How To Clean Yellowed Oil Paintings (Easy Guide)

One – Brush Using Soft-Bridled Paintbrushes

This step is relatively easy to execute and, on the flip side, quite easy to get wrong.

Before attempting this method, ensure you have paintbrushes with natural-hair bristles. A stiff brush or a feather duster won’t cut it — it’s soft-bridled paintbrushes or nothing.

Start by tilting the painting towards you to prevent the dirt you brush off from falling back onto the painting. You can spread a piece of cloth on the floor or table to collect the dirt.

You need to be as gentle as possible when brushing the surface from the top down.

Keep your eyes peeled for signs of paint removal or smoothening of the matte surface. If you notice these signs, refer the painting to a professional to prevent further damage.

Two – Clean With Cotton Swabs and Saliva

Yes – you read it right: saliva. The solution to your oil painting solution might be in your mouth.

I’ll admit; saliva isn’t the most elegant solution. However, it can remove that yellow eyesore from your oil painting.

Saliva has a slightly acidic pH that aids in removing grime and is gentle enough not to harm your paintings.

Before you start, confirm that you have enough cotton swabs. You shouldn’t reuse the cotton swab, so guarantee that you have plenty.

In a well-lit room, place the painting on a flat surface with a folded towel or cloth underneath. The underlying material prevents the stretching of the canvas when cleaning.

The painting shouldn’t bulge when placed over the folded cloth as it places unnecessary pressure on the artwork.

You’ll need to perform a test on the edges of the painting to see whether the method works. Wet the swab with a bit of saliva before gently rolling it on the test spot.

Look for any indication of paint removal, and if there’s none, you can proceed to other sections of the painting.

Divide the painting into mini-sections to ensure that you clean the entire picture. Swap a dirty cotton swab for a clean one as you don’t want to transfer the dirt to other parts of the painting.

Three – Clean the Painting With Cleaning Agents

Various companies have developed cleaning agents for oil paintings. They remove dirt and grime while preserving the paint.

Nevertheless, you should use them with care to prevent unwanted damage.

Again, ensure you have enough cotton swabs before you start. As this method involves the use of chemicals, wear gloves and a mask as precautions.

Lay the painting on a folded towel as described above and wet a swab with the cleaning agent. Perform a test run on the edges of the painting to check whether the agent removes paint.

If it’s safe to use, proceed to clean the rest of the painting. Remember to use a rolling motion to remove the dirt from the painting.

You may need to roll over a section several times to notice a difference. Replace the swabs with fresh ones to prevent the transfer of dirt to other areas.

Some cleaning agents have specific instructions you need to follow during use. Refer to these instructions to ensure effective cleaning.

Four – Use Varnish Remover To Remove Yellow Varnish

Over time, the varnish that gives oil paintings vibrancy turns irreversibly yellow. The only solution is to remove the varnish and replace it with a fresh coat.

The problem with varnish removal is getting the correct chemical to remove it. You’d face no issue identifying the right removal agent if you applied varnish to the painting.

However, you’ll have a hard time matching the varnish to its removal agent if you don’t know the type of varnish used by the painter. It may be a complete shot in the dark for an inexperienced art owner.

If by whatever means you get the proper varnish remover, the rest of the process is relatively easy. You need cotton swabs, neutralizer, and a folded cloth on a flat surface.

Lay the painting on the folded cloth as described above, and perform a test run to ensure that the remover works as expected.

Use the rolling method to remove varnish from small sections of the paint. After each removal, use another swab to apply neutralizer, which prevents the chemical from reacting with the paint.

After removing the varnish, apply a fresh coat to give your painting a new lease of life.

Five – Expose the Painting to Sufficient Lighting

The solution to cleaning the yellowing in your painting may be pretty simple: do nothing and let nature do the job for you.

If you recovered the oil painting from a dark room with no light, the chances are it’s affected by dark yellowing. Oil paintings kept in the dark for a long time develop a dark yellow layer.

Fortunately, this yellowing is entirely reversible. You only need to expose the painting to the element it has missed for ages: light.

Therefore, the yellowing on your oil painting, especially if it spent a lot of time in the dark, may not be dirt. Before trying to clean it, leave it for a while in the light and see whether nature resolves the problem.

Final Words

If applied as instructed, the above methods will expel yellowing from your oil painting.

Ignore methods instructing you to use water, detergents, baby oil, and bread. These methods might work in the short term, but they’ll gradually destroy your painting. Especially bread, as using foods may promote mold growth and attract insects.

Take extra care not to destroy your oil painting. If you notice paint removal while trying to clean it, refer the art piece to a professional.

Sources

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