White-out

We have several ethnographic items including woven grass mats from Fiji
and a tapa cloth mat from the New Hebrides in our lab for treatment. All
of these objects have had registration numbers applied over patches of
Typewriter correction fluid (White-out).  This material is proving
extremely difficult to remove especially from the tapa cloth which shows
a tendency to bleed to most solvents.  We have been able to remove most
of the White-out with acetone (applied on swabs or in a poultice) but
some residue remains in the interstices of the fibres.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone else who might have
encountered this problem.  The fragility of the fibrous materials would
tend to prevent the removal of the final residue.  The only solution I
have come up with so far is to tint over the residue with (perhaps)
watercolours.  Other suggestions would be welcome.  Does anyone know
what is in White-out?

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:82
                   Distributed: Sunday, April 9, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-8-82-008
                                  ***