How To Clean Vintage Stained Glass Windows
Could be quite time consuming but Ive.
How to clean vintage stained glass windows. Some times our recommendation is to not clean the window. Professionals will have specific tools and chemicals that will clean stained glass or antique glass without damaging the glass. We do clean painted stained glass church windows but we will need to survey of the condition of the painting on the glass before a cleaning strategy can be established.
Painted stained glass windows must never be scrubbed as this can result in irreversible damage to the window. Here i show the best way to clean windows that have lead on the outsi. Rinsing first helps remove the loosest debris and helps keep the water in the sink or plastic tub cleaner.
This article provides an introduction to the types of soiling found on the internal and external faces of stained glass when and how to clean them safely and sympathetically and the kinds of damage that can result from inappropriate cleaning. Painted stained glass should always be. However at the same time you want to make sure that youre using enough pressure to actually remove any dirt and grime.
Product matters Some cleaners are too harsh for stained glass especially those with a high pH level. We recommend avoiding most commercial cleaning products and looking for an ammonia free soap instead. Ammonia based cleaners should NOT be used on stained glass as over time ammonia produces a negative reaction to lead came.
Place a rubber mat or folded tea towel in the bottom of the sink. It helped to wipe the old lead first with oil before scraping it clean. Of course there are also more recent examples and craftspeople make a wide variety of beautiful ornaments out of leaded and stained glass.
Should you get nervous about cleaning around lead its best to ventilate the workspace wear a respirator and keep pets and kids away from the spot while cleaning the windows. You can use a soft brush for persistent dirt. Clean them separately Spray the cleaner onto the cloth rather than directly onto the window and then gently wipe away.