Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Help! How do you clean these items from estate sale?

Found some really cool things at an estate sale but they all need to be cleaned. ANY help would be GREATLY appreciated.





1. A large oil painting, very dusty, has alot of pencil marks all over and the canvas is fraying around the frame. The painting is done in light pastel colors and is scenery.





2. Some authentic Moose hide leather slippers but the inside has some kind of wooly fleece on them.





3. An awesome Dooney %26amp; Bourke Leather purse but it is very dirty inside and out. Leather is NOT scratched or torn but dingy. Needs a Good cleaning.





What would you use to clean these items? How would you go about cleaning them so I don%26#039;t ruin them or their value? Where can I find the product/products you recommend?





Thanks so very much for the help! Looking forward to my new found treasures.

Help! How do you clean these items from estate sale?
Each of these items, ideally, should be professionally cleaned. I know that%26#039;s not what you want to hear, but when something has an inherent value such as these, you don%26#039;t want to risk self cleaning, and you won%26#039;t get the desired results anyhow.
Reply:Any item that has a potential for antique value should be restored/repaired/cleaned by a professional Antique restorative service...a reputable person or staff who know what they are doing and do it well, particularly in the case of the painting. As canvas ages it becomes brittle and the oils have a strong ability to flake away. Depending how old this painting is will also dictate whether or not the canvas is of a linen, linseed, cotton or ductail content and again this will determine which method of treatment will be required. Restoring this particularly if it is a piece of value, will be a painstaking process and is best left up to someone who does this for a living. If you know anyone who restores museum quality paintings/pieces, they%26#039;d be the best person to approach...possibly checking with a local art gallery would point you in the right direction.





As for the leathers/hides...check with a local leather goods store...there are different products available that can be used to re-supple the leather and clean it at the same time...you want a leather restorative/protector that will not dry out the leather further. You could probably do this particular cleaning on your own just ensure the proper materials are used to do it with.





Good luck



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