Ali asked, “Any tips on good way to clean antique gold leaf oak mirror?”
Gold leaf is an age old process of decorating by pounding gold into very thin sheets. It is used to decorate many things from picture frames to clothing to dishware.¹ It is beautiful to look at, but don’t try to clean it other than routine gentle dusting, as it can easily be damaged. Any cleaning besides dusting should be completed by a professional. However, here are some tips to help you care for your gold leaf piece.
Caring for Gold Leaf
- Only dust gold leaf routinely with a sable brush (a soft, unused paintbrush) or a feather duster.¹
- If your gold leaf needs a more thorough cleaning, take it to a professional guilder.² Gold leaf is applied either with water gilding or oil gilding and only a professional can determine which your piece is and then clean it appropriately. (Gold leaf that is applied by water gilding will be dissolved by water. Solvent-based cleaners will do the same for gold leaf applied by oil gilding.)¹
- Don’t polish or try to shine a gold leaf piece; it might cause the gold leaf to flake off. If pieces do come off, save them; no matter how small, a professional might be able to restore the item.³
- Store or place gold leaf items away from the sun. Don’t store it in a place, like an attic, where the temperature and humidity are not controlled, as this can cause the wood underneath to swell or contract and potentially damage the gold leaf.¹
Additional Tips and Advice
- If you have a gold leaf piece that has been damaged, you can use gold leaf paint for small repairs, but be warned that the shades hardly ever match exactly.⁴
Sources
- Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook
- Care & Repair of Furniture by Albert Jackson & David Day
- Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson
- How to Clean Practically Anything by Consumer Reports
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