Scotch-Brite Easy Erasing Pad

Laurence le Ber <lleber [at] dcc__govt__nz> writes

>I have been using, very successfully, an off-the-shelf product 3M
>Scotch-Brite Easy Erasing Pad. ...

I had heard about Scotch-brite cleaning pads in other readings, but
have not used it myself in a conservation context, so I Googled what
it is made of and how it works. This led me to this Wikipedia
article <URL:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine_foam> from which
I got the following quote:

   "Melamine foam is a foam-like material consisting of a
    formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer.

   "The foam is manufactured in Germany by BASF under the name
    "Basotect". It has been used for over 20 years as insulation for
    pipes and ductwork, and has a long history as a soundproofing
    material for studios, sound stages, auditoriums, and the like.
    The low smoke and flame properties of melamine foam prevent it
    from being a fire hazard.

   "In the early 21st century it was discovered that melamine foam
    was an effective abrasive cleaner. The open cell foam is
    microporous and its polymeric substance is very hard, so that
    when used for cleaning it works like extremely fine sandpaper,
    getting into tiny grooves and pits in the object being cleaned.
    On a larger scale the material feels soft. Because the bubbles
    interconnect, its structure is more like a maze of fiberglass
    strands, when compared to the array of separate bubbles in a
    material such as expanded polystyrene foam (for example,
    Styrofoam).

   "Rubbing with a slightly moistened foam may remove otherwise
    "uncleanable" external markings from surfaces. For example, it
    can remove crayon, magic marker, and grease from painted walls,
    wood finishings, plastic-adhering paints from treated wooden
    tables, adhesive residue, and grime from hub caps[citation
    needed]. If the surface being cleaned is not sufficiently hard,
    it may be finely scratched by the melamine material. The foam
    wears away, rather like a pencil eraser, leaving behind a slight
    residue which can be rinsed off.

Judging by this description it sounds like the main concerns for
conservation would be its abrasive properties and the fact that it
leaves a slight residue. One probably wouldn't want to use it on
soft or glossy materials, and the sulphite component in any residues
could affect metals. Further testing would be needed. However it
sounds like it has potential uses in the conservation field as a
mild form of mechanical cleaning.

Valerie Tomlinson
Conservator
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Tamaki Paenga Hira
The Domain
Private Bag 92018
Victoria Street West
Auckland 1142, New Zealand
+64 9 306 7068


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:41
                 Distributed: Wednesday, March 7, 2012
                       Message Id: cdl-25-41-004
                                  ***