Cleaning and Maintaining Acrylic Sculptures

This guide covers everything from daily cleaning to extending the life of your acrylic lightbox. It will help you to easily clean off any dirt or stains that may accumulate on the surface of your lightbox, and keep it looking bright and beautiful.

Why is it so important to keep things clean?

Although acrylic looks solid, it is actually easy to scratch and attracts fingerprints and dust.If the dirt is not cleaned off, it will eventually affect the transparency, making the original fine carvings look hazy.Even worse, the wrong cleaning method can directly damage the material. For example, using a rough cloth will leave a permanent mark.

Here's how to keep your home clean.

You can't be careless with your tools.

Don't just grab any old paper towel and start wiping! Use a superfine fiber cloth or eyeglass cloth, in combination with a neutral cleaning agent (or diluted dishwashing detergent).Never use alcohol, detergents or other harsh chemicals. They will cause the surface to whiten or even crack.

The cleaning method is important.

Blow off any surface dust before you wipe it, to avoid scratching the material.Use a soft cloth with a little detergent to wipe gently in a circular motion. Do not scrub back and forth.For particularly tough stains, spray more cleaner and wait 10 seconds before wiping.After wiping, remember to use a dry cloth to thoroughly dry the area, otherwise you will leave unsightly water marks.

Avoid these pitfalls.

Don't let the sun shine directly on them.

Many people like to put acrylic sculptures by the window to display their light-transmitting properties, but prolonged exposure to the sun will cause the material to yellow and become brittle.It is recommended that they be placed in an area with diffused light, or that a UV filter be placed on the window.

Away from heat and chemicals.

Hot water bottles and scented candles should be at least 30 centimeters away.Also, don't put the material in the kitchen or bathroom, where it will be exposed to steam or moisture, which can accelerate the aging process.

It takes a long time to get there.

Regular waxing will make them shine.

Every three months, apply a special acrylic wax in a thin layer, and then polish with a soft cloth. This not only repairs minor scratches, but also creates a protective layer.Do not use car or floor wax, as they are unsuitable.

There's also an art to storing them.

When not on display, the works should be stored upright, wrapped in acid-free cotton paper. Don't stack them! One collector once stacked three pieces of wood carving in a cabinet, and when he took them out six months later, they were stuck together and frayed at the edges.

How to deal with damage.

Small scratches can be repaired with a fine-grained sandpaper, and the surface can be polished again to restore the original luster.If the discoloration is severe, try wiping with a 3 % solution of hydrogen peroxide, but make sure to rinse off and dry immediately after treatment.