Methods and Techniques for Preserving and Maintaining Oil Paintings
III. Dust and Dirt
The dust and dirt on the surface of oil paintings are quite unsightly, and these dusts also serve as a breeding ground for mold. They cause the image on the painting to become blurry. The accumulation of stains can lead to color changes in the picture.
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After oil paintings have been stored for a certain period of time or have been displayed for a while, some dust and dirt will accumulate on the surface. It is necessary to clean them promptly. Generally, the cleaning of oil paintings should be carried out by professionally trained staff. Some simple operating procedures can also be adopted during the preservation of oil paintings to extend their lifespan. Soft bristle brushes can be used to gently remove the dust from the surface of the painting and the frame. When cleaning the dust from the painting, one should be cautious to avoid excessive force that could cause the canvas to bend or impact the painting, causing the pigments to fall off. Oil paintings with cracks and peeling marks on the surface should not use brushes to remove the dust. The back of the oil painting should be cleaned by sweeping or using a vacuum cleaner. To clean the back, the painting should be removed from the frame, placed face down on a clean surface. Excessive dust should be cleaned using a small brush with a soft bristle tip. If the surface dust cannot be removed by sweeping, cotton swabs should be moistened with distilled water and rolled gently on the surface to remove the dust. It should be emphasized that if there are peeling marks on the picture, no cleaning should be done.
The storage room and exhibition area for oil paintings should strictly prohibit smoking, as nicotine and cigarette ash are easily deposited on the surface of the oil paintings, causing damage to the picture. Therefore, smoking is prohibited in the preservation space for oil paintings to prevent nicotine from depositing on the surface of the paintings.
IV. Insects
The insects that cause damage to oil paintings mainly include the Dermestidae family and the powder moths.
The Dermestidae family generally survive on protein-based materials. The glue in the oil painting canvas contains protein components, so we often find pests on the back of the oil painting between the canvas and the inner frame. If there are holes in the oil painting canvas, or worm-like insects, or insect corpses, it can be determined that there is a problem with the Dermestidae family pests.
The most typical damage caused by powder moths is drilling small holes (diameter approximately 2 millimeters) in the wooden materials. Therefore, the condition of pests in oil painting preservation should be checked regularly. If signs of invasion have been found, the object should be placed in a plastic bag and isolated, and professional personnel should handle it.
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