Cleaning Antique Ivory
Before Handling Antique Ivory
Ivory is very porous, and the porous characteristic of ivory means that antique ivory will absorb the naturally occurring oils from your hands. Antique ivory will also absorb moisture and dirt. Clean white untreated cotton gloves should be worn while handling antique ivory.
Don’t use fabric softeners when drying white cotton gloves used for handling antique ivory. Remnants of fabric softener will contaminate the gloves, and it could be transferred to your antique ivory pieces. Wash white cotton gloves used for handling antique ivory in mild laundry detergent, rinse the gloves well, and air-dry the gloves or dry them in a dryer on a low setting without fabric softener.
Discolored Antique Ivory
Ivory deepens in color with age, and antique ivory has a beautiful patina that gives antique ivory a lovely and unique characteristic. If your antique ivory has darkened or yellowed due to age, don’t try to lighten it. The color of antique ivory is often used as an indicator of age, and the patina protects the ivory. Darkening is a natural part of the aging process of ivory, and it adds to the unique beauty of antique ivory.
Dusty Antique Ivory
Even with the best of care, everything eventually becomes dusty, even items displayed within a case or cabinet. Antique ivory can be dusted using a soft paintbrush such as a fine-tip sable hair artist’s brush. A fine-tip brush will enable you to reach crevices and indentations where dust can gather on antique ivory pieces.
Dirty Antique Ivory
What may appear to be dust at first glance, could actually be dirt that has settled firmly upon antique ivory pieces. Dusty with a paintbrush won’t sufficiently clean antique ivory that is truly dirty. There are a few methods of cleaning dirty antique ivory that are gentle, safe, and effective. Try one of the following methods of cleaning your dirty antique ivory pieces.
It is best to try dry methods of cleaning dirty antique ivory before using cleaning methods that involve the use of water or other liquids. Since ivory is porous, water or other liquids can cause antique ivory to expand or even crack, so use extreme caution when cleaning ivory with liquids. If ever in doubt, take your dirty ivory pieces to an ivory specialist for professional cleaning and care. Jewelers who deal in antique ivory or conservators may be willing to professionally clean dirty antique ivory.
Antique ivory may be cleaned with a white vinyl eraser. White vinyl erasers are pure, they are free of contaminates and dye, and they do a good job of cleaning dirty ivory. A white vinyl pencil tip eraser is fantastic for cleaning dirty antique ivory. The narrow tip makes it easy to clean crevices and intricate details on antique ivory pieces, and this type of eraser can be sharpened to a very fine point for better cleaning and control.
If your antique ivory pieces aren’t cracked or dyed, you can clean them with a solution containing half water and half ethyl alcohol. Dip a clean cotton swab in the alcohol and water solution, dab off any excess liquid on a clean rag or paper towel, and gently clean an inconspicuous area before proceeding to clean the entire piece. If the alcohol and water solution successfully cleans the dirt from the antique ivory piece, continue cleaning the entire piece, carefully and meticulously. Be sure to dry each section of ivory as you clean it so the water doesn’t soak in.
Hydrating Ivory
Ivory can become very dry and brittle, and dry ivory can become cracked and permanently damaged. Hydrate antique ivory twice a year by wrapping it in a soft white cloth soaked in pure mineral oil. Allow the antique ivory piece to remain wrapped in a dye-free oiled cloth for about eight hours. After unwrapping the antique ivory piece, carefully wipe off any excess mineral oil with another soft white cloth.
Storing and Displaying Antique Ivory
Don’t make the mistake of placing antique ivory pieces under bright lights or in areas of direct sun. The sun can cause bleaching, and the heat can cause extensive drying and cracking.
Consider monitoring the humidity when storing or displaying antique ivory pieces. The humidity should be no greater than seventy-percent, and the temperature should remain moderate and constant. High humidity can cause damaging mold spots to form on antique ivory as well as expansion and warping. Since ivory is extremely porous, this type of damage may be irreparable.
