Product to Clean Bloom From an Oil Painting

Oil paintings are lovely, valuable, and pleasing to the eye. However, they can get dusty and dirty with time. Today, we'll explore the best ways for how to clean an oil painting without damaging it.

How To Clean an Oil Painting

As time passes, oil paintings have a propensity to darken because of the accumulation of yellowing and grime of the coating. Since 1974, oil painting restoration professionals have used Gainsborough products  to uncover color and detail which has been obscured through the years. Let's learn how to clean an oil painting safely using these products.

A Word of Caution – Improper cleanup may damage a painting. We suggest that novices engage paintings with great care when attempting to clean. Before cleaning a painting of significance, always practice. You want to be well able to clean your oil painting without damaging it. If in doubt, take it to a professional.

List of Materials Needed to Clean an Oil Painting – Gainsborough Emulsion Cleaner – Gainsborough Varnish Remover – Gainsborough Neutralizer – Gainsborough Varnish – 6 Cotton Swabs – Surgical Cotton – Surgical Gloves – Little Plastic Container –

Procedures to Clean an Oil Painting with Gainsborough products: www.http://www.gainsboroughproducts.com/cleaning_article.html

The procedures for removing household dirt, tobacco smoke and yellowed varnish from oil paintings are the same; only the cleaning products are different. Gainsborough's oil painting cleaners are based on time-proven museum formulas. Avoid using water based formulas: water can seep through minute cracks and penetrate the canvas size, causing the paint to flake off in time.(source)

Before beginning be sure to take a photograph of both the front and the back of the painting. If there is any writing on either the front or the back take a close up photo. Take a photo upon completion for later comparison.(source)

Directions – The processes for eliminating household grime, cigarette smoke and yellowed varnish from oil paints are the same. Only the cleaning products are different.

Gainsborough's oil painting cleansers are based on museum formulations. Avoid using water to permeate the canvas itself, as it could cause the paint to seep through cracks. Before starting, be certain to take a photograph of the front and this back of the painting. Take a photograph upon conclusion for comparison.

How to remove grime from an oil painting:

1. Follow my procedures for using Gainsborough's oil painting cleaners.
2. Avoid using water-based formulas.
3. When in doubt, trust the cleaning to an experienced professional.

How to Clean Oil Painting Before Varnishing:

1. Use Gainsborough oil painting cleaners according to the instructions provided.
2. Make certain the painting is completely dry and moisture-free
3. Apply the varnish according to the instructions provided with your specific product.

How to remove old varnish from oil painting:

1. Try using the gentlest solution first.
2. Use a professional brand varnish remover.
3. Follow the varnish remover instructions provided with the product.

How to Clean an Oil Painting:

Step 1: Lay the oil painting to be washed face up on a piece of paper. Wear gloves to protect your hands, and make sure you have sufficient ventilation. Be careful not to press down on the canvas too much or you'll stretch the canvas. We suggest utilizing a sheet of linoleum placed under the area of the painting you're working on to avoid excessive pressure on the canvas.

Step 2: Apply Gainsborough Neutralizer onto a sheet of cotton wool or white cotton fabric and gently wipe over this face of this oil painting to wash off the surface dirt. Utilize a cotton swab to test a corner of this oil painting with Gainsborough Emulsion Cleaner and Varnish Remover to ascertain which product will best wash the painting.

Emulsion Cleaner will remove grime and smoke, whereas Varnish Remover will remove yellowed varnish, in most cases. Dip a cotton swab in the Gainsborough cleaning product you've selected. Utilize a rolling motion as opposed to a scrubbing motion when applying this cleaner.

Need a visual? Watch this video below to see how the professionals do it:

Watch your swab cautiously to be sure that you're eliminating just grime or varnish and not the paint. Don't dip the swab into the cleanup product again once it's been used. We recommend cleaning a 2 inch square area at a time and after that Neutralizing the region with Gainsborough Neutralizer prior to proceeding to another area.

We propose doing the sky at one time, then this trees, etc. The reason: it's simpler to watch for any color that could start coming off, and different pigments respond differently to cleanup. Always take before and after photos before you clean the entire painting.

Additional Tips for How to Clean an Oil Painting from www.bookmypainting.com

• If you desire a deeper clean, you can purchase an art restoration kit from an art supply store. Follow the directions carefully, and clean at your own risk! If the painting has value, it's always worth the investment to have it cleaned properly by a professional.
• Avoid introducing moisture to the surface of your painting. It can seep inside invisible cracks and cause damage.
• Do not attempt to clean a damaged painting.
• Do not use a feather duster or dusting cloth to clean an oil painting, as they can leave scratches or push the dirt into the painting.(source)

Pay Close attention to These Common Myths on How to Clean an Oil Painting: Don't make these mistakes!

MYTHS OF CLEANING OIL PAINTING: from www.riseart.com

Cleaning with starchy food(source)

One of the biggest myths with cleaning oil paintings is to use starchy foods such as bread and potatoes. This isn't actually effective and could end up damaging your piece. They could also leave crumbs and excess residue on your painting.

Attempting to clean with baby oil(source)

Another misconception is that baby oil will remove any dirt from the surface of a painting. Although it is soft and won't harm the paint itself, baby oil can dry in a way that leaves your painting with an unwanted stickiness and shine. This sticky texture can then make your painting even more susceptible to dirt and exposed to the elements, so becomes even harder to clean as the surface of the painting is no longer dry. Rather than cleaning, baby oil can also act as a glaze, subsequently enhancing the colours of the painting and changing its overall appearance.

What if You Just Need to Store Your Oil Painting? Take a look at these tips from www.canvas.saatchiart.com

The best way to store art is to follow the following steps:(source)

1. Wrap up the piece in brown paper.
2. Wrap it up in bubble wrap.
3. Place frame corners on all four corners.
4. Place the wrapped-up artwork in a solid box (for a mirror).

For unframed works on paper, use plastic sleeves with acid-free cardboard to make sure the paper doesn't bend with time.(source)

I hope you have found this information beneficial and feel better prepared to clean an oil painting. Please subscribe to my blog for tips and tutorials on how to clean everything in your home.

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Product to Clean Bloom From an Oil Painting

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