When you think of cleaning, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? The answer is probably water. To clean prints though, water isn’t ideal. It’s likely to cause more damage than good. With that comes the conundrum of how do you clean paper prints?
The solution depends on the material you’re working with. Water is fine in some circumstances, just not always bathing art. Some types of art can be restored by immersing them in water, and it is indeed a method favoured by art conservationists. However, those works are mostly of old fine art that have been done on rags of linen or cotton; not paper.
Paper is a lot more delicate than any textile so caution must be taken.
3 Safe Methods to Clean Art Prints
1. Erasers
We’re all familiar with the trusted eraser. The rubbers we used in school; the same ones we buy our kids today to rub out their mistakes and get back on track.
There are different types of erasers. For art, it’s the same material (rubber) just in a different form.
The most suited to delicate artworks are dry eraser pads. Rather than taking a rubber eraser and scuffing at the paper, these use shredded rubber particles that come packed inside of a sack. To use them, knead the sack over the art to release a fine dusting of rubber particles. Then take the cotton sack and rub it over the paper. As it moves over the paper, it’ll capture the dirt and debris, lifting it off, and leaving the print looking brighter and much cleaner.
2. Absorene
Absorene is like a putty and it’s particularly handy at removing environmental damage from prints like dust, grime, and smoke, whether it’s smoke from a fire or nicotine stains. This is perfect for removing dirt and grime from papers and books, including the covers, so if you have an old book with a worse-for-wear cover that you’d like to frame for art, absorene is the solution to go for. It’ll lift the dirt right off the paper leaving it looking fresh, and ready for framing.
This is usually sold in tubs. To use it, take a handful of it and knead it in your hands first to activate it, and then rub it on the paper – in the same direction – to avoid leaving scuff marks.
3. The Trusted Microfibre Cloth for Unframed Canvas Prints
Unframed canvas prints are the ones that need regular dusting. Without a canvas floating frame acting as a protective casing around it, dust will accumulate. Particularly along the top.
All you need to do is periodically take a microfiber cloth, run it under the tap and wring it out thoroughly. Then wipe around the edges and over the front. Avoid using any chemicals, particularly with canvas prints, as chemicals can cause a reaction with chemical-based ink pigments. A damp cloth is the safest.
For stubborn stains on canvas that do require a stronger solution, a little bit of rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) dabbed on a cotton bud can be gently rubbed over a stain to loosen it and then wipe it off.