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 your old photos displayed on your walls or table tops?  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 old photos, but it is best to seek the help of a professional who will correctly replicate your photographs and ensure they’re not damaged in the process.

Clean Your Photo Frames Regularly

Just like any other item in your home or office, picture frames get dirty and need to be dusted regularly.The best way to do that is to lay your picture frame face down on a thick towel. This will help to protect the frame and the glass from getting scratched.  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 picture frame depends largely upon the material and finish of your frame.  To clean a wood picture frame with a smooth lacquer finish use a dust cleaner or a water dampened cloth.To prevent damaging your frame, find out if your frame has a lacquered finish so you don’t ruin your frame by cleaning it the wrong way.And don’t forget to remove your photo from the frame before cleaning with a spray cleaner.

For unfinished picture frames that have raw or unprotected wood surface, be especially careful as they can be damaged if not properly cleaned.  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 carefully and then dry with a soft dry cloth to avoid leaving water spots.

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 has tarnished, then chances are very good it doesn’t have any lacquer coating and needs to be cleaned with a silver cleaner.  Be sure to carefully read the cleaner instructions before applying. And, remember to remove your photo before you clean your frame to avoid damaging your photo. 

Anytime you use any cleaner, always test a small section of the bottom or back of the frame to make sure the cleaner works well with your metal frame.  Once done with cleaning your metal frame, wash your hands to avoid transferring any cleaning residue to 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.

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