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.