Abacus
Antique Dealers: Hints and tips for cleaning your
antique collections
Some
antiques are only at their best when they are cleaned
or polished and not taking excellent care of them
only leads to minimizing the items worth. However
on the other hand there are certain items of collection
that are at their best and are worth more when left
in the condition that they are found in.
In order to understand which category your particular
antique or collection falls under it is essential
that you know everything you can about the item before
you go rushing for the hot soapy water and cleaning
solution. Here are some of the common items that are
collected and which should be left, cleaned and how
to clean them in order to get the best from them.
If you want to start out in coin collection as have
many then it is essential that they are left in the
condition that they are found, cleaning them will
only make them less desirable to collectors if you
wish to sell them at a later date.
Antiques made from ceramic can be cleaned carefully
using hot water and soap, however great care has to
be taken if the ceramic is hand cold painted decorations,
if this is the case then they should only be washed
over with a damp cloth.
Brass antiques will have a patina of their own an
usually this will vary with the item, if you do wish
to clean brass then care has to be taken and you should
always ensure that the brass just isn’t brass plate
but that it is solid brass. You can make a paste of
vinegar, flour and salt in equal parts and use this
on the brass by gently rubbing it all over the brass
with a soft cloth and then polishing off.
Mildew can affect wooden furniture and if your antiques
are suffering from this problems then it can be removed
by mixing a tablespoon each of liquid detergent and
bleach in one cup of water and dipping a cloth into
the mixture. However be sure to remove all traces
of this cleaner from the furniture and dry with a
soft dry clean cloth.
If for any reason any of your furniture has got sticky
residue on it such as from adhesive tape then this
can easily be removed by taking the juice from a lemon
and mixing this with a little hot water.
Bronze items can be kept clean by using a cloth soaked
in hot soapy water, however you should be aware hat
any items that are made from dark brass should not
be cleaned as this can ruin the patina they are well
know and prized for which would greatly reduce the
value of the item.
If you wish to collect antique clocks and watches
then you will have to ensure that these are not only
cleaned but also that they are well oiled, however
this will only need doing around every three years.
the actual solution that you will use will depend
of what type of wood he clock is made from.
