How to clean an oil painting?

My grandmother did several oil paintings before she died. They are lovely, but only valuable to our family.





The painting is sticky and drippy with smoke residue due to heavy smoking around it. My local art gallery wants almost $200 to clean it!





Is there a home-remedy that I could attempt?





Thanks for any advice you can offer!How to clean an oil painting?
I can't make any guarantees about the safety of these methods for your particular paintings. But I can tell you what I do to clean my own paintings, and how we clean the priceless paintings at the gallery I work at.





1. safest, but won't work on sticky areas: use a very soft brush to remove dust and soot particles (super soft paintbrush, baby toothbrush, shaving brush, that kind of thing). You can buy a micro attachment kit for your vacuum that has small brushes (under an inch in diameter) for deeper cleaning (don't scrub the surface with the bristles, though--just light, circular passes). If that doesn't work, you can use a chemical sponge (dry rubber sponge: http://www.spongeco.com/) in short strokes across the surface, but only if the surface isn't damaged or flaky. It picks up every last bit of dirt and soot, but likely won't work on the really sticky parts.





2. use soft, clean cloths and water with a few drops of dish detergent. If you can remove the frame to test this on the side or edge of the painting first, do so. Watch the surface of the painting and check the cloths to see what's coming off, and obviously if the paint colours are lifting off, stop cleaning. Try just damp cloths at first, dab the painting, no scrubbing. If she painted on canvas, be careful not to stretch the canvas by pressing too hard. If damp cloths aren't working, use a bit more water, just beware that water can seep under varnish, if there is any, and that if the paint is thin, and the canvas or board gets wet, it can shrink or warp and cause cracks in the paint. I've cleaned my own paintings this way, but the conservator would wring my neck if I ever tried it at the gallery. I've also used rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball for really bad areas...scary, but it works. Use a tiny amount of alcohol.





If these methods don't work, it might be worth it to ask around at the gallery to see if there is a conservator's apprentice or helper working there. Ask around unofficially by checking with the security guards, reception staff, gallery shop clerks, etc. He/she might be willing to look at your painting to recommend a solvent or clean it for a lower price (under the table on his/her own time). You could also check antique and framing shops to see if they have lower prices for cleaning services.How to clean an oil painting?
Thanks a bunch for the cleaning hint I just pray to god they work we have some very old painting that can never be replaced. I will let you know ......... Wish me luck in Ohio

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