It's rare to visit a home with nothing on the walls. Minimalism was big in the Nineties, and the clean lines of Scandi furniture are still popular, but interiors today are about warmth, vibrancy and vintage detail. Hence all the picture frames, poster prints and feature walls.
If you'd rather spend £20 on a quality A5 frame than on a piece of clothing, you're a frame enthusiast. But are you looking after them? It takes more than a dust every six months.
Make dusting routine
Most of us do the urgent cleaning jobs regularly and push the rest back for months. Forgetting to dust does no real harm, but dust builds up faster than you might think, and a visible layer of grime on a frame looks unappealing.
Dust at least once a week, even if there doesn't seem to be much there. Use a feather duster, a cloth or, very carefully, the duster attachment on your vacuum cleaner. If dust has built up, lightly dampen a soft, clean cloth and wipe the worst areas, taking care around any exposed artwork.
Clean the glazing
All our frames are glazed with quality acrylic or plexiglass. We find these far superior to glass: they give better UV protection, let more light through and are harder to break.
- Acrylic or plexiglass. Use a cleaning solution made for plastic.
- Glass. Use a standard glass cleaner.
- Either. Gentle soap and water will do, with a microfibre cloth to dry and polish.
Don't spray cleaner straight onto the glazing, because it can get onto the frame. Spray it onto a clean cloth and apply the cloth to the glazing.
Clean the frame itself
Regular dusting comes first, but different materials also need different cleaning and polishing.
- Wood. Apply wooden furniture polish to a clean cloth and rub it into the frame, keeping it off the glazing. On ornate carving, use a toothbrush to brush dust gently out of the nooks and crannies.
- Metal. Wipe with a clean, damp cloth, adding a little gentle soap for stubborn marks. Polish with a microfibre cloth.
- Plastic. Clean as for metal, ideally with a plastic cleaner like the one you'd use on acrylic glazing.
- Gilded. Frames coated in real gold leaf need great care. Even gentle dusting can dislodge the leaf, so don't clean or dust them regularly. If the frame is very dirty or damaged, consult a conservation expert.
Hang frames in the right place
One of the best ways to look after frames and their contents is to think about where they go. Direct sunlight can damage the artwork and sometimes the frame itself. Don't hang frames above radiators or fireplaces, because heat and humidity can damage the image.
Hang each frame in a way that suits its size and weight. Larger frames need more support. If one falls it can damage the artwork, break the frame and smash the glazing in one go.
Check them once a year
About once a year, take your frames down and make sure they are still hanging safely. Check that hooks are secure and that picture cords have not frayed or weakened. Canvases may need to be professionally re-stretched, and the backs of frames may need re-taping.
With the frames off the walls, it's also a good time to repaint, wallpaper or rearrange your pictures, or to swap the image in a favourite frame for something new.
Adding to your collection
We can frame almost any kind of image or artwork, from photographic prints to three-dimensional pieces. We tailor the size of the frame and its apertures, and the mount, frame colour and finish, to what you need. See our Picture Frames & Mounts page.