5 Tips for Removing Mold From Artwork

3/10/2020 (Permalink)

From flooding to improper storage, there are a variety of ways that mold can grab hold of paintings in your San Antonio home. If you're an artist with a home studio or simply a collector, knowledge is power when it comes to mold cleaning.

Here Are Five Tips for Removing Mold From Your Art

1. Don't give it room to grow in the first place. Mold thrives in dark, moist areas. For this reason, avoid storing your canvasses in basements, attics, and other parts of your home prone to mold damage. To protect against flooding, keep your artwork at least 18 inches off the floor too.

2. Know what kind of media you have. If you're the artist, this should be easy. If you're a collector, however, identifying the type of paint or other media used in the affected art, as well as the type of surface and the finish applied to it, may be much more challenging. Still, it's a crucial mold remediation step because each medium requires different care.

3. Remove the frame and other coverings. Take the frame apart and perform mold cleaning with a gentle cleanser, being careful to test the solution on a small area first. If the artwork was wrapped in a storage cover, dispose of it and eliminate the threat of unseen mold.

4. Gently clean the front and back of the artwork. Spray the back of the piece with rubbing alcohol. This should kill active mold spores. Dab mold clusters on the front of the artwork with a cotton swab that's been dipped in rubbing alcohol. Again, test an inconspicuous area first.
Better still, enlist the help of a conservator. He or she will be able to identify the materials involved and the best way to safely clean them.

5. Dry the artwork in the sun for 48 to 72 hours. While it's generally a bad idea to expose artwork to direct sunlight, three days isn't enough time to do any damage.

Water doesn't have to spell disaster for your artwork. With careful mold cleaning, you can restore your paintings and other pieces of art to their former glory.