Dry Cleaning

Definition
Dry cleaning, also called Surface Cleaning is the action of removing dust and other deposits from the surface
of an object without the use of liquids.
Methods
Superficial methods
These methods are used to remove loose dirt from the surface of paper objects. Very soft brushes and
feathers can be the only practical dry cleaning method in the presence of abrasion-sensitive media, such as
graphite pencil. Chemical sponges and document cleaning pads are more drastic but they can be used gently
if the pressure is controlled.
Powders
Dry cleaning powders, such as cum-! " or Drafting #owder " are supplied by specialised paper
conservation suppliers. urface cleaning powders can also be prepared by grating erasers using a cheese
grater.
Erasers
$rasers are used on blan% areas of the paper only. They are too abrasive to wor% on any %ind of media.
&esearch has shown that #VC-based erasers such as taedler 'ars" and 'agic &ub" are more gentle and
effective than rubber-based commercial erasers.
Warning!
Do not attempt precision erasing around soft media. The result is usually unsatisfactory due to the
optical loss of the vibration of lines and masses.
(lways wor% from the inside towards the edges and hold the paper flat and still to avoid accidental
damage to paper.
)ash and dry hands thoroughly before starting the treatment.
Further Reading
- (*C-+#,, -. urface Cleaning, (dhesives, Paper Conservation Catalogue, +oo% and #aper
,roup (*C/ )ashington DC.
http/00cool.conservation-us.org0coolaic0sg0bpg0pcc0-.1surface-cleaning.pdf
- +an%s, #., -232, #aper Cleaning, Restaurator, pp.45-46.
- +ritish 7ibrary, 58-- 9revised:, Cleaning, #reservation (dvisory Centre.
http/00www.bl.u%0blpac0pdf0clean.pdf
- Canadian Conservation *nstitute, -226, &emoving 'ould from 7eather, CCI Notes, ;0-.
http/00www.cci-icc.gc.ca0publications0notes0---<-eng.asp=
- Canadian Conservation *nstitute, -224, +asic Care of +oo%s, CCI Notes, --0<.
http/00www.cci-icc.gc.ca0publications0notes0---<-eng.asp=
- Chicora >oundation, 'ould. http/00www.chicora.org0mold.html
- Cowan, ?., and . ,uild, 588- 9revised:, Dry 'ethods for urface Cleaning #aper, Canadian
Conservation Institute Tech. Bulletin, --.
- ,erald &. >ord Conservation Centre, @ebras%a tate Aistorical ociety, The Cleaning of #aper-
+ased Bbjects in Collections.
http/00d-vmC2r-6e5j.=.cloudfront.net0@$T0misc08885<<;..pdf
- ,odoms%i, T., 5882, (ppropriate Techniques for urface Cleaning *n%jet #rints, University of
Delaware.
- 'inter, )., 5885, $raser Crumbs of taedtler 'ars #lastic and $berhard->aber -24., Abbey
Nesletter, vol.54, no.4.
http/00cool.conservation-us.org0byorg0abbey0an0an540an54-40an54-48..html
- 'inter, )., 58-5, 'agic &ub $rasers, Conservation !ist"ist.
http/00cool.conservation-us.org0byform0mailing-lists0cdl058-508<-..html
- 'ustalish, &. (., 58-5, taedtler 'ars #lastic $rasers, Conservation !ist"ist.
http/00cool.conservation-us.org0byform0mailing-lists0cdl058-508;<4.html
- @ational #ar% ervice, -226, Aow to >latten >olded or &olled #aper Documents, Conserve #
$ra%, no.-605.
http/00www.nps.gov0museum0publications0conserveogram0-6-85.pdf
- @ortheast Document Conservation Center
Conservation #rocedures/ urface Cleaning of #aper/
http/00www.nedcc.org0resources0leaflets0<Conservation1#rocedures085urfaceCleaning.php
torage and Aandling/ Cleaning +oo%s and helves/
http/00www.nedcc.org0resources0leaflets0.torage1and1Aandling086Cleaning+oo%s(ndhelves.php
- #earlstein, $. ?., D. Cabelli, (. Ding, and @. *ndictor, -2;5, $ffects of $raser Treatment on #aper,
&ournal of the A%erican Institute for Conservation, 55, pp.---5.
- #ublic &ecord Bffice of @orthern *reland, 5883, #reservation of &ecords/ code of practice for
mechanical cleaning of records.
http/00www.proni.gov.u%0preservation1of1records1-
1code1of1practice1for1the1mechanical1cleaning1of1records.pdf
- Eniversity of )ashington, Eniversity of 7ibraries, tac%s Cleaning #rocedures.
http/00www.lib.washington.edu0preservation0libraries0clean