How to clean an oil painting?

Question

My grandmother did several oil paintings before she died. They are lovely, but only valuable to our family.

The painting is sticky and drippy with smoke residue due to heavy smoking around it. My local art gallery wants almost $200 to clean it!

Is there a home-remedy that I could attempt?

Thanks for any advice you can offer!

Answer 1

I can't make any guarantees about the safety of these methods for your particular paintings. But I can tell you what I do to clean my own paintings, and how we clean the priceless paintings at the gallery I work at.

1. safest, but won't work on sticky areas: use a very soft brush to remove dust and soot particles (super soft paintbrush, baby toothbrush, shaving brush, that kind of thing). You can buy a micro attachment kit for your vacuum that has small brushes (under an inch in diameter) for deeper cleaning (don't scrub the surface with the bristles, though--just light, circular passes). If that doesn't work, you can use a chemical sponge (dry rubber sponge: http://www.spongeco.com/) in short strokes across the surface, but only if the surface isn't damaged or flaky. It picks up every last bit of dirt and soot, but likely won't work on the really sticky parts.

2. use soft, clean cloths and water with a few drops of dish detergent. If you can remove the frame to test this on the side or edge of the painting first, do so. Watch the surface of the painting and check the cloths to see what's coming off, and obviously if the paint colours are lifting off, stop cleaning. Try just damp cloths at first, dab the painting, no scrubbing. If she painted on canvas, be careful not to stretch the canvas by pressing too hard. If damp cloths aren't working, use a bit more water, just beware that water can seep under varnish, if there is any, and that if the paint is thin, and the canvas or board gets wet, it can shrink or warp and cause cracks in the paint. I've cleaned my own paintings this way, but the conservator would wring my neck if I ever tried it at the gallery. I've also used rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball for really bad areas...scary, but it works. Use a tiny amount of alcohol.

If these methods don't work, it might be worth it to ask around at the gallery to see if there is a conservator's apprentice or helper working there. Ask around unofficially by checking with the security guards, reception staff, gallery shop clerks, etc. He/she might be willing to look at your painting to recommend a solvent or clean it for a lower price (under the table on his/her own time). You could also check antique and framing shops to see if they have lower prices for cleaning services.

Answer 2

Oil paint won't come off with in basic terms water. you may desire to soak your brushes in paint remover or turpentine made specific for removing oil based paints. whilst the paint is all bumped off then roll up into an previous rag and wring the brushes extraordinarily much dry. Now placed into yet another field like a plastic throw away cup with slightly turpentine lower back and do the comparable ingredient to make specific the brushes are completely wiped sparkling from any last paint. Wrap lower back into an previous rag or paper towels and wring the bristles out lower back. this might make and shop the paint brushes waiting to apply lower back for oil portray. I continually take a good piece of white paper and wrap it around the comb and placed a chew of scotch tape around to hold the paper in place. I do this to keep the brushes whilst no longer in use and it keeps them sparkling and appropriate situation unfastened from airborne dirt and dirt.

Answer 3

It depends just how bad it is. It sounds like you have quite a bit of dirt or tar on it.
Cleaning Paintings is not for the timid, and please be aware that no matter how gentle your technique is a painting is a painting and you take the risk of damage whenever you clean one, it's the nature of the beast. That's not to say don't I do all the time, it's just be careful. One of the most important things to do is be very aware and watch closely every second, don't get up and walk away half way done. You never want to leave anything, cleaner, oil, water whatever you’re using sitting on the painting just absorbing into the canvas.
Always test in an area that's is not going to be noticeable if possible. You should get the dust off with a soft cloth or brush. Then get yourself a nice cotton rag one that is a little bumpy or textured like the one sold in bags at Home Depot 10 - 20 per bag about $15.00. They work well because they are not completely smooth and help to pick up the dirt from the paint brush strokes. And of course always use white do not use a colored rag you will smear the colored dye all over your painting.
And most important you have to know what it is, is it oil or acrylic or watercolor etc... You can't clean an oil the same as an acrylic. This method is only for oil paintings.
Oil paintings are pretty tuff as long as they are not already cracked or damaged and if they are you just have to go slow and do small sections at a time very carefully. Take you dusted off painting and start with a clean rag dipped into a solution of water with a couple drops of dish soap. Maybe 1/4cup water 2 drops soap work on the painting in small areas at a time say 2"x2" squares. Lightly clean it off by rubbing the painting gently in the area you’re working with the rag that you dipped in your cleaning solution you don't want it dripping wet just damp so squeeze out the excess water before you do this. Then take another clean white rag dipped and squeezed out in fresh clean water to rinse off the soap. It is usually best to remember when cleaning to go rub with the grain meaning with the brush strokes. Then take another clean cloth and lightly dap it on the place you just cleaned right away to get up any more water and get it dry. Remember you want to get it damp to clean it but you must get the dampness out of it as quick as possible.
Now if you notice color on your rag when you started to rub it be careful you could be working on something other than oil and you are lifting the paint off cleaning the painting right off instead of the dirt. Sometimes you will get a slight tint very very faint but anything more than that and you should stop. If you continue to clean the painting it will end up being what they call skinned liked you skinned it and you can’t fix that. The only way is to have it painted back by a painting restorer if they can do it.

Also be aware of what you’re doing and if you have just cleaned off a dark section of the painting and have a slight tint of dark color on your rag you would obviously not start cleaning off the crystal blue sky with this portion of the rag because you might transfer the dirt and or paint color. For each color or section you want to be sure you are using a clean section of rag.
Another reason why the rags are so important. Sometimes it is hard to get into the brush strokes of the painting to clean them and you may have to use an actual small paint brush to clean that area because it can get into the brush strokes. Just remember to always rinse the area you have just cleaned.
You can very very lightly use a hair dryer at least one to two feet away to softly blow dry it a little, not much better it stay a little damp than get completely hot and dry from a hair dryer. So if you use one just a soft warm breeze not heat hot is what you want.
Most paintings will come clean with this simple dish soap water solution.


Now then you have the smoke damaged, the filthy dirty, the I don't have a clue what's on this painting. These can be tuff.
If you’re brave and willing to take a chance because you've figured what have I got to lose I can’t hang it up anyway then you can try this.
I say this with a big WARNING it can damage your art work. This is a last resort method.
You will need
No Interruptions
Very good light – outdoor daylight is best.
Comet Cleaner not Ajax - any store with household cleaners should have this
Gum Turpentine Mineral Spirits - from the local paint dept.
Rags - Minimum of 8 or nine - Good white rags the kind mentioned above
2 or 3 small artist type paint brushes
1- Big bowl for clean water to rinse rags or sink
2- Small bowls
1 to mix the comet paste up in.
1- For Gum Turpentine to dip your rag into - or you can pour it onto the corner of the rag out of the can
Take about 1/8cup Comet cleaner not Ajax it must be Comet and mix into a thick paste with water like a mud mask would be thick.
Then get a bumpy white rag like the kind talked about above and get it wet and squeeze out the water until it's just damp.
Then get another white rag completely wet and squeeze it out so it just damp but a wetter damp than the other and keep a big clean bowl of water right next to you at all times or work where you can reach a faucet at all times.
And another clean white rag to get wet with Gum Turpentine Mineral Spirits.
You can get this from the paint dept. of your local hardware store. So you have three rags ready to go.
Remember to work in small areas at a time and quickly do not leave for anything, you can’t get the phone or answer the door nothing.
Now take the corner of your damp rag and dip into the Comet solution and lightly and quickly rub on in small sections. I mean fast but gently, then immediately take your clean rag with just water on it and wipe off all the comet rinse and do it again. Then immediately take your last white rag and get it wet with the Gum Turpentine the corner of it should be fine. Immediately rug it onto the section you just cleaned and rinsed. Make sure you have thoroughly cleaned and rinsed all of the comet off then apply the Gum Turpentine over the area by just getting it wet, just rub over it once or twice is enough and let it dry by itself. The Turpentine will react with the Comet and stop it, it naturalizes it so it won’t keep eating away at your painting.
This can sound scary and it can be you would never do this on a masterpiece or a painting of great value. But that said if you have a filthy painting you can’t get clean as a last resort this usually works well.
You just have to work very fast and be very careful.
You can try it on an old painting you don't care about to see how it works. Or dirty one up to test the method.
You can make the Comet solution much more diluted as well much thinner add a lot more water so it's not so strong. But no matter which way you do it you will still need to finish off the cleaning with a light coating rubbed on of the Gum Turpentine to stop any cleaning action from continuing to work on its own.
Finally when your painting is clean and completely dry after a day or two you can buy a can of clear spray or varnish and give it a light spray over the top, light spray you don't want it thick. Make sure you do it in a dust free area not outside in the wind. Let it dry and you’re done.
Just a note by spraying with the clear coat most of the time it will bring the color up in your painting, not allot but it will seem to be brighter and cleaner

And Finally I stress one last time the second method I mention hear is only for those who are
willing to take a chance.
I myself have never lost a painting doing this but I’m old and have been around for a while.
Hope this helps