How DIY clean oil paintings? And chemist question.

[cynyc]

Yeah yeah don’t dare do it use a conservator. Well I can’t afford that. And I would never DIY anything really important.

Also, there is a piece that I’d like to try ammonia on. What would be an ammonia neutralizer?

TIA

[thelabdude]

Clean a painting? I will leave that one go. Vinegar or any other mild acid should work fine on the ammonia.

[cynyc]

@thelabdude

Clean a painting? I will leave that one go. Vinegar or any other mild acid should work fine on the ammonia.

Ammonia has a pH on the other end of the spectrum?

[gwendee]

I am not a conservator, yes you should trust only conservators to restore your art…but understanding that not every single painting in the world belongs in the Louvre…and that painting conservation is expensive (worth it, absolutely but still costly)

For your painting, and at your own risk you might try this stuff:
Salamander Restorative
It is my sincere hope that if it is at all possible you will buy it from an independent and locally owned art supply retailer.

Definitely test a tiny area near the edge. It primarily acts on the varnish. If your painting isn’t varnished it will move too much color too fast.

You do also need to revarnish once you’ve cleaned it. And take before and after pictures.

[thelabdude]

@cynyc

Ammonia has a pH on the other end of the spectrum?

pH depends on both concentration and percent ionization. Neither ammonia or vinegar are very highly ionized, but ammonia is a little above the neutral pH 7 and vinegar a little below it. Good choices to neutralize the other without causing problems.

[garygnu]

Does it have a varnish? Is that varnish removeable?
Removing varnish without destroying the work is a difficult job that really is best left to experts. If you just want to wash off some grime, I recommend Winsor & Newton’s Artist’s Picture Cleaner.

[Silver_Tyger]

This sounds crazy but apparently it works (and is used by professionals): Bread.

[gwendee]

@Silver_Tyger

This sounds crazy but apparently it works (and is used by professionals): Bread.

That’s pretty darned cool. And likely smells better than the Salamander stuff!

Trying it.

[cynyc]

I’ll check that out. Thanks.

@gwendee

I am not a conservator, yes you should trust only conservators to restore your art…but understanding that not every single painting in the world belongs in the Louvre…and that painting conservation is expensive (worth it, absolutely but still costly)

For your painting, and at your own risk you might try this stuff:
Salamander Restorative
It is my sincere hope that if it is at all possible you will buy it from an independent and locally owned art supply retailer.

Definitely test a tiny area near the edge. It primarily acts on the varnish. If your painting isn’t varnished it will move too much color too fast.

You do also need to revarnish once you’ve cleaned it. And take before and after pictures.

[cynyc]

Tried that. Didn’t work.

Some of these issue also relate to my furniture refinishing thread that wound up in IMHO?

@garygnu

Does it have a varnish? Is that varnish removable?
Removing varnish without destroying the work is a difficult job that really is best left to experts. If you just want to wash off some grime, I recommend Winsor & Newton’s Artist’s Picture Cleaner.

[cynyc]

I did the potato thing which was dumb. Haven’t done bread. BTW bread is good for cleaning old books and paper items.

I think these things might be good for maintenance cleaning.

I’m going to try the ammonia on a painting of my own.

INTERESTING TIDBIT brought on because all I have in the house is lemon-scented ammonia. I very recently read somewhere to NOT use lemon detergents on antique glass or decorative china–said to remove color.