How can you clean old oil paintings?

Question

I have several old family paintings. I believe they are oil but I am not sure. Through the years they have gotten dirty. Dust and yellow lines running down them. I don't know what has caused this. What can I use to clean them with out damaging the picture?
Thank you
Red

Answer 1

If you really love them take them to a specialist. He/she will remove the dirt and the varnish and re-varnish the painting and it will look like new.

Do it yourself and you will be in a world of hurt.

But if you really have to. Start wil cotton-wool rolled on a stick. dampen with water and systematically roll them over the painting. Start at the bottom and work your way up in strips. Do not rub. Do not push. Do not leak. Refresh the cotton every few turns and keep your water clean.

If you are done you repeat the process with a varnish solvent. Be very careful to only dissolve the varnish and not the painting. When you are done you re-varnish the painting.

Answer 2

Hi,

There are proper products in the market for that purpose.
Here are a couple of sites that may help you :
http://talasonline.com/
http://aic.stanford.edu/jaic/index.html
http://www.gainsboroughproducts.com/

I guess that Winsor & Newton also make products for that purpose and I have them as a reputable company.

However, a specialist is a specialist. But be careful because there are many specialist that the only special thing they do is ruin things.

Best regards,

José

Answer 3

White bread seems to artwork. Ball up mushy, sticky, doughy white bread and gently rub it against the canvas. you will see it blacken like a pencil eraser. dismiss the crumbs. you furthermore mght ought to objective a low-suction vacuum with a broom nozzle. this would desire to do away with puppy hair and airborne dirt and mud balls in a deeply textured portray.