Relics, cleaning up the dust

Answer 1

There were many ways to clean up the dust on relics. The following were some common methods:

** I. Choose different physical dust removal methods according to the type and characteristics of the cultural relics **
1. ** Manual Dust Removal **
- For smaller areas with irregular structures, such as oil painting frames, pictures, etc., manual dust removal can be used. Commonly used tools included microfiber cloth, soft brush, skin blowing, etc. The advantages of manual dust removal were high precision, strong control, and high safety, but the cleaning efficiency was low, people were prone to fatigue, and the dust from the brush was easy to cause secondary pollution. For example, in the dust removal of oil paintings, the dust on the top and bottom of the frame and other small parts was often cleaned by blowing the dust out of the gaps, and then using a brush to clean them. When the dust on the back of the canvas was generally less, it could also be manually cleaned by blowing and using a soft brush. When it was confirmed that the canvas was elastic, tough, and too dusty to be cleaned, it could be considered to use a small vacuum cleaner of museum grade, but the suction mouth should try not to touch the picture.
2. ** Mechanical Dust Removal **
- For large, heavy, and irregular objects, vacuum cleaners and other machinery could be used to remove dust. For example, for larger stone carvings, sculptures, etc., a high-pressure air pump could also be used to blow off the dust that was difficult to be removed by the vacuum cleaner. This method was more efficient, and with various soft brush heads, spray pipes, and suction mouths, it could improve efficiency and operational stability. For example, the cultural relics workers of the Guandi Temple in Jiezhou would use soft wool brushes to remove dust from the indoor statues, use leather bags to blow away the dust on the surface of the cultural relics, and use palm brushes to clean the dust and bird droppings on the outdoor wrought iron.

** 2. Use different cleaning methods according to the quality and preservation of the cultural relics **
1. ** Dry cleaning **
- If there are stains on the textile cultural relics and they may fade after washing, they should be scrubbed with gasoline or other substances. They can also be sprayed directly on the stains with dry cleaning agent, but the dry cleaning agent should be tested before use.
2. ** Dry Wipe **
- Some artifacts that were afraid of water and some unearthed objects should not be rinsed with water and medicine in order to maintain the natural color of the original artifacts due to the erosion of the earth qi for many years.
3. ** The wind blows **
- For paper items and some fabrics that are not suitable for washing or dry wiping, the air drying method should be chosen to blow off the dust and moisture on the surface.
4. ** Medicinal Cleansing **
- It was mainly used to preserve antiques and unearthed cultural relics in various harsh environments.
5. ** Laser cleaning **
- It could be used to clean a variety of cultural relics. For example, the Palace Museum used laser cleaning technology to "extend the lifespan" of the cultural relics in the collection. Foreign countries such as the Amiens Cathedral in France, the Cathedral of Stockholm in Germany, and the Baptismal Hall in Florence also used this method. In China, the maintenance and cleaning of the Leshan Giant Buddha also used laser cleaning equipment to clean the moss on the giant Buddha. This method was fast, environmental friendly, and efficient.

At the same time, there were some precautions in the process of removing dust from cultural relics:
1. The staff must ensure that the operating room is clean when polishing the oil, otherwise the dust will be sealed inside. The use of air purification equipment can alleviate the dust situation. For ventilation equipment equipped with ventilation pipes, air conditioning, etc., a filter can be installed and replaced in time.
2. The frequency of dust removal was not fixed. It depended on the flow of people, the quality of the surrounding air, and the characteristics of the collection. When the foreign museum held an exhibition of cultural relics, it would be cleaned once every two weeks. The average family could consider doing a thorough cleaning once a year.
3. To use professional dust-cleaning tools, feather dusters and ordinary rags were not allowed because the fibers of these materials were thick and hard, making it difficult to clean them thoroughly. It was also easy to leave subtle scratches on the surface of the collection. Moreover, the collection cleaning tools and the cleaning tools for ordinary furniture should be prepared and placed separately. They should not be mixed to avoid cross-contamination.
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