How to Take Care of Textile Art
7 Important Textile Art Care Tips
When we make a textile art purchase, we always want to make sure that it is taken care of properly. Although we may have paid quite a sum for the piece of artwork, it is the deep connection we have with the work and the desire to keep that connection strong that spurs us to ensure the work is cared for. By taking the steps to keep the textile art piece in good condition, we are not only protecting the value of the piece, but also respecting the work of the artist.
Here are my tips for taking care of your textile art piece:
Always consult the textile artist - check with the artist on how you should care for the art piece. An important question to ask is whether the item can be machine washed / dry cleaned. Don’t assume that art piece can be laundered just because it is made from fiber and textiles.
Avoid direct sunlight - ultraviolet radiation (aka UV-rays) from the sun breaks down the colour molecules in a chemical process called photolysis. This breakdown causes colour to fade, and happens not just in artwork, but practically anything that is exposed to sunlight. Colour fading will be most noticeable over short periods for textile artworks using natural dyes.
The best course of action is to place the artwork away from direct sunlight, for example hang the work in a corridor instead of in front of a window. Observe where the sunlight hits your home during the seasons so you have an idea of where best to place the work.
If possible, frame the artwork with UV filtering acrylic / glass.
You may want to consider having UV filters on your windows - 3M manufactures UV films that keep out UV rays and a proportion of heat but allow natural light to enter the home.
Avoid insects and lizards - if you’re living in the tropics, it’s hard to avoid insects and lizards, but we can do a few things to prevent the creepy crawlies from ruining our artworks especially if they are not framed. Insects will make your home their home if it gets dusty or food is readily available to them, so make sure your home is dust free, and any food is inaccessible to the critters. It’s also useful to have insect and lizard baits around the home too.
Avoid touching with bare hands - if you do have to handle your art piece, wear gloves. The gloves will act as a barrier between the art piece and the person handling it. Remember, your hands contain salt, sweat and oil, all substances that can damage the work. You might not see them, but over time, the amounts will add up!
Avoid placing artwork in or near the kitchen - nothing is worse than having your beloved textile art piece smell like yesterday’s dinner! Unless you takeout everyday, avoid placing your artwork here at all costs!
Do dust lightly - when it comes to cleaning textile art works that are not framed, do not use a damp cloth to wipe it. Remember, moisture will damage the artwork and enable mildew or mold to grow. Don’t use chemical cleaning sprays as you never know how the chemical constituents will react with the colours and fabrics of the artwork.
Always lightly dust with a small round tipped art brush (don’t use a flat tip). The round tipped art brush is most suitable for fragile and delicate artworks - it helps you get in between all the textures of the textile art piece without damaging it.
You can also use a vacuum cleaner on lower power and with an extension - this is good for large quilt pieces, and less delicate textile art works. If in doubt, stick to the brush.
Maintain a constant environment - artwork will expand and contract with extreme climates (think winter versus summer), and so it is important to try and provide a constant temperature and humidity for the work. For textile artwork, it would be important to ensure that the humidity is not too high so that mildew and mold start growing on the work. Don’t forget that if the humidity is too low then the environment will be too dry for the artwork: a stable environment would be around 40-60% relative humidity
Dehumidifiers or air-conditioning are good for creating a stable environment
For artwork that is kept in drawers or closets (e.g. large quilt pieces or batik artworks), it is best to bring them out to air. These pieces are then folded against the original folds so that the latter do not become permanent creases - remember, due to the nature of the art piece, you may not be allowed to iron them!
Pieces of diatomaceous earth blocks (to keep the humidity low) and natural insect repellants such as cloves and whole white pepper can be used; just remember not to put them in contact with the artwork.
Avoid placing textile artwork in the bathroom especially if you’re in the tropics - humidity is your enemy!
Do not hang artwork above a heater - you will be creating an extremely hot and dry microclimate for the artwork.
