As an acrylic standee supplier, I’ve seen firsthand how easily those crisp, popular pieces can get ruined—especially for small business owners, event planners, and brand marketers who rely on them for displays, product launches, or social media activations. Last quarter, a customer reached out with a heartbroken message: their custom wedding standee had a deep scratch across the face two days before the big event, and they couldn’t afford a replacement in time. That’s when I realized most people underestimate just how scratch-prone acrylic is, and not because the material is flimsy, but because they’re using the wrong care and storage practices. Acrylic (also called plexiglass) is far more durable than glass, lighter, and shatter-resistant—its only real vulnerability is surface damage, which can make a once-perfect standee look worn out in weeks, even days. Acrylic Standee
This isn’t a problem you have to accept, though. Over years of shipping hundreds of thousands of standees and working directly with customers to troubleshoot damage, I’ve pulled together practical, science-backed steps to prevent scratches at every stage: from unboxing and setup to daily use, storage, and even cleaning. Let’s break this down so you can protect your standees and keep them looking sharp as long as possible.
First, let’s get the basics right: why do scratches happen to acrylic standees, exactly? Acrylic is a thermoplastic polymer, which means it’s made of long, chained molecules that can bend and reshape, but they’re softer than glass. The hardness of acrylic is measured on the Mohs scale, a 1 to 10 scale where 1 is soft (talc) and 10 is diamond. Standard cast acrylic, the kind we use for most custom standees, clocks in at around Mohs 2 to 3. To put that in perspective, a human fingernail is Mohs 2.5—so a scratch from a fingernail is technically possible, if you’re careless. Other common culprits? Dust, which is full of tiny mineral particles like silica (Mohs 7) that act like tiny pieces of sandpaper; rough cloth used for cleaning; and even common household items like metal utensils, paper with printed ink, or other plastic objects with sharp edges. The good news is that most of these scratches are avoidable with small changes to how you handle your standees.
Let’s start with the moment you take your standee out of the package. This is a huge, often missed window for scratches. When our standees leave our facility, they’re protected with a thin, temporary plastic film on both sides—this film isn’t just for shipping looks, it’s a barrier that catches dust and prevents contact with hard surfaces during transport. The mistake many people make here is peeling the film off immediately, even before they set up the standee. If you do that, any dust that’s settled during shipping can rub against the soft acrylic surface and leave micro-scratches before you even get it to its display spot.
Our rule for unboxing: leave the film on until you’re ready to place the standee exactly where it will stay. When you do peel the film, do it slowly at a 45-degree angle, not straight up. Peeling at a sharp angle can pull tiny, hard fragments off the film that scratch the acrylic. Also, never handle the standee by its face—grip it only by the edges, and wash your hands first to get rid of any lotions, oils, or dirt. Even hand lotion, which is soft, can leave tiny particles that rub into the acrylic over time. If you notice any dust on the standee while unboxing, don’t wipe it with a cloth right away—use a can of compressed air (the kind used for cleaning computer keyboards) to blow it away. Wiping dust with a dry cloth is like sanding the acrylic; even a microfiber cloth has micro-scratches of its own that can cause damage.
Next, setup and in-use care, which is where most standees get their biggest scratches. Let’s talk about display surfaces first. A standee sits on a base, so the surface it’s placed on might seem unimportant, but it’s one of the most common hidden damage spots. Imagine putting your standee on a wooden table that has tiny wood splinters, or a countertop crusted with dried coffee grounds—those hard, sharp bits will rub against the bottom edge of your standee every time someone bumps it, or even just from vibrations from a nearby fridge or foot traffic. The fix here is simple: always place a soft, lint-free pad between the standee’s base and the display surface. We recommend 1mm thick adhesive felt pads, the kind you use for furniture feet, cut to the size of the base. This not only prevents scratches but also keeps the standee from sliding around, which is an added bonus for displays in high-traffic areas.
Another in-use mistake: propping other items against the standee. A lot of event planners will stack flyers, business cards, or even other small stands next to each other, and if their edges are sharp, they can scratch the acrylic. I once had a retail customer whose standee got a scratch from a metal price tag holder someone clipped to it. That’s an easy fix—keep standees at least a few inches away from any adjacent objects, especially ones with hard edges or sharp corners. If you have to attach something to the standee (like a promotional label), use reversible adhesive dots made specifically for acrylic, not duct tape or glue. Strong adhesives can not only scratch the surface when you peel them off, they can also pull the acrylic’s top layer off entirely.
Cleaning is another area where people ruin their standees without realizing it. Acrylic stands are not like glass—they can get cloudy or scratched if you use window cleaner, paper towels, or any harsh chemicals. Window cleaner has ammonia, which breaks down the acrylic’s surface over time, and paper towels have wood pulp that acts like sandpaper. The right cleaning solution is a simple one: mix 1 part mild dish soap (like Dawn, the kind for hand washing, not concentrated industrial soap) with 10 parts lukewarm water. Never use hot water, as that can warp thin standees. Dip a soft, lint-free microfiber cloth (the same kind you use for eyeglasses, not bath towels) in the solution, wring it out completely until it’s barely damp—too much water can seep into the standee’s edges and cause glue to fail, especially for assembled standees. Wipe the surface in gentle, circular motions, not back and forth, and always with the grain of the acrylic (you can feel the grain if you run your finger lightly over the surface). Rinse with a second damp cloth (clean, no soap) and dry immediately with a soft towel.
If you notice small, light scratches, don’t panic—they’re almost always surface-level, and they can be removed with a polishing compound designed specifically for acrylic, not car wax or metal polish. Metal polish is too abrasive for acrylic and will make things worse. We sell a premium acrylic polishing compound that works great, but you can also find it at most hardware stores. Test a tiny, hidden area first (like the back of the standee’s edge) to make sure it doesn’t discolor, then apply a small amount of compound with a soft cloth, rub in small circles for 30 seconds, and buff off with a clean part of the cloth. For deeper scratches, you might need to use a fine-grit sandpaper (1200 grit, specifically for acrylic) followed by polishing, but that’s a more advanced fix, so I’d recommend testing that on a spare piece first if you’re new to it.
Storage is the final, often overlooked stage where scratches happen. If you’re storing standees between events, or saving ones you don’t use often, how you pack them is critical. Never stack standees directly on top of each other—even if they look clean, the edges will rub against the faces and cause scratches. The best way is to wrap each standee in a layer of acid-free tissue paper (regular paper has wood pulp that can scratch) or the same temporary film they came with, then place them vertically in a cardboard box lined with foam or bubble wrap. Never lay them flat, because the weight of multiple standees will warp the thin acrylic, and the edges will dig into the surfaces. If you have to store them in a warehouse or closet, keep them away from any heavy objects that could fall on them, and avoid areas with extreme temperatures—acrylic softens at around 160 degrees Fahrenheit, so don’t store them near radiators or in hot attics.
I want to add a quick note here: not all acrylic is the same. At our facility, we use cast acrylic for most custom standees, which is denser and more scratch-resistant than extruded acrylic, a cheaper alternative used by some suppliers. Extruded acrylic is softer, more prone to scratching, and more likely to warp, so that’s why we always recommend cast acrylic for standees that need to last. If you’ve had issues with scratch-prone standees in the past, that might be the root cause, not your care practices.
Now, let’s talk about what happens if a standee does get scratched anyway. As I mentioned earlier, most small, surface scratches are reversible, and a well-maintained standee can last for years. I’ve had customers use our standees at wedding venues, trade shows, and retail displays for over three years with no noticeable scratches—all because they follow these steps. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about small, consistent habits that take 30 seconds more each time you handle your standee.
If you’re in the market for custom acrylic standees, or you’re looking to replace ones that have gotten damaged, we can help. We work with small businesses, event planners, and brands of all sizes to create durable, high-quality standees that are designed to resist scratches from day one. We use cast acrylic, include protective film on every piece, and can even add a scratch-resistant coating as an optional upgrade for extra protection. Whether you need a single standee for a personal event, or a bulk order for a national marketing campaign, we can tailor a solution that fits your needs.
If you’re ready to chat about your acrylic standee needs, whether that’s learning more about care practices, custom designs, or bulk pricing, reach out to our team. We’re here to make sure your standees look as good as the day they’re delivered, no matter how you use them.
Acrylic Standee References:
- Acrylic Basics: Properties and Applications, Society of Plastics Engineers, 2021
- Surface Damage Prevention for Thermoplastics, International Acrylic Manufacturers Association, 2022
- Care and Maintenance of Acrylic Displays, National Retail Federation, 2020
Wenzhou Qumange Craft Co., Ltd.
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