Tips and reminders on
how to care for your framed art
:: Cleaning. The best way to clean glass is to take the frame down from the wall and lay it flat. Then spray the glass cleaner on a soft rag -- never directly on the glass -- before cleaning. Plexiglas is cleaned best by using a plastic cleaner. A substitute is a mild solution of dish soap in room temperature water, using a wrung-out, cotton cloth in a circular motion until smudges are gone.
:: Dusting. Use a feather duster, Swiffer or soft cloth. Rubbing too hard on frames can remove or damage finishes, so use a light touch.
:: Hanging. Bumpers on a frame's lower back help promote needed air circulation. Use good quality hangers such as Floreats. Using two hangers will help keep pieces level, and also distribute the weight more evenly.
:: Ongoing checkups. Insects and mold find their way into framed art works even in the best of homes. A jolt can release hinges, leaving the art askew in its mat. If mats are not archival standard, you may notice the beveled edges turning tan and then brownish. Over time, this chemical burn stains and deteriorates paper art.
A "bloom" of faintly obscuring cloudiness can form on the inside of the glass, especially if there are large areas of ink on prints. If a brown paper dust cover is not intact, artwork can be contaminated with dust and insects from the back; a taped back seal works better. Periodic inspections are a good idea, and if your art needs attention, bring it in to KR,F for repair, internal cleaning or archival updating.
:: Transporting. Always carry framed art by two sides, never by the wire or by the top edge. Leaving framed art in a closed-up car can court disaster by creating a closed environment with extreme temperature changes, which can promote mold, buckling or condensation. If your art is floated in its mat or frame, make sure its wrapping has an arrow indicating up, to avoid undue stress on the hinges.
When stacking wrapped art work, use cardboard or blankets in between; at a minimum, put them face to face and back to back, to avoid the hanging hardware scratching the face of the adjacent frame.
