How to Clean Ivory
Dust ivory using a paintbrush., Grate a white vinyl eraser., Rub the eraser shavings on the ivory., Remove eraser debris with a brush., Rub the ivory with Groom stick.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Dust ivory using a paintbrush.
Start off cleaning your ivory by brushing with a paintbrush, which is the most delicate method.
Be sure to use a soft, clean paintbrush, and to work in one direction so that you don’t spread dirt or impurities around the surface of the object.Before handling ivory, wear clean, white cloth gloves.
Without gloves, the oil from your fingers can transfer to the ivory and affect its coloring.
Brushing ivory works especially well if you are trying to remove a small amount of dirt or impurities.
Work the bristles of the paintbrush into any crevices on the object to remove dirt -
Step 2: Grate a white vinyl eraser.
If you are trying to remove a significant amount of dirt, you may need to use more than just a brush.
A white vinyl eraser is a very effective tool for cleaning ivory.
Use a zester or grater to grate down the eraser into small shavings.Make sure that the vinyl eraser is white.
An eraser of any other color could contaminate and discolor the ivory. , Wearing your gloves, gently rub the grated eraser over the dirty areas of the ivory.
Use your gloved fingertip or a soft brush to work the eraser shavings against the ivory.Using eraser shavings is gentler than using a whole eraser, and it is easier to work into the nooks of an object.
You can also use a non-grated white vinyl eraser to clean ivory, just be sure to be very gentle. , After you use the white vinyl eraser, you should notice that most or all of the dirt has been removed, but that the eraser shavings may still be covering the object.
To remove them, brush the ivory object with a clean soft brush until the shavings have come off. , Groomstick is a museum-standard conservation product that is highly effective in cleaning ivory and other precious materials.
To use it, pull off a small piece of the Groomstick from the stick and rub it against the surface of the ivory.
You should see that any dirt sticks to the Groomstick.Groomstick is made of a non-abrasive rubber that pulls off dirt from the surface of an object.
It doesn’t leave debris, so you don’t have to brush off the ivory after using it. -
Step 3: Rub the eraser shavings on the ivory.
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Step 4: Remove eraser debris with a brush.
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Step 5: Rub the ivory with Groom stick.
Detailed Guide
Start off cleaning your ivory by brushing with a paintbrush, which is the most delicate method.
Be sure to use a soft, clean paintbrush, and to work in one direction so that you don’t spread dirt or impurities around the surface of the object.Before handling ivory, wear clean, white cloth gloves.
Without gloves, the oil from your fingers can transfer to the ivory and affect its coloring.
Brushing ivory works especially well if you are trying to remove a small amount of dirt or impurities.
Work the bristles of the paintbrush into any crevices on the object to remove dirt
If you are trying to remove a significant amount of dirt, you may need to use more than just a brush.
A white vinyl eraser is a very effective tool for cleaning ivory.
Use a zester or grater to grate down the eraser into small shavings.Make sure that the vinyl eraser is white.
An eraser of any other color could contaminate and discolor the ivory. , Wearing your gloves, gently rub the grated eraser over the dirty areas of the ivory.
Use your gloved fingertip or a soft brush to work the eraser shavings against the ivory.Using eraser shavings is gentler than using a whole eraser, and it is easier to work into the nooks of an object.
You can also use a non-grated white vinyl eraser to clean ivory, just be sure to be very gentle. , After you use the white vinyl eraser, you should notice that most or all of the dirt has been removed, but that the eraser shavings may still be covering the object.
To remove them, brush the ivory object with a clean soft brush until the shavings have come off. , Groomstick is a museum-standard conservation product that is highly effective in cleaning ivory and other precious materials.
To use it, pull off a small piece of the Groomstick from the stick and rub it against the surface of the ivory.
You should see that any dirt sticks to the Groomstick.Groomstick is made of a non-abrasive rubber that pulls off dirt from the surface of an object.
It doesn’t leave debris, so you don’t have to brush off the ivory after using it.
About the Author
Doris Patel
Brings years of experience writing about cooking and related subjects.
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