How to Clean and Restore Putz Houses

Today I'm fixing up some vintage putz houses that are in fairly rough condition.  The idea here is to tidy them up and make some gentle home improvements without really changing their designs.  Made in Japan putz houses come in so many styles with varying materials that I think you really have to look at restoration on a case-by-case basis. For example, if the house had glitter that is falling off it may just be better to apply new glitter to give the house a uniform look.  But the old materials can be quite charming, so it's a delicate balance, updating them without doing a harsh remodel.

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Supplies:

• Putz House Replacement Windows & Doors
• Aleene's Turbo Tacky Glue for Repairs
• Elmer's Glue-All for Glitter
• Fine Grain Glass Glitter in Clear and Milk Glass
• Salt shaker
• Scissors
• Xacto
• Tweezers
• Fluffy Brush for Cleaning
• Cornstarch
• Replacement chipboard
• Craft Paint and Paintbrushes
• Craft Clips, wax paper, cardboard for repairs

Watch the video:

 

How to clean a putz house:

I used the cornstarch method recommended on the old cardboardchristmas.com archive (a treasured putz house resource site.) I used a soft mop paintbrush and dry cornstarch powder to gently 'polish' the surfaces of my houses to lift any dust and grease.  It did a fine job just by brushing in small circles, and did not interfere with the glitter on the surfaces.  

Two of the houses I'm working on today are what the collectors call 'coconuts,' which have a highly textured surface resembling a coconut cake. The flossy material is usually either shredded cellophane or finely ground dyed rice husks.  These materials are not replaceable, so I did not clean these houses. I felt that some of that fuzzy coating might flake off. I decided to replace the white coconut areas, which were quite discolored and dirty, with new snowy paint and white glitter. I retained the colorful red coconut coatings for a nice blend of old and new.

I think it's probably a good idea to look at each house you're working on, and see if any of the coatings are looking particularly fragile before brushing them.

How to repair cracked corners or dog-eared rooftops/bases:

Apply a clear drying glue to the cracks with a toothpick.  Wrap a piece of cardboard with wax paper to use as a splint. Clip it onto the roof or base to hold the pieces in place flat while they dry.

If you have a corner that's missing, cut a new corner from a chipboard box, and apply layers of paper towel with watered down glue to attach it.  Once dry a coating of paint and glitter will disguise the repair.

Replacing missing chipboard rooftops or bases:

Sometimes a roof panel or base is missing altogether, and this is an easy fix.  You can repurpose something like a food box. You might need to glue together a couple layers to achieve the thickness you are looking for. Just sandwich them in some wax paper under some books while they dry to keep it flat.  Alternatively, you can buy new chipboard, and cut new rectangles as needed. Most vintage putz houses were made out of chipboard that is about 1mm thick, or roughly 30 point thickness.

Removing old glitter or coconut floss coatings:

An Xacto knife works well for scraping off any coatings you are planning to replace. I have found that it doesn't have to be completely removed to add a new layer, and most old Christmas houses have some thicker textures, so I just scrape off enough to not dirty up the new paint when I apply it.

Applying new paint with clear glass glitter:

You could apply new paint, let the paint dry, and then coat the surface with glue and glitter. Many vintage putz houses have a very painterly texture though, and the glue layer might leave a noticeable sheen.  By mixing paint and glue together, you retain that more chalky, matte painted finish while having the sparkle of a glitter on the surface.  Some houses have chunky glitter- the one I'm working on here with the peach colored roof has a coarse white glitter on the walls, but many houses have just a fine sparkle of clear glitter applied over colored paint.  I'm using fine grain glass glitter for my restorations today to keep the texture similar to the original.

Mix satin or matte acrylic craft paint in a color to match the original.  Keep in mind that acrylic paint dries a little darker, so you might want to add a touch of white paint to lighten the color.  Mix in some Elmer's Glue-All (not school glue) in a ratio of about 2 parts paint to one part glue.  

Paint the house one wall at a time with the paint/glue mixture.  Use a salt shaker to apply a light, even layer of fine grain clear glitter over the surface, and tap off any excess over a bowl.

Replacing 'snow' on rooftops or bases:

For the snow paint I like to use a shade of white that is custom-mixed - not right out of the bottle, so that it's not too bright. I will mix white gesso with a little ivory/cream paint, and just a touch of black to dull the brightness. Use this toned-down white paint mixed with glue, again about 2 parts paint to 1 part glue. Make a snow mix out of fine grain glass glitter in clear and milk white, about 50/50.  Paint on the new white snow, and apply the glitter thickly with a spoon, tapping off the excess into a bowl. 

Paint touch-ups:

A really nice way to revive a worn-out Christmas house is to dot on small amounts of paint to the worn edges and chipped areas. If there was once a fence, or a tree, it may leave a little spot where it had been glued. Mix paint to match what is there, as well as you can, and use a small brush to apply the paint in little dabs.  These little touch ups blend in, and make the house look refreshed.

How to replace putz house windows and doors:

It is convenient if your house is missing a base or if the roof has come off so you can work freely to replace the windows with your fingers. The trickiest houses have just a hole at the back where you will need to insert the replacement door/windows with the assistance of tweezers and other tools. It is fidgety, and there's no way around it.  Cut the windows and doors from the replacement window/door sheet a little larger than the openings.  Use a paintbrush to brush glue on the inside of the house around each of the openings. Then, holding the new window or door with tweezers or pliers, curl it slightly to get it through the hole in the back. Position it as well as you can, and if possible, reach in with your finger to press it against the cardboard. If it slides a little bit you may see some glue on the front that you can just clean up with a swipe of your finger.

 

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Putz House Replacement Windows & Doors