How to Preserve Bakelite
Bakelite is one of the first plastics that came into being when a scientist was trying to create a substitute for Shellac. Today this material is used in the making of different items which include glass decoration and jewellery too. This type of decoration and jewellery was quite famous between the 1920s and 1960s. The Bakelite decoration or jewellery was made in different colours and designs but it was a little delicate to handle. Therefore, preserving Bakelite has remained a tricky affair for people not from now, but from several years. Due to this problem lots of people have lost their precious Bakelite jewellery, however, there is a solution to this problem and this article lists down steps that will tell you how to preserve Bakelite
Things you will need to preserve Bakelite:
– Metal Cleaner/Car Polish/Chrome Polish
– Cotton/Padding
– Plastic Storage Container
Instructions
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1
Make sure that whenever you need to wash any item made from Bakelite, you do it with hands and not with a dishwasher. This is because items made from Bakelite are delicate and can spoil if handled roughly.
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2
Take a small amount of car polish or metal cleaner or chrome polish and pour it on the rag.
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3
Now rub the decoration item with this little amount of metal cleaner until it gets fully coated with it. Allow this metal polish to settle on the decoration piece for one to two minutes or until it gives a cloudy look.
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4
Afterwards wipe down the metal polish from the piece so that no traces of it should be left behind.
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5
Now take padding or cotton and place it in a plastic bag.
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6
Place the Bakelite in this container. In case you place more than one piece in the plastic container then ensure that it should have enough padding to keep the pieces separate.
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7
After that put this plastic container in a dark and cool place - drawer of a bedroom will be ideal for this purpose.
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8
Your decoration item or jewellery is as clean and safe as new!
