What Do You Use to Clean an Oil Painting?

Over time, oil paintings may become dusty or attract things in the air, such as smoke. Cleaning the oil painting is necessary to keep it looking new and ensure that it will be around for years to come. However, because of the delicate nature of oil paintings, cleaning them should be done cautiously. Water-based cleaning solutions will cause the paints to crack and peel. Harsh cleaning can irreversibly damage the paintings. As such, a trip to a professional painting restorer is a good idea to find out what is safe for your painting.

Soft Brushes

Use soft brushes, such as dry shaving brushes, to remove surface dirt from the painting and frame. Use only light circular strokes when doing this because scrubbing motions will damage the painting.

Cotton Swab

Cotton swabs are ideal for cleaning oil paintings. If you are applying chemicals, you can dip the cotton swab in the chemical and roll the swab over the painting--using back and forth motions apply too much pressure to the painting and should be avoided.

Neutralizer

Neutralizer helps to protect the painting from any other cleaning solutions you use on it, so keep this solution handy while restoring your painting. Extreme care should still be taken when using any chemical, even if neutralizer is applied. In some cases, this is the only cleaning needed to make the painting look new.

Emulsion Product

An emulsion product will remove dust, smoke and dirt from the oil painting. You should test a small amount of this in an inconspicuous spot on the painting to ensure that it is suitable.

Varnish Remover

Oil paintings made before the 1940s usually have a layer of varnish to protect the paint. This varnish may turn yellow or begin to look dull. Applying varnish remover can remove a thin layer of varnish, which may restore the painting. A new layer of varnish may need to be applied if the entire old layer is removed.