Removing old polish residue

I have come across similar problems and may have some suggestions. If
the object is small enough to be immersed, an ultrasonic cleaner will
perform exceptionally well. Small jewellery store models may be
purchased for around $30.00. For slightly larger objects, try
pressurized liquid alone, or with a soft "abrasive" suspension in
pressurized liquid, for example, a simple and effective method would be
using a "Water-Pik" brand tooth brush-sprayer, with calcium carbonate in
super saturated water solution. (Organic solvents may damage the
Water-Pik!) Ultrasonic descalers, such as dentists use are also
extremely effective, however the heat generated may be troublesome in
some instances.  For still larger objects, "sandblasting" with a soft
abrasive, such as chalk, (whiting), graphite, cornmeal, or other benign
materials will be effective, but before trying anything else, I would
try high pressure compressed air. It is amazing how well can such a
simple tool perform. Needless to say, not all of the above suggestions
would apply in all cases and care must be exercised to protect the
operator's health in all instances.

George Schwartz
Director / Chief conservator
ConservArt
Boca Raton, FL
407-482-7292

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 7:69
                   Distributed: Friday, April 1, 1994
                        Message Id: cdl-7-69-001
                                  ***