How to Clean Your Bronze Sculptures

Bronze is a durable copper alloy which will last for hundreds of years. Your bronze sculptures require minimal care or cleaning in order to remain at their beautiful best. However, they may require just a little TLC from time to time. Here are a few of our recommendations for the care and cleaning of your bronze pieces.

Sensible Displays

When displaying your bronze sculpture, it helps to choose your location wisely. Bronzes are best displayed in ventilated spaces away from excessive heat and humidity and so places such as lofts or basements should be avoided. The reason for this is because many sculptures feature a patina that's created during the production process. The artist may have protected this patina with a wax coating and as such it's likely that heat and humidity will have a negative effect on the wax and/or the patina.

Routine Care

Do:

• Use a soft cloth or brush.
• Remember that you are not polishing your sculpture, you are dusting it!

Don't

• Let anything abrasive come into contact with the bronze, including metal elements.
• Don't use any polishes or oils.

Your bronze sculptures will attract household dust and so they will benefit from regular dusting. Use a soft cloth or brush to gently dust the sculptures and take care that nothing abrasive comes into contact with the figures. If your brush has any metal elements in the handle, for instance, keep these away from the surface of the sculpture as the metal could potentially scratch it. Don't use any polishes or oils as these could damage any patina and will only serve to attract more dust in the future. Remember that you are not polishing your sculpture, you are dusting it!

Cleaning Bronze

Do

• Clean regularly.
• Clean with soapy water.
• Use distilled water.
• Dry with a clean, dry cloth and leave to dry completely.
• Test a small area.

Don't

• Use detergents with scents and additives.
• Immerse your sculpture in water.

If you notice that your sculpture features more than simply a covering of dust then you may have to clean it. After a lengthy period of time on display your figures may develop a grimy film which cannot be removed by dusting alone. You may also find this on old bronze sculptures that have been out of sight for years. The easiest way to lift this layer is to clean your pieces with soapy water. Try to avoid detergents with scents and additives as these could again affect the patina of the piece. It is therefore advisable to use distilled water.

Gently wipe your bronze with the solution using a rag or cloth. If there are any areas that are hard to reach with the cloth then a soft toothbrush can be used to clean them. Do not immerse your sculpture in water as it may have a felt pad on the base which will be damaged if it becomes wet. When you have finished cleaning, wipe the sculpture with a clean, dry cloth and then leave it to dry completely. It may be wise to test a small area before attempting to clean the entire sculpture.

Waxing

Do

• Check if your bronze features a wax coating.
• Apply new wax once the piece is thoroughly dry if your piece had a wax coating and you cleaned it.
• Use a clear paste wax.
• Experiment with different paste wax brands to check the effect on the patina.
• Apply wax with a soft cloth or rag.
• Leave the wax to completely dry.
• Buff with a soft cloth once dry.

Don't

• Use car wax.
• Let anything abrasive come into contact with the bronze, including metal elements.
• Add wax to a sculpture with a bismuth nitrate patina, seek expert advice.

With many bronze sculptures the final step in the creative process is the application of a coat of wax. This acts as a barrier to the atmosphere and prevents changes to the patina over time. It is worth checking if your bronze features a wax coating as this will degrade over time and cleaning will remove it. If you have cleaned a bronze which had a wax coating then you should apply new wax once the piece is thoroughly dry.

The best type of wax to use is a clear paste wax which is freely available and inexpensive. This wax is inert and so will not damage the metal and will not materially alter the appearance of the patina. Other waxes may harm the bronze or leave an unsightly white residue. Car wax should certainly be avoided as it can contain abrasives. Some paste waxes may slightly darken lighter patinas so you may have to experiment with different brands.

To wax your figure, use a soft cloth or rag and apply a light coating. A soft and unused paintbrush can come in handy for reaching small nooks and crannies but wrap any metal elements in masking tape before using the brush. It is all too easy to scrape these over the surface of the bronze which could result in irreparable damage. When you have applied your coat of wax, leave it to dry completely. This could take up to twelve hours. Then buff your piece using a soft cloth or brush. A second coat of wax will add more shine if you prefer this look and an extra coat is desirable in humid conditions.

Please note that some contemporary patinas are created using bismuth nitrate. Seek expert advice if your sculpture features a pastel coloured patina as this could be dramatically altered by the solvents in wax.

A Note of Caution

You may read about traditional or home cleaning solutions for bronze but these suggestions should be ignored. Many rely on inappropriate abrasives and acids to attack the dirt or tarnish. The immediate effects can appear impressive but the bronze may be damaged and certain patinas destroyed. Cola, baking soda, false-teeth cleaners and lemon juice are often suggested but offer only a quick fix which is the opposite of long term care and preservation.

If you enjoy collecting bronze sculptures then don't forget to view the fabulous range here at Sculpture Gallery. You will discover fine works by many of the World's leading artists working in Bronze including Michael Simpson, Alexander Millar, David Geenty and Paul Jenkins, to name just a few.