Sarah, our Preventative and Sculpture Conservator, gives us some sound advice for keeping our seasonal heirlooms and treasures safe and preserving them for future generations.

Christmas is steeped in tradition and stories; these are often linked back to heirlooms and keepsakes that have been passed down through the family. Be that of classical valuables or items which are dear to our hearts, here are some useful tips to helping provide the greatest care for these objects to last for many Christmases to come.  

Here I will cover silverware, textiles, and plastics in general but whatever the material, storage is really the key to protecting any item. I would recommend spending some time once the festive season is over to pack away collections into boxes with plenty of tissue (this is much better than bubble wrap). Place the box in a dry, dark place with a label and it should be with you for many Christmases to come! 

*If you are concerned about your treasures, we suggest you contact a specialist conservator who will understand the way cleaning materials and methods can affect different materials. (conservationregister.com). 

Silverware

‘Tarnish’ can appear from mild discolouration and loss of polish to a very dark grey or black with a slight iridescent sheen. This is caused by sulphur compounds in the atmosphere and general use – the salts and greases in our skin are highly corrosive and can mark a polished surface irreversibly. 

Prevention

Avoid storing your items in place where they will have long-term contact with protein-based materials (e.g., wool, silk, or leather) as these will accelerate the tarnish.  

• Keep silver dust-free using a soft, clean, lint-free cloth. Dust can attract moisture and initiate the tarnish or corrosion cycle. 

• Keep tarnish-removal to a regular minimum, as each time you do this you are removing a little of the original surface. 

• Keep the environment around your objects well-ventilated and dry, as dampness causes corrosion.

Removing tarnish from silver yourself 

If the tarnish is light, then you may wish to remove it with a commercial silver cleaning cloth. This will remove dust, light sticky or greasy deposits and the dulling tarnish, leaving a brightly polished finish. This works for large areas of plain, undecorated silver. Do bear in mind the points about not doing this too often; remember to buy new cloth from time to time too.  

Things to avoid 

• Avoid polishing with creams; these contain abrasive compounds which, as well as polishing off the tarnish, remove much of the silver surface.  

• Do not use brass or chrome cleaners on silver. They are not designed for the purpose and contain much harsher chemicals and abrasives needed for cleaning copper or brass.  

Textiles

Whether it be a festive tablecloth, napkins, or your favourite Christmas jumper you pull out each year, textiles need special care if they are to be preserved for the future.  

Prevention

• All textiles are easily damaged by exposure to light. Silk is the most vulnerable, but prolonged exposure will cause changes and damage to all fibres such as fading, yellowing, and becoming brittle.  

• Associated materials may stain textiles e.g., metals will corrode, tarnish and dull over time. If the corrosion products are ‘active’ they may start to stain the surrounding fabric. Some plastics have an inherent tendency to degrade and again, the breakdown products can stain surrounding material.  

• Bacteria, moulds, and insects may cause damage to all textiles such as holes, grazed areas, and staining. Damp conditions and the presence of protein-rich materials such as starch and food stains increase the risk of this type of damage.  

• Use clean hands to move your precious textiles around. 

• Try to store your textiles in a dry, clean, dark space and use acid free tissue for extra padding to help with creasing if you have some. Use as big a box as possible to avoid making too many folds. Do not forget to label you boxes so you can easily find them for next year.  

• Package and cover as much as possible to protect from dust, which is often acidic and attracts moisture and insects into the textile. 

• If you think you have a moth or insect problem, place the textiles in a couple of well-sealed zip lock bags in the freezer for 2 weeks, this should help kill all life stages of the pests. Have a good spring clean where the pest issue was located before you put them back into their storage space.  

Things to Avoid 

• Do not attempt to wash anything with proprietary brands of detergent or bleach. Remember that until quite recently, white was not the optically bright white we now expect. Bleaching will weaken the textile and modern detergents are designed for modern fabrics; they contain optical brighteners and enzymes which remain in the textile and can damage fragile objects. Even soapflakes may be too alkaline for a textile and cause problems.  

• If you are considering dry cleaning a special item, seek advice from a conservator first. 

Plastics

From Christmas baubles, nativity scenes or table decorations; chances are that some of the contemporary Christmas traditions may have plastic involved. When we think of plastics, we assume that they will last forever, hence the issues we have the great quantity filling our oceans. However, plastics do degrade. Do you remember that vivid smell radiating from Barbie or Action Man when they’ve been put away for a while? That’s the Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) off-gassing as it reacts with the oxygen and water in the air, part of the degradation process.  

There are hundreds of different types of plastics, so this is just a general rule of thumb with many of the plastics you may have.  

Prevention 

• Ideally, plastic objects should be in well-ventilated, cool, dark, and dry conditions. 

• Objects should never touch each other, and air should be able to flow freely around them.

• Ideally the space should be dust free, but it must not be airtight.  

• Treat plastics as more fragile than expected.  

• To clean your objects, use a dry cloth. If water is required, use a slightly damp cloth. 

Things to Avoid 

• Avoid contact with solvent and abrasive chemical cleaners.  

–Sarah