than necessary, you should follow some simple directives about displaying and storing your games.
Stacking: Most game boxes made today, especially those from Central Europe, are so solidly constructed that they will not succumb to the pressures, literally, of items placed atop them. But older games can be very frail, indeed. Also, “Euro games” are made in more of a uniform size and much smaller than most mass-market games in the U.S., and they can be placed on end, like bookshelf games, or stacked edge to edge. The edge—where the box apron (side panel) meets the main panel, is the strongest part of the box.
Generally, it is best to try to avoid stacking thinner or older games in too high a pile. The weight of the games might crush the ones on the bottom. Also, the natural tendency to stack a smaller game on top of a larger one could result in a slight indentation in the box cover of the game underneath. To avoid this, when stacking games, there are three simple but visually unorthodox solutions, designed to make certain that the game above is supported by the box edges of the game beneath:
- cross-stack games—that is, alternate vertical and horizontal placement;
- place each game on top of a slightly smaller game; this way, nothing is pushing directly against a portion of the cover illustration below; also, when games stacked with the largest on top are carried or moved, they don’t slide around as easily, keeping the game on top from scraping across the cover beneath;
- stack smaller games on top and larger games on the bottom, but keep them all upside down.
Storing: Ideally, games should be stored with a sheet of acid-free paper or cardboard between them. They should be kept away from areas of extreme temperatures and temperature fluctuations. The coated paper on the box or board can expand or contract at a different rate from the actual cardboard, causing the game to warp or the paper to separate from the box. Cold, dry temperatures and temperature changes might also cause games to become more brittle.
Most importantly, games should be kept away from moisture!
When storing games for long periods, do not to use any rubber bands, since they may decay and adhere to the box. Make sure games are stored in an insect-free environment; you won’t see the insects—only their effects: tiny holes, minute brown spots, paper edges that look as though they have been eaten instead of cut. Games should be wiped clean before storing, and for long-time storage it may be necessary to spray the box interior with a mild insect spray. One unproved suggestion has been to put used dryer fabric softener sheets inside the box, or to put cloves or cedar inside; these might also work against mildew (see below), and at least two of the three have a good fragrance. The best way to store games is vertically, like books, depending on the contents and type of inner packaging.
Displaying: How to display a collection is as individual a choice as what games you like to buy and play. But putting games on show, be it in your living room or at an exhibition, should follow the same principles of stacking and storage, paying careful attention to temperature and humidity, which poses little problem in most homes. However, you need also to be conscious of the lighting. Keep your games away from harsh indoor light and from all sunlight. Games fade. Buying a game that has stood in the sun all day at an outdoor market could leave you with a pale disappointment the next morning.
If you use rubber bands to keep your game boxes closed, always use extra-large rubber bands (such as Plymouth rubber bands, size 33, sold in big boxes in office supply stores) and be careful not to rub them along the game’s edges, a way in which many box edges become worn; it is best to put a rubber band on two ends of the box cover very close to the edge, and to check and change them as necessary.
Most players and collectors have more games than they have room for, and are therefore relegated to a display of the closed box only. Games set up vertically to show their full covers can be kept from tipping forward on narrow shelves by securing them through the use of a thin fishing line along the entire length of the shelf.
Handle with Care: Whether you are buying, selling, playing, displaying, or storing games, you need to handle them carefully. The most important point is to use two hands to pick up anything larger than a card game. (Most of you will ignore this advice until you stick your fingers through the bottom of a weakened box.)
Remember that fingers leave fingerprints—which means oil residue that is not good for the printed surface of your game or its components. And the oily surface attracts more dust and dirt. Researchers examining older games in most museums are required to wear gloves, but it should suffice, naturally, just to keep clean hands—not as easy as it sounds, considering the snacks that often accompany game-playing evenings.
The Quick Fix
Removing Stickers, Tape and Fried Rubber Bands
Most new games come shrink-wrapped. But older games and used games sometimes come with a price sticker glued to the box cover. Never try to pull off a sticker without using rubber cement thinner. (Look for Carter’s Rubber Cement Thinner in an office supply store, or try Goo Gone, found in hardware stores.) Put the cement thinner in a clean miniature oilcan (which is an excellent dispenser of the liquid), use an eyedropper, or saturate a piece of a cloth. Wet a corner of the sticker, then try gently peeling back the sticker, folding it over so the non-sticky side is pressed against the box, rather than trying to lift the sticker up; keep putting the cement thinner on as you slowly peel back the sticker.
Use this technique also for removing tape used to keep the aprons attached to the box cover; you can then re-attach the aprons using glue. Cement thinner might also work in removing dried, melted rubber bands that have adhered to the box; collectors have also suggested using ethyl alcohol, acetic acid or diluted white vinegar.
You can reinforce the box bottom of your game with tape, since this part of the game is not seen. But tape becomes brittle, turns yellow, and loses its sticking power, so glue is recommended. Never use tape on the outside of the box cover or on the gameboard. Never. If there is clear tape on the box cover already, it may be better to leave the tape than risk losing some of the paper underneath.
Changing a Warped Perspective
Longer game boxes and boards can become warped over time. To fix a game box, you need something very flat and very heavy, such as an unabridged dictionary. Wet the entire inside of the box with a wet—not just damp—sponge or a plant mister, or carefully pour a little water—not too much—right into the box and move it around to wet the entire inside, and then pour out any excess. Place the cover on a flat surface, and place the flat, heavy object inside the box—preferably one that is nearly the same size as the cover. If it is impossible to flatten out the box in cases of severe warping, split the corners of the aprons first, flatten everything as per the instructions above, and then re-glue the aprons.
For a large gameboard, the best thing is to place the unfolded board under a large, heavy object, such as a mattress, and leave it there for a few days.
Cleaning Paper Games
Sometimes the best remedy for removing dirt and grime from a game is the simplest: mild soap and a little water. Most American games after 1860 were made with coated stock—paper with a protective finish on it; it’s shiny and reflects light. This kind of paper can be cleaned. (Paper used for early hand-colored games is dull and non-reflective and requires special care.)
Always test a very small area first. Put a tiny amount of non-abrasive liquid soap (mild dishwashing liquid is good) on a damp sponge and gently rub the sponge on the paper; use a yellow or white sponge to check if any color is coming off the paper. Begin near an edge and use a circular motion. If the edges of the box are worn, be careful not to get too much moisture on any exposed cardboard. Keep rinsing and re-soaping the sponge, and wipe the cleaned area with a well-rinsed damp sponge. If the box or gameboard is very dirty, you may have to clean the game a few times, but don’t let the surface become too wet; let it dry completely between cleanings. If the paper is being rubbed off or is buckling, stop cleaning.
To remove pencil markings and sometimes even ink, removing a little of the paper may be necessary. Use a soft rubber eraser, or an art eraser or kneaded gum eraser, not a hard eraser at the end of a pencil. Rubbing gently can take some of the coloring out of an ink line, though the indentation in the paper will remain. But remember that an eraser is acting as an abrasive and is removing paper and color as well, so work carefully.
Much a Dew About Something
The worst thing that can happen to your game, short of crushing or submerging, is mildew. Mildew is a fungus that eats away at paper and spreads easily. Games with mildew may not clean well, and you may lose some of the color or illustration during the cleaning process. Mildew is a living problem and, as such, is catching—keep infected games away from other games. More importantly, keep games away from dampness in order to prevent mildew in the first place; you may need to run a fan even in winter if your games are stored in a damp basement.
Mildew may look like dirt or a stain, but even in its early stages it feels almost velvety to the touch and smells! It does not wipe off easily with a dry cloth and it does not smear like soil when wiped with a sponge. If you suspect mildew, clean the game thoroughly, wipe it dry, and then air it out. In severe cases, you will need to clean the game with a bathroom mildew remover, but be sure to wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated room.
Repairing Paper Games
The most common repair required for game boxes is split corners (two box sides that are no longer attached at the corner) and detached aprons (the four “aprons” are what make up the sides of the box). Like dirty games, a “flat” game—one with all the aprons torn off—can be purchased for a fraction of its normal value and then rebuilt into a sturdy box cover.
Repairing a Split Corner or Apron: On a flat surface, place the box, apron side up, on a piece of wax paper or aluminum foil—dried glue will normally lift off those surfaces easily. Put some glue on the end of each apron, then hold the two aprons together with a paper clip, keeping the longer end of the clip on the outside of the box (this act of manual dexterity may require patience and repeat play). Push the two aprons firmly together, then add a little more glue to both the inside of the box and the top tip of the corner. Don’t worry too much about getting glue on the paper clip. Let the glue dry; it is best to leave it at least 24 hours. Use this technique also for fixing a box apron that is torn in the middle. Then remove the paper clip carefully—it should snap off, hopefully leaving the glue and box-wrap paper still adhering to the box. Repair only one corner, or two corners diagonally opposite, and wait for the glue to dry completely before working on the other corners. Use an archivists’ glue, which will not become brittle, or a good household glue (such as Elmer’s or Weldbond).
Replacing an Apron: Turn the box upside down as explained above, set the apron so it is perpendicular to the box top or bottom and place a block or book along the outside of the apron to keep it upright. Run a thin line of glue along the inside of the edge. You can also glue the corners at this time. (To strengthen aprons or reinforce weak or thin aprons, run a thin line of glue along the inside edges of the box.) After the glue has dried, turn the box over and place it on a block or book. Place a thin line of glue along the edges and corners; the glue may look white, but should dry colorless.
Repairing a Flat Box: If you are repairing a game in which all the aprons have become detached, you would do best to purchase a corner vice. This device secures two aprons in a steady, upright position after gluing them together at the ends. When the glue is dry, attach these two aprons to the box cover as explained above.
Replacing Images: With the advent of high resolution color photocopying processes, you can duplicate one apron to replace a missing apron; where the box cover and the gameboard have the same illustration, you can use a color copy of one to replace a section that may be missing from the other. (Note: Any repaired game offered for sale should have the repairs noted in the description.)
Repairing Split Gameboards: The damage that occurs most with gameboards is a splitting or separation of sections of the board along the fold. This is a hard fix. You can try carefully gluing along the fold as the gameboard lies flat, image side up, and leaving it for at least 24 hours. But the gameboard may not fold properly without splitting again. In this case, you may want to resort to affixing the entire board onto a piece of cardboard, keeping it forever open.
The life of your games can be increased by careful handling, cleaning, and repairing, as well as through proper display and storage. Take care of your games and they could be a great comfort to you as you age as well.
Good to Know:
The Three Most Important Rules for Handling & Fixing Games
- Never use tape on the outside of a box.
- Never use a pen on or near a game box.
- Read “A” and “B” again!
Good to Have:
“Tweezers clamp”: this “reverse tweezers” is an oversized tweezers-like device whose arms are crossed over so that the tweezers is clamped shut when at rest and opens when the arms are squeezed. They can be purchased in a hardware store, not a pharmacy.
“Corner vice”: This device, sometimes hard-to-find, can hold two aprons together so they can be glued at the corner.
“Paper clamp”: these small, simple, and inexpensive clamps can be purchased at most stationery stores.
And in case you didn’t find it above….
Most games are made of cardboard and paper. After 1860, the paper used, called “coated stock” (notice the shine or reflection of light), was more resistant to soiling. This paper can be cleaned with, quite simply, soap and water. But before I go into that, remember that proper handling of a game will lessen the need for cleaning and repair. Here are a few words of caution:
- Beware of sun, heat, cold, moisture, and excessive dryness.Keep games out of damp areas (they will mildew) or very dry areas (they may become brittle). Keep games out of direct sunlight and away from bright light (the colors will fade). Keep games away from extreme heat or cold, and away from areas with great temperature fluctuations (the gameboards might warp, or the litho sheet may bubble or separate from the cardboard).
- Watch out for rubber bands.Don’t use rubber bands to hold the cover on a game box unless you have to for a short period (such as in transit); they may disintegrate and fuse to the box cover. Buy the very elastic, high grade rubber bands packed in large boxes, found in office supply stores. (Suggested: Plymouth rubber bands, size 33.) Make sure you remove and replace rubber bands on game boxes very carefully so that you don’t wear down the edges on the box; use two rubber bands, placing them right near the edge on opposite ends of the box; don’t slide the rubber band along the box edge, lift it up. If, when antiquing, you want to look at game held together by a rubber band, ask the dealer to let you take it off rather than trusting the dealer to do it right.
- Avoid tape, stacks, and one-handed hoistsDo not lift an old game with one hand, as your fingers might go right through the bottom. Don’t stack games so the top of a game box is being pressed down by the game above. And never, ever use tape of any kind.
- Collectors must wash hands before returning to collecting.The oil in your fingers leaves marks (that’s why professional crooks always wear gloves). Excessive handing will leave games soiled, and the dust and dirt from one game can be transferred by hand to other games. Wash your hands often when you’re working with games.
Dirty games.
One of the best bargains a collector can find is a dirty game. Many non-collecting dealers know nothing about cleaning games and are afraid to try to remove the dirt from a game box for fear of ruining it.
Some stains, including simple water stains (light brown spots), ink marks and embedded grime may be impossible to get out. If you’re thinking of buying a soiled game with the hope of cleaning it up, a good on-the-spot spot test is to wet your finger and rub it gently on the box cover; if you wind up with a clean spot on the box and a dirty finger, there’s a good chance the game will clean up well.
Wash and dry paper games.
Mild liquid soap and a little water will clean up most games. Always test a small area first. Put a small amount of non-abrasive, non-detergent hand soap or dish washing liquid on a damp sponge. Gently rub the sponge on the paper in a circular motion near an edge. If the edges are worn, be careful not to get too much moisture on any exposed cardboard. Rinse and re-soap the sponge frequently, and wipe the cleaned area with a well-rinsed damp sponge. Repeat as necessary, but don’t allow the surface to become too wet; let it dry completely between cleanings. Always check to see if the paper is being rubbed off or is buckling, or if the color is fading; if so, stop cleaning.
The big rubout.
You can also clean paper games with a kneadable soft eraser–an art eraser (not a pencil eraser). An eraser will let you remove some of the coloring from an ink mark, (though the indentation in the paper will remain). Remember that an eraser is acting as an abrasive and is removing paper, so work carefully.
Cleaning non-paper games.
To clean metal gameboards (such as most of Wolverine’s products), use the same cleaners and polishers recommended by those who deal in toys and tin litho. One toy restorer recommends Meguiars Mirror Glaze # 7, which can be purchased in an automotive store.
Cleaning wood is as simple as washing or polishing wood objects in your home. Murphy’s oil soap works well. If the game has illustrations drawn right on the wood, be careful; test a very tiny area, using liquid soap and water, to see if the color comes off or fades; use a white cloth or sponge to see if it is picking up any of the color from the wood. Clean along the grain of the wood, not against the grain, and work in short strokes.
Plastic takes well to soap and water. Do not use chemical cleaners on clear plastic (such as the plastic that covers the newer bagatelle games)–they can cloud the plastic.
Basic repairs for paper games.
The best way to repair paper games is to send them to an experienced restorer. And if you repair your own games, the best material to use is acid free glue and paper, available at most art supply stores.
Removing stickers and tape.
Never try to pull off a piece of tape or price sticker without using rubber cement thinner. Look for Carter’s Rubber Cement Thinner in an office supply store. Put the cement thinner in a tiny (2″), clean oil can or use an eye dropper. Saturate a corner of the sticker, then gently peel back the corner, pressing down (not lifting up) as you do. Keep adding cement thinner as you slowly peel off the sticker. You can also try using a hair dryer on the tape or sticker; the heat may destroy the adhesive.
Repairing aprons.
The side of a game box is called the apron; where the apron is attached to the game box is called the edge. Edges are often worn, and aprons can be torn (in the middle) or split (at the corner), or detached completely.
Place aluminum foil or wax paper on a flat counter or tabletop. Set the cover on the foil/paper with the aprons pointing up. Use an archivists’ glue (which will not become brittle) or a household glue such as Elmer’s or Weldbond. Strengthen the box by placing a thin line of glue along the inside edges and corners. The glue may be white when wet but should dry colorless. Glue the inside edges and let dry before gluing the corners; use as little glue as possible (it will dry better).
If the corner is split, put some glue on the end of each apron, then hold the two aprons together with a paper clip (patience!). Push the two aprons firmly together, then add a little more glue to both the inside and the outside of the corner. Don’t worry about getting glue on the paper clip; when the clip is removed carefully (wait until it is completely dry–24 hours is safe), it will snap off, leaving the glued corner in tact (hopefully). Do only one corner at a time, or two corners diagonally opposite. An apron that’s torn in the middle can be held with a paper clip or, better yet, a “tweezer clamp” (try a hardware store).
If you are replacing an apron, set the apron so it is perpendicular to the box top or bottom and place a block or book along the outside of the apron to keep the apron upright. You may have to use a small, heavy item as support on the inside, or to keep the box bottom flat. Run a thin line of glue along the inside edge.
Warp speed.
Some game boxes are warped. (So are some collectors.) If your box is warped, wet the entire inside of the box with a wet sponge or a plant mister, or pour a little water into the box and move it around to cover the entire surface. Pour out any excess water, place the cover on a flat surface, line it with wax paper, and place inside the cover any flat, heavy object (a heavy bookend, or a large, unabridged dictionary or coffee table book), preferably one that is nearly the same size as the cover.
If your gameboard is warped, place it for a few days (in an open position if it is a folded board) under as large and as heavy an object as you can; depending on your sleeping habits, you may want to try it between your mattress and box spring.
© Bruce Whitehill, 1997, 2002. All Rights Reserved. Published in “Toy Shop,” May, 1997.
