Thank you! I have a painting done by a friend of my dad's from back the 70's and it could really benefit from a soft cleaning. I now have a lot more confidence to first test the corner and then hopefully actually clean it.
My father used to use a diluted solution of Tincture of Green Soap to clean paintings. Have you ever tried that? I would hesitate to use commercial detergents because they have added colors and scents that might leave a residue. I would also be inclined to use distilled water, it's cheap enough.
I suspect that it will work, but I recommend testing it on an inconspicuous place first, eg. on a piece hidden by the frame. As always, I recommend if it is a valuable painting, it is better to have it professionally cleaned by a specialist.
We had some new fallen, fluffy show, so I took my painting outside and first brushed it as you mention, then scooped up small amounts of snow and brushed on the painting. It seems to have cleaned the painting.
Handy Andy or any similar non harsh or abrasive cleaner. You can't use any cleaner that has harsh chemicals in it or cleaners with bits in them. If in doubt just use a bar of plain hand soap. That is enough to lift any grease, smoke and dirt of your painting.
I don't know if you check this anymore. what I have are 100 year old oil paintings that have a couple of not bubbles but the actual material has pushed up? It may have gotten poked during moving although it matches one that it had when I got it years ago 40 years ago maybe. there is a little bit of paint that looks like it's going to loosen up easily I just feel like it's so dry and it needs something to soften it up for lack of words. I know somebody used linseed oil on it years ago and then framed the two. I really can't afford to have a professional do it so I was really trying to find a video and I'm so afraid I'm going to ruin them I'm kind of at an impasse here. if you have any thoughts please let me know thank you.
thank you so much. I do not have the money being disabled, I'm afraid that the Fall Apart while they're waiting to be professionally taken care of. I was just trying to find something to make them seem not so dead and dry but maybe they're supposed to be dry? they were in a situation in a house where there was a lot of mold I'm just afraid it's gotten into the material and after all they're not kept in a professional situation and I live in the Northwest so there's a lot of rain you live in a not so well-built house for 30 years and things happen. they're in good shape considering what they've been through and where they came from they're a dead ringer for an artist that has said to have visited here and there was literally hundreds of them at one point some older than these. when the person who took them did the linseed cleaning or whatever was done it was a family member who is working in that business somewhat Not museum quality but Framing and cleaning and restoring. the people coming in who saw them we're offering large amounts of money. so I have a Sentimental attachment but I think they're worth some money too I just hate for something of that age to be wasted. excuse the punctuation the capital letters the non capital letters I'm speaking because of muscle and visual issues. At this point I can't even check it for big mistakes I can't see what I'm writing I'm using my voice so sorry. I was afraid the answer you had was what you were going to say I'm sure it cost so much period at one time it would have never been an issue but it is now. I hate that many runs things so much thank you again
Thank you. My old painting was very dirty and I ran into the problem to get it cleaned evenly. I "created" one stripe (Yes, you warned about it) and lighter areas, where the soup sat longer. What can I do?
By the way I moved the painting from the kitchen to a dining room which was a safer place for it not to be exposed to water splashing that caused the tiny spots on the bottom of the painting.
I was given a really nice oil painting by a friend. It's not very valuable yet because the famous artist is still alive. The painting is worth about $6,000 dollars now. The problem is, My friend is a heavy smoker, and the painting is covered with tobacco smoke. How do I remove the tobacco smoke from this beautiful painting ?
Hey there, why do some say paintings should be cleaned with a q-tip and spit? And that water supposedly should not be used. In fact, this is the first thing that comes up on Google when I type in "clean oil painting with water": Using water can change the appearance of the oil paint on the canvas, and rubbing alcohol can remove the paint completely. ... If you're willing to take the risk, lightly dampen a soft cloth with water and brush the surface gently with it to remove dirt and grime. What is your opinion on that? Thank you, kind regards
Oil and water don't mix, so if your painting is 100% dry then the little bit of water you use to clean it will have no effect on the painting whatsoever. I personally wouldn't try to clean a painting with spit. It just doesn't sound like a good idea. Clean water and a qtip to very gently clean a small area would work better.
ok, how would i remove dried up porridge off an oil painting...kids threw it on there an the porridge dried up. i tried removing some, got the big stuff off and used a wet, moist, damp napkin to remove the porridge stuck on the painting...i stopped when i knoticed what was left on paiting was a stain from porridge.
to remove the porridge I would gently wet it with as little water as possible to soften it. That should allow it to come off. If there is staining which a normal wash as described here doesn't remove it, then the artwork will need to be restored professionally.
Please help!! I have an old 100 year old cast iron toy horse painted white and it's very dirty....!! How should I clean it?? With warm damp rag and dish soap??
What kind of ingredients are in that cream cleanser? I am in America and have no idea what cleanser to buy is it for cleaning pots and pans? Or for cleaning sinks? Should it have amonia or bleach? I have paintings from 1960. One has been hung in a kitchen so it has wood stove soot and kitchen grease. The other has been hung in the living room and it has wood stove soot. I had a problem with the chimneys backing up smoke into the house for a few years. Also how do I tell if it is oil or acrylic? I think it is oil but I am not sure. These were purchased at flea market and the artist was dead. They were selling off his garage full of paintings.
you want the ammonia based cleaner, not the bleach version as that could affect the colour of the paint. If in doubt rather use a regular bar of hand soap to work up a lather in your hand, then use the lather to gently clean the artwork. It is often very difficult to tell if a painting is oil or acrylic, so assume it is acrylic - which means you have to work extremely carefully to not lift the paint. If you can test by cleaning an area on the side or corner of the artwork first to see if the paint lifts (telling you it is an acrylic painting). If in doubt and you do not want to take a chance, then it would be better to take it to a professional
Thank you Nolan. I was in desperate need of a video like this. I have a few that need cleaning but haven't been varnished yet. Do you suggest it be a varnished painting or doesn't it matter? I need to clean these before I varnish them so maybe just the water spray I'm thinking would be enough. It's just dust not greasy or anything like that where there would be buildup over the years or something. These are ones I painted late 2013 and Jan. of 2014 so they are just a year old but not varnished yet. They aren't thick paint applications so they should be sufficiently dry. What do you think? Just the water to clean then varnish after it's dry? Thank you so much for sharing you knowledge. I'm very grateful! Big Hugs!! Reeah.
Will this work on a canvas Giclee? I need to clean "This is my body" by James Seward. A painting worth $3,000 of the last supper. It hung in my kitchen and got a few drops of splattered water from the sink on it and I was concerned how to clean those 4 or 5 tiny water spots that dried on it. Thank you so much!!
unfortunately not. Giclee prints are printed using a water based ink - Giclee printers are basically large format inkjet printers - so if you get water on it, it will dissolve the ink, ruining the print. Before purchasing a Giclee always ensure they have added a protective varnish layer over the top to avoid disappointment.
Sir i have this old fat wood framed painting. I picked it up at a yard sale but as i knew nothing about paintings it has most definitely been exposed to tons of dust dirt and sunlight... I do love this painting. We had a similar one at home when i was younger an orange sunset mine is a seascape and i stand and stare at it sometimes its like i can hear the waves and smell the salty sea. Makes me long for a place ive never been. I dont want to ruin it but i am poor lol. Is there a way i could send you photos of it for your guidance?
it would be very difficult for me to judge from photos. What I suggest you do is take the painting to an appraiser to ensure it isn't a rare valuable painting. If it is then you would not touch it yourself but get a professional to clean it. If ti isn't valuable then carefully remove it from the frame and do a test clean on an area that is normally hidden behind the frame. If the painting has any cracks in it don't attempt to clean it.
yes. Oil paint air dries, so if you have painted very thick the paint forms a skin which keeps the air out so it can take a very long time to dry. Some of the old master impasto paintings are still wet on the inside.
Yup. He's not joking. If there's heavy impasto, it will continue to dry and "evolve" over decades and, depending on the other environmental factors, centuries.
Thank you. I had donated a painting to a church and happened by there & it’s a mess! Not sure what the American equivalent of cream soap is. I was going to try Murphy’s oil soap
I should think you would have used a dirty painting...I saw absolutely ZERO difference between how it looked before and after. Great instructional video...however, the content, rather the subject involving the content, left so much to be desired that I was left feeling as though time was wasted....
unfortunately I do not have access to paintings that are so dirty that it would show up on video as I clean my paintings once per year. If however you do have such a painting, believe me you would be amazed at the difference
the paint forms a skin on thick impasto artworks so the air cannot get in to dry the paint. For interest sake we tested this in my teaching studio. We left a 2cm high blob of paint to dry for a year. After a year the paint inside the skin was still as soft and workable as it was in the tube.
PaintBasket No, acetone is not corrosive. It cleans then evaporates immediately. It doesn't penetrate the oil paint, it doesn't seep through the cracks, it dissolves the old yellowed varnish, and leaves the unvarnished oil to be re-varnished. Perfect.
RogerGT, what is your background and experience, please? I think I've seen you post 'use acetone' before but I've called experts and art institutes and they say do NOT use acetone, at all. So, do you have extensive experience in art restoration? No offense meant. You are just stating something against art experts I have asked. Thank you.
lol, This technique is perfectly safe for regular household paintings that are in good condition. Ancient paintings that need restoration require an entirely different approach.
Thank you! I have a painting done by a friend of my dad's from back the 70's and it could really benefit from a soft cleaning. I now have a lot more confidence to first test the corner and then hopefully actually clean it.
good luck
Very helpful video! Can’t wait to clean one of my paintings that is in need. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
My father used to use a diluted solution of Tincture of Green Soap to clean paintings. Have you ever tried that? I would hesitate to use commercial detergents because they have added colors and scents that might leave a residue. I would also be inclined to use distilled water, it's cheap enough.
I suspect that it will work, but I recommend testing it on an inconspicuous place first, eg. on a piece hidden by the frame. As always, I recommend if it is a valuable painting, it is better to have it professionally cleaned by a specialist.
We had some new fallen, fluffy show, so I took my painting outside and first brushed it as you mention, then scooped up small amounts of snow and brushed on the painting. It seems to have cleaned the painting.
snow should be like using distilled water, so should work :)
Love the South African accent!👍
Thank you :)
What type of Cream Creamer exactly are you using? Thanks
Handy Andy or any similar non harsh or abrasive cleaner. You can't use any cleaner that has harsh chemicals in it or cleaners with bits in them. If in doubt just use a bar of plain hand soap. That is enough to lift any grease, smoke and dirt of your painting.
I don't know if you check this anymore. what I have are 100 year old oil paintings that have a couple of not bubbles but the actual material has pushed up? It may have gotten poked during moving although it matches one that it had when I got it years ago 40 years ago maybe. there is a little bit of paint that looks like it's going to loosen up easily I just feel like it's so dry and it needs something to soften it up for lack of words. I know somebody used linseed oil on it years ago and then framed the two. I really can't afford to have a professional do it so I was really trying to find a video and I'm so afraid I'm going to ruin them I'm kind of at an impasse here. if you have any thoughts please let me know thank you.
unfortunately you will need a professional restorer
thank you so much. I do not have the money being disabled, I'm afraid that the Fall Apart while they're waiting to be professionally taken care of. I was just trying to find something to make them seem not so dead and dry but maybe they're supposed to be dry? they were in a situation in a house where there was a lot of mold I'm just afraid it's gotten into the material and after all they're not kept in a professional situation and I live in the Northwest so there's a lot of rain you live in a not so well-built house for 30 years and things happen. they're in good shape considering what they've been through and where they came from they're a dead ringer for an artist that has said to have visited here and there was literally hundreds of them at one point some older than these. when the person who took them did the linseed cleaning or whatever was done it was a family member who is working in that business somewhat Not museum quality but Framing and cleaning and restoring. the people coming in who saw them we're offering large amounts of money. so I have a Sentimental attachment but I think they're worth some money too I just hate for something of that age to be wasted. excuse the punctuation the capital letters the non capital letters I'm speaking because of muscle and visual issues. At this point I can't even check it for big mistakes I can't see what I'm writing I'm using my voice so sorry. I was afraid the answer you had was what you were going to say I'm sure it cost so much period at one time it would have never been an issue but it is now. I hate that many runs things so much thank you again
visiting Lee sv
Anita Evans ???
Thank you. My old painting was very dirty and I ran into the problem to get it cleaned evenly. I "created" one stripe (Yes, you warned about it) and lighter areas, where the soup sat longer. What can I do?
You may find that the paint will darken up again as it dries.
By the way I moved the painting from the kitchen to a dining room which was a safer place for it not to be exposed to water splashing that caused the tiny spots on the bottom of the painting.
Anthony Sears good thinking mate.
I was given a really nice oil painting by a friend. It's not very valuable yet because the famous artist is still alive. The painting is worth about $6,000 dollars now. The problem is, My friend is a heavy smoker, and the painting is covered with tobacco smoke. How do I remove the tobacco smoke from this beautiful painting ?
this method should work just fine to remove the smoke layer
@@PaintBasket spray it with window cleaner wipe of. Repeat 2 ore 3 times
Then mix water with little dish soape. Wipe of. Repeat 2 times
Hey there, why do some say paintings should be cleaned with a q-tip and spit? And that water supposedly should not be used. In fact, this is the first thing that comes up on Google when I type in "clean oil painting with water":
Using water can change the appearance of the oil paint on the canvas, and rubbing alcohol can remove the paint completely. ... If you're willing to take the risk, lightly dampen a soft cloth with water and brush the surface gently with it to remove dirt and grime.
What is your opinion on that? Thank you, kind regards
Oil and water don't mix, so if your painting is 100% dry then the little bit of water you use to clean it will have no effect on the painting whatsoever.
I personally wouldn't try to clean a painting with spit. It just doesn't sound like a good idea. Clean water and a qtip to very gently clean a small area would work better.
What is that cream you drop?
it is called Handy Andy cream cleaner which is a gentle general purpose household cleaner
Thanks for sharing sir!!... your posting is greatly appreciated!!
ok, how would i remove dried up porridge off an oil painting...kids threw it on there an the porridge dried up. i tried removing some, got the big stuff off and used a wet, moist, damp napkin to remove the porridge stuck on the painting...i stopped when i knoticed what was left on paiting was a stain from porridge.
to remove the porridge I would gently wet it with as little water as possible to soften it. That should allow it to come off. If there is staining which a normal wash as described here doesn't remove it, then the artwork will need to be restored professionally.
You get rid of the kids. Problem solved.
Please help!! I have an old 100 year old cast iron toy horse painted white and it's very dirty....!! How should I clean it?? With warm damp rag and dish soap??
with something liek that I would take it to a professional restorer. You don't want to risk damaging the object, destroying it's value in the process.
What kind of ingredients are in that cream cleanser? I am in America and have no idea what cleanser to buy is it for cleaning pots and pans? Or for cleaning sinks? Should it have amonia or bleach? I have paintings from 1960. One has been hung in a kitchen so it has wood stove soot and kitchen grease. The other has been hung in the living room and it has wood stove soot. I had a problem with the chimneys backing up smoke into the house for a few years.
Also how do I tell if it is oil or acrylic? I think it is oil but I am not sure. These were purchased at flea market and the artist was dead. They were selling off his garage full of paintings.
you want the ammonia based cleaner, not the bleach version as that could affect the colour of the paint. If in doubt rather use a regular bar of hand soap to work up a lather in your hand, then use the lather to gently clean the artwork.
It is often very difficult to tell if a painting is oil or acrylic, so assume it is acrylic - which means you have to work extremely carefully to not lift the paint. If you can test by cleaning an area on the side or corner of the artwork first to see if the paint lifts (telling you it is an acrylic painting).
If in doubt and you do not want to take a chance, then it would be better to take it to a professional
This is great, thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you Nolan. I was in desperate need of a video like this. I have a few that need cleaning but haven't been varnished yet. Do you suggest it be a varnished painting or doesn't it matter? I need to clean these before I varnish them so maybe just the water spray I'm thinking would be enough. It's just dust not greasy or anything like that where there would be buildup over the years or something. These are ones I painted late 2013 and Jan. of 2014 so they are just a year old but not varnished yet. They aren't thick paint applications so they should be sufficiently dry. What do you think? Just the water to clean then varnish after it's dry? Thank you so much for sharing you knowledge. I'm very grateful!
Big Hugs!!
Reeah.
+Maria Meade try just the water first, then do a deeper clean if required. The paintings do not need to be varnished to use this technique.
PaintBasket Fantastic! Thanks so much you really have impeccable timing :)
Big Hugs!!
Reeah.
Will this work on a canvas Giclee? I need to clean "This is my body" by James Seward. A painting worth $3,000 of the last supper. It hung in my kitchen and got a few drops of splattered water from the sink on it and I was concerned how to clean those 4 or 5 tiny water spots that dried on it. Thank you so much!!
unfortunately not. Giclee prints are printed using a water based ink - Giclee printers are basically large format inkjet printers - so if you get water on it, it will dissolve the ink, ruining the print.
Before purchasing a Giclee always ensure they have added a protective varnish layer over the top to avoid disappointment.
Thank you! I finally know how
Glad I could help!
Sir i have this old fat wood framed painting. I picked it up at a yard sale but as i knew nothing about paintings it has most definitely been exposed to tons of dust dirt and sunlight... I do love this painting. We had a similar one at home when i was younger an orange sunset mine is a seascape and i stand and stare at it sometimes its like i can hear the waves and smell the salty sea. Makes me long for a place ive never been. I dont want to ruin it but i am poor lol. Is there a way i could send you photos of it for your guidance?
it would be very difficult for me to judge from photos. What I suggest you do is take the painting to an appraiser to ensure it isn't a rare valuable painting. If it is then you would not touch it yourself but get a professional to clean it. If ti isn't valuable then carefully remove it from the frame and do a test clean on an area that is normally hidden behind the frame. If the painting has any cracks in it don't attempt to clean it.
Great tip thank you for sharing
you're welcome
Thanks so much for this video. I just found 2 beautiful but very dirty oil paintings at my local salvation army , I'm excited to try it!
good luck, let me know how they look after
100s of years to dry?
yes. Oil paint air dries, so if you have painted very thick the paint forms a skin which keeps the air out so it can take a very long time to dry. Some of the old master impasto paintings are still wet on the inside.
Yup. He's not joking. If there's heavy impasto, it will continue to dry and "evolve" over decades and, depending on the other environmental factors, centuries.
Thank you so much! This is an absolutely fantastic video!
you're welcome, I am glad it helped you
Thank you. I had donated a painting to a church and happened by there & it’s a mess! Not sure what the American equivalent of cream soap is. I was going to try Murphy’s oil soap
then just use regular dish soap. Remember to test on an inconspicuous spot first
I should think you would have used a dirty painting...I saw absolutely ZERO difference between how it looked before and after. Great instructional video...however, the content, rather the subject involving the content, left so much to be desired that I was left feeling as though time was wasted....
unfortunately I do not have access to paintings that are so dirty that it would show up on video as I clean my paintings once per year. If however you do have such a painting, believe me you would be amazed at the difference
I cleaned a painting I did 45 years ago that I just rescued from my mom's attic and this worked really well!
good to know,,,thank you sir!
Its off topic, but the first three words you said made me miss the hell out of my Afrikaners. Thanks.
lol, where do you live now?
@@PaintBasket
I live in Alabama, but we have/had a lively rugby community. South Africans are awesome.
Love your language so funny!
lol
@@PaintBasket Haha! LOL! Take care Dear! Scottish?
Hundreds of years to dry huh?
the paint forms a skin on thick impasto artworks so the air cannot get in to dry the paint. For interest sake we tested this in my teaching studio. We left a 2cm high blob of paint to dry for a year. After a year the paint inside the skin was still as soft and workable as it was in the tube.
Just use acetone. Quick and effective.
acetone is corrosive so I would not recommend that
PaintBasket No, acetone is not corrosive. It cleans then evaporates immediately. It doesn't penetrate the oil paint, it doesn't seep through the cracks, it dissolves the old yellowed varnish, and leaves the unvarnished oil to be re-varnished. Perfect.
RogerGT, what is your background and experience, please? I think I've seen you post 'use acetone' before but I've called experts and art institutes and they say do NOT use acetone, at all.
So, do you have extensive experience in art restoration?
No offense meant. You are just stating something against art experts I have asked.
Thank you.
Rather just set fire to the painting, problem solved.
first
Joshua Gomes lol
Bloody hell your rough , don’t think the V and A would employ you 😊
lol, This technique is perfectly safe for regular household paintings that are in good condition. Ancient paintings that need restoration require an entirely different approach.