Why don’t you try some children’s toothbrushes?    Shoe shiners used to apply

wax with brushes…and certainly brushes would also remove if used gently.

 

Dean

 

 

 

 

A few of you asked me to post responses to my question about cleaners to the list.  Unfortunately I only got one response!

 

For textiles, Orvis is the standard as far as I know.  I don't if it will clean other things as well.

 

I ended up buying Hagerty’s silversmith’s polish, a silver duster, and Hagerty 100 all metal polish.  The all metal polish claims to also clean hard plastics, ceramic, porcelain, marble, and more.  I think that should cover my cleaning needs.  The room doesn’t have any “archival” fabrics or textiles that I need to clean although I may need to use Orvis on some of my other collections at some point.

 

I have one last question; can someone tell me what they use to clean in between creases and engraved letters?  I did a test run and I found that just using a rag pushes the polish into those tiny creases and indentations and it is hard to get it out.  I tried a cotton swab but that wasn’t small enough.  Any suggestions?

 

 

Hello List!  As of January 1^st the Truman Lounge (which is the only room in the whole building where people can smoke) will become smoke free (yippee!) That means all of the objects, walls, carpet, etc. will need to be cleaned to get rid of the smoke smell and residue from almost 100 years of smoking (luckily, most of the stuff in the room hasn’t been there for 100 years).  It is going to be my job to clean all of the objects/artifacts housed in that room.  As I’m glancing through conservation catalogs I’m seeing all kinds of cleaners for this and that.  I don’t want to buy 50 different things to clean a few objects.  Can anyone recommend one or two “all-purpose” cleaners?

 

Some of the materials include wood, ceramics, rubber, metal, fabric, and glass.  Thanks!

 

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Christina J. Zamon

Archivist

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