The practice of covering the sur face of paintings with soft soap or other alkaline lyes is a very mischiev ous one. If the paintings are of any value, they should be cleaned only by an expert.
To Clean Prints.—Fasten the print to a board by means of thumb tacks, cover with fine common salt, and moisten the salt slightly with lemon juice. Turn the board at an angle and pour boiling water over the sur face until the salt and lemon juice are washed off. Dry gradually in the shade.
Or, to remove yellow stains from engravings, dissolve hydrochloride of soda in water. Moisten a cloth with this solution and lay over the stain until it is removed. Rinse with clear water.
To Restore White in Oil Paint ings.—To renovate old oil paintings in which the whites have become dark by the action of the air on paints containing carbonate of lead or other lead compounds, apply, by means of a soft brush, water charged with four or five volumes of oxygen. Afterwards let dry and go over the painting with copal varnish.
To Mend Gilt Frames.—To replace
on gilt frames ornaments that have been broken off and lost, melt to gether with gentle beat 1 pound of rosin, pint of linseed oil, and gill of Venetian turpentine. Dissolve separately pound of glue in 2 quarts of water and mix the two solutions. Boil and stir constantly until the water is evaporated, leav ing a thick mass, to which add pow dered whiting until the whole is of the consistency of putty. Mold to the desired shape while warm, and when cold it will set and harden. Color with gilt paint.
To Clean Wood Frames. — First dust with 0, soft brush, and after wards wipe with flannel dipped in sweet oil.
To Renovate Old Gilt Frames.— Gilt frames that are past retouching with gilt paint may be renovated by removing the gilding with fine sand paper or rubbing down the surface with a moistened cloth dipped in powdered pumice or rotten stone. Paint with black or other color of enamel paint or any desired stain, and afterwards apply a coat of co pal or any hard white varnish.