Best Methods for Cleaning Bronze Statues

Although bronze is weather-resistant, it’s not dirt-resistant. Even if bronze statues can withstand the elements, you must clean these sculptures to maintain their beauty.

If you’re aware of the best practices for cleaning bronze statues, you’ll ensure to attract the people’s awe and admiration.

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We’ve perfected our metal craft for over 30 years. We ship our bronze statues to over 150 countries worldwide and are excited for you to become our next satisfied client.

We know how to clean bronze statues like the back of our hands. If you’re interested in our services, visit our site today.

Best Methods for Cleaning Bronze Sculptures

You may be tempted to buy bronze statues just for the looks. But you must remember that these kinds of sculptures, despite their resiliency, need maintenance and care.

However, for you to maintain the beauty of your statues, you need to know the problems encountered by owning bronze sculptures and how to resolve them.

Corrosion

Corrosion is one thing that can damage bronze statues despite them being weather-resistant. This damage happens when chemicals found outdoors interact with the bronze alloy, resulting in a destructive chemical reaction.

You can prevent corrosion by adding protective coatings like wax or products specifically for metal protection. These coating materials prevent the elements from directly coming in contact with the alloy.

Protective Covering Degradation

If you apply a protective covering to your bronze statue, remember it can degrade in time. So, you need to reapply protective substances to your bronze statue every so often.

Always choose high-quality protective products to prevent degradation. Don’t ever compromise quality to save money. Whenever you see any degradation, you must reapply a protective covering to the statue to avoid irreparable damage.

Dust and Dirt

Statues are natural dust magnets. If not well-maintained, dust will accumulate, giving your statue a dull and dirty look.

To avoid this, you should regularly apply effective bronze cleaning methods, such as dusting your statues consistently or when needed.

You should use either a soft brush or a microfiber cloth to clean the buildup on your statue. Also, you must clean the surrounding area to lessen the volume of dust present in the air.

Metal Discoloration

Another problem bronze sculpture owners face is metal discoloration caused by pollution, bird droppings, and acid rain.

Remember to never allow pollutants or dirt like bird droppings linger on your statue for a long time. If you see the statue is dirty, quickly take a soft cloth and distilled water and start cleaning. Once chemical reactions set in, discoloration is a real threat to your statue’s aesthetic qualities.

Weathering Damage

Typically, bronze statues and sculptures are placed in areas subjected to the elements. As a result, most of the damage seen in these works of art is due to weathering. Rain, snow, heat, and humidity all damage bronze and other metallic materials.

You can use UV-resistant materials to shade it from the sun to prevent weathering damage. A simple device like a canopy can help save your statue from damage caused by the sun, rain, and snow.

Mold and Mildew

Another consequence when bronze statues are not cleaned regularly is mold and mildew development. These microorganisms can damage your statue, especially if not cleaned immediately. You can prevent these problems by ensuring the statue’s location is well-ventilated and dry. You can use a dehumidifier or keep the statue dry, especially when placed outside.

Improper Cleaning Methods

Wrong cleaning methods are another source of problems in statues that can result in damage. Likewise, using the wrong cleaning chemicals can cause further damage to a statue. Surprisingly, many don’t realize that the best bronze cleaner is clean water, and the best bronze cleaning process is regular maintenance.

Why Do Bronze Statues Need Cleaning?

You need to clean bronze statues regularly because they oxidize quickly. Bronze is made of copper and tin, which react well with oxygen. But that’s necessarily bad because when bronze oxidizes, it creates a layer called patina, which also protects the bronze surface from further oxidation. The patina is a sign of maturity; many statue enthusiasts love it.

However, if you don’t clean your bronze sculpture correctly, this prized patina can develop unevenly, resulting in a less aesthetic statue. Once you fail to maintain your statue’s cleanliness, you can lose all the patina, making it prone to further damage.

Proper Maintenance of Bronze Statues

Regular and correct maintenance procedures are the secret to better-looking bronze statues. Maintenance starts with regular inspection of all your bronze sculptures. Afterward, you can set a maintenance routine using the following best practices.

Dust Your Statues Bi-weekly or Monthly

The best way to avoid dirt and grime accumulation is to dust or clean your bronze statue every two weeks or once a month. Remember that you don’t need fancy substances to keep your sculpture clean.

Wash Your Statues Once a Month or Needed

Like dusting your statues, you should wash them with soap and water at least once a month or when absolutely needed. Washing helps remove dirt, grime, and other chemicals that can corrode your bronze statue or the patina that develops over time.

Check Your Statue’s Wax Covering

The last thing a sculptor does when creating a bronze statue is apply a wax covering to protect the surface and its eventual patina. Wax is like sunscreen, protecting the statue from harsh sunlight and other outdoor elements.

Don’t Polish Your Bronze Sculptures

Remember, you need to clean, not polish, your bronze statue. Using abrasives or polishing substances not explicitly intended for bronze materials can damage bronze surfaces. Friction can cause scratches and may also damage the patina of the statue. Furthermore, polishing bronze surfaces may attract more dust. So, regularly check your statue’s wax covering and replace it if any damage occurs. You can re-wax your bronze statue once or twice a year.

If you’re interested in getting a bronze statue for your won, check out our site and choose from the different types of statues our artisans create. We also produce sculptures made from other materials, like marble. Visit our website today.