Two Easy Steps to Keeping Your Picture Frames Looking Great

If you have picture frames in your house, chances are good that you may not know how to properly care for them. Find out what you need to do to protect your pictures forever and how to keep your picture frames looking good for years.

The Importance of Creating Duplicates of Your Special Photos

One of the most important things you can do when it comes to caring for your photos, is to make sure you have a way to create a duplicate of your most important photos.With digital cameras, it’s easy to take and print photos whenever you want.  But what about the old photos you have on your walls or tabletops?  Do you know where the negatives, slides or CDs storing them are in case you need to replicate them? 

Those special one-of-a-kind photographs require high quality replication to help make sure that you never lose your photo memories.There are several ways to make copies of your special pictures, but it’s best to seek the help of a professional who will ensure your photos are properly replicated without damaging your photos.

Clean Your Photo Frames Regularly

Like any other object in your home or office, picture frames do collect dust and need to be dusted periodically.  The best way to do that is to place a thick towel on a flat surface and lay the picture frame face down on the towel. This will protect the frame’s finish and glass from scratching.  Next, remove the backing and carefully take out the picture.

Once you have opened the back of the frame and taken out the photo, you can lift out the glass from the frame. Go ahead and clean the glass with a glass cleaner.Remember if it’s acrylic you should only use soap and water as glass cleaner will ruin the acrylic.You should also use cloth towels with acrylic because paper towels can leave behind fine scratches on the acrylic.If you’re wanting to use conservation techniques and protect your photos , you should only clean the glass with a cloth as paper towels leave an acid residue behind on the glass.

The care of your frame largely depends upon the finish and material used to make the frame.  To clean a wood picture frame with a smooth lacquer finish use a dust cleaner or a water dampened cloth.  To prevent damage to your frame be sure before using any type of cleaner that your wood frame has a lacquered finish similar to a piece of furniture.And don’t forget to remove your photo from the frame before cleaning with a spray cleaner.

For unfinished frames with a raw or unprotected wood surface, be extra careful with these frames as they can be damaged by improper cleaning.  Unlike finished or lacquered wood frames with a protective finish, unfinished wood picture frames should only be dusted with a soft dry toothbrush or possibly a small vacuum.  This method cleans off dust without leaving the frame wet or with pieces of towel or paper towel stuck to the rough unfinished wood finish.Avoid using wood or dust cleaners on unfinished wood frames as they can discolor or stain the bare wood frame.

Caring for Metal Picture Frames

Metal picture frames can be cleaned in several ways.  Use a slightly dampened towel moistened with water to clean aluminum or gold or silver colored frames.  Wipe the frame gently and then dry with a soft dry cloth to avoid leaving water marks.

If you have a precious metal frame, like a solid pewter photo frame, silver plated frame or sterling silver frame, you need to determine if it has a lacquered finish.In most cases, if you’ve had the frame for a while and it isn’t tarnished then it most likely has a lacquer coating. A lacquer finished frame should only be cleaned with a water dampened cloth and gently dried with a dry, soft cloth towel.

If you have an old silver frame that’s tarnished, then you can be pretty sure that it doesn’t have any lacquer coating and should be cleaned with a quality silver cleaner.Make sure to read the cleaner instructions carefully before applying. And, remember to always take out your picture before cleaning your frame so you don’t ruin your picture. 

Anytime you use a cleaner, always test a small area on the back or bottom of the frame to make sure the cleaner doesn’t react badly with your frame.Once you’re done with cleaning your metal frame, wash you hands so you don’t transfer any cleaning residue onto your photo.  Before replacing your photo, make sure the glass and frame are completely dry before putting back your photo.  If there is moisture remaining on the glass, you can run the risk of having your photo damaged if the photo sticks to the glass.

As you can see, it’s very easy to properly care for your frames and photos by following these simple steps. By regularly taking care of your pictures and frames, your framed photos will always look their best.