Gloves

In response to my query on the distlist for information about the
safety to collections of using latex gloves for handling, I received
several responses. Thanks very much to those who answered the query.
I thought subscribers to the DistList might find a summary of the
information helpful.

Several respondants suggested using "sure-grip" cotton gloves, which
are cotton gloves with small rubber-like dots across the palm and
finger areas.  We have tried these gloves at Biltmore House, with
success in some areas (ceramics, for example) but noticed that
silver objects and even some highly polished wood surfaces were
marked with small dots where they came in contact with the rubber
dots, so we no longer use them.  A couple of respondants mentioned
that they do not know what the rubber-like material is, and that
suppliers do not mention it in their advertisements.

Several other respondants said that they knew of no object safety
concerns with the use of non-powdered latex gloves, but that many
individuals are allergic to latex, and that the risk of allergic
reaction makes their use problematic.  One respondant mentioned that
latex contains sulphur, which reacts with silver.

Three individuals recommended another product:  nitrile gloves.
These are made of a synthetic rubber that poses no allergy risk;
they also do not contain sulphur, and thus are not a threat to
silver objects.  They can be purchased from Lab Safety Supply
(catalog #8A-16285) and from United Laboratory Plastics
(800-722-2499).

Thanks again to those who responded.

Ellen Rickman
Collections Manager
Biltmore Estate

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:11
                   Distributed: Friday, July 17, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-12-11-010
                                  ***