There aren’t many people out there who enjoy doing household chores such as dusting. For that reason, it is always nice to learn about new ways to keep items such as picture frames dust-free for longer. It can be extremely frustrating to see a new light layer of dust settling on your frames only one or two days after spending so much time cleaning them. At times, it can seem like a losing battle to keep these picture frames and other similar items looking pristine. Unfortunately, dusting will always be required for those of you who want to keep the rooms of your property nice and clean, but one or two tweaks to the way you usually go about doing so can help to reduce how often you need to do this most boring of chores.
How to protect your artwork and picture frames from dust build-up
The first tip is for those of you who use feather dusters to dust. This might be the classic way and the way you have seen your parents and grandparents dust, but in reality, it has its drawbacks. This is because they tend to flick dust particles into the air rather than capturing them. By doing so, the effect is that only a few seconds after dusting an item, the same particles once again appear and settle on it. You probably won’t have even noticed, as by the time it happens, you will likely have moved on to the next piece of furniture or ornament to dust. So, what would you recommend I use instead? I can hear you all asking. I would use a dry microfibre or anti-static cloth. These are a lot more beneficial, as they carry a slight charge that attracts and traps particles directly.
There are many benefits to acrylic glazing, but when it comes to keeping it clean, the unfortunate reality is that acrylic naturally holds a static charge that acts like a magnet for airborne dust. We therefore need to find a way to tame this static, and we do that by applying an anti-static cleaner specifically formulated for acrylic plastics when dusting the picture frames. There is also another way, and that is by wiping the surface very gently with a barely damp, lint-free cloth, as this will also help to discharge the static electricity.
A common issue that people often see and one that is rather annoying is dust appearing behind the glass and settling onto the mount board or print. The reason it’s so annoying is that cleaning it means taking the whole assembly apart. Fortunately, there is a very simple solution, and that is to seal the back of the frame using self-adhesive framing tape. This tape is sometimes called gummed tape or backing tape.
Where in a room you place your picture frames can impact how much dust is likely to settle on them and how quickly, and of course we want the least possible. It is therefore prudent not to place them above radiators, near open windows, or next to heating vents.