Archive
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Caring for Rare and Valuable Books
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Cleaning Antique Furniture: Dust Cementation
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Antique Furniture and Central Heating
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Looking after Decorative Ceramics
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Storing Vintage Clothing
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Caring for Silver: Do's and Don'ts
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Westminster Review Article
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Interview with David Lilly: Founder of Simply Stained Glass
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Antique Tortoiseshell, Ivory, Bone & Mother of Pearl: Cleaning and Storing
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Maintaining & Displaying Tapestries and Wall Hangings
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Helping to care for the Werhner Collection (The Magnificent Decorative Art Collection of Julius Werhner - founding member of the De Beers's Diamond Company)
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Conservation Cleaning at Down House; the Historic Home of Charles Darwin
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Helping to clean Eltham Palace: One of London's Greatest Architectural Treasures
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Why Humidity is so important to Antique Furniture
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Cleaning & Protecting an Original London Underground Sign
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The Hobbit & Caring for Rare Books revived....
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Cleaning a Collection of Marble Busts
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Chandelier Cleaning
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Decorative Plasterwork: Dust, Dirt & Stain Removal
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Training Museum Volunteers
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Helping to care for Kenwood House
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Cleaning a Marble Statue of Dr Hunter
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Cleaning the Great Halls at Audley End & Eltham Palace
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Royal Academy of Music - Picture Frame Cleaning
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Preparing Dog Collars for Exhibition at Leeds Castle
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Eltham Palace - Re-opening
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Inner Temple Library
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The House of St Barnabas, Soho
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Cleaning Alabaster - Eton College Chapel
Blog & Projects
Looking after Decorative Ceramics
Our head conservation housekeeper's top three tips for looking after your decorative ceramics.
Firstly, in terms of display, try to avoid placing ceramics in high foot traffic areas, as this increases the likelihood of breakages. Displaying items behind glass will help keep them clean, and using museum wax to secure the base of a piece will stop it moving or sliding on a shelf.
Secondly, in regards to picking up decorative ceramics, if possible, always wear non-slip museum gloves to provide good grip. Remove any separate parts first (such as a lid), and avoid picking up pieces by their handles – which sounds counterintuitive, but handles are often fragile and can be weak. You should always pick up an object up by its most solid part, and of course use two hands.
Finally, when cleaning ceramics, the best way to do this is to dust it gently with a microfiber cloth, using a small soft brush for intricate or detailed areas. Do not use water unless the piece is glazed and you are absolutely sure there are no cracks, as water will seep through and cause damage. If you do use water, gently drying the object with a cool hairdryer is a good way to dry it safely. (If you are not sure how to clean an item, always seek professional help.)