Series editors' preface - Wood Tools

764 Conservation of Furniture
Dry cleaning materials such as a smoke
sponge or Draft Clean granules, described in
section 11.2.4, may be used to remove dust
from lacquer. Care must be taken not to scratch
the surface of the lacquer and a lubricating solvent
(white or mineral spirits) may be useful.
Not all dry cleaning materials are appropriate;
for example erasers are too harsh for many
lacquer surfaces.
Due to the polar nature of aged lacquer surfaces,
water is often very effective for removing
surface dirt. There is a danger, however, of
solubilizing and removing lacquer degradation
products. The safety of cleaning lacquer with
water is in part dependent on condition of lacquer
surface (e.g. the history of exposure to
UV, previous treatments) and partly dependent
on the skill and experience of the conservator.
Water will remove surface dirt, which will
often have a black appearance on a swab.
Continued swabbing of a degraded surface
with water will begin to solubilize degradation
products, which are light brown in colour. As
a general rule, if the surface is glossy and lustrous
water is less likely to cause damage.
Water should be avoided for cleaning surfaces
that are dull and degraded. If water is used to
remove dirt, a slightly dampened swab may be
applied to a small area that is immediately
dried with clean fresh cotton wool. Using a
swab that is too wet, or leaving the moisture in
contact with the surface for too long can result
in unsightly water marks and tidelining.
The use of water is much favoured by
Japanese conservators. One method involves
two soft cotton cloths (e.g. cut from an old
white T-shirt). The first piece of cloth is dipped
in water and then wrung out to remove excess
liquid. The second (dry) cloth is then rolled in
the first and the two squeezed together. The
second cloth, now slightly dampened, is
wrapped around a fingertip and, with a circular
motion, used to gently wipe a small area (a
square inch or so) of the urushi surface.
Although this sounds a simple procedure, the
wrong amount of moisture, the wrong cloth, or
this technique applied inappropriately to a sensitive
surface, can all cause damage (Murose,
1996).
Cleaning decorative elements
The effect of a cleaning treatment on decorative
elements within a lacquer surface may dif-
fer from the effects observed on the background
element of the design. Makie (sprinkled
metal powder) decoration may be poorly
adhered and is very vulnerable to the cumulative
abrasive effects of cleaning treatments.
Cleaning makie decoration involves a judgement
about the original intent of the maker, as
‘discoloration’ may be a result of deliberate
patination rather than ageing and corrosion.
Tarnish on silver makie, for example, was
often an intended patina. Such deliberate patination
should not be removed. If the original
intent is unknown or unclear, treatment should
be limited to the removal of surface dirt.
Kirikane (cut metal) and other types of metal
foil decoration are particularly vulnerable to
damage during cleaning as they may be loose.
Before cleaning commences, metal foil decoration
should be carefully examined, under a low
magnification bench microscope if necessary,
to ensure that it is well adhered. If not, it
should be consolidated before being cleaned.
Water is very effective for cleaning motherof-pearl,
which is often fragile and brittle. It is
important to avoid over-cleaning or excess
pressure that will change the appearance of
the shell and the overall aesthetic balance of
the object. Shell may have been adhered with
a water-soluble adhesive such as animal glue
and a slightly dampened swab will limit the
potential for water to penetrate under the
shell. Delicate surfaces, such as aogai
(blue–green) shell inlay, may be cleaned
through paper. A thin flexible paper can be
laid over the surface, solvent applied and a
soft brush pounced on the surface. Dirt will
become attached to the paper whilst the surface
is protected from excessive mechanical
action. Different papers will absorb slightly
different materials, so some experimentation
may be called for.
Removing unwanted coatings
Wax has often been applied to Oriental lacquer.
Excess wax will result in a cloudy or
smeared surface and a halo of wax may build
up around raised decorative elements (Figure
16.23). Wax may be removed with aliphatic or
aromatic hydrocarbon solvents, though some
additional mechanical action with cotton wool
or a dry cleaning material may also be necessary.
Chloroform may be an effective solvent in
particularly refractory cases.