Prevention
The most important thing you can do to safe guard your treasures is to store them in a stable, cool, and dry environment. Spaces with high temperatures and dampness or fluctuating conditions, like most attics and basements, are unsuitable for long-term safekeeping. If you must store in the basement or attic, place the items in plastic tubs or bins and ensure that lids are secured tightly.
Overly dry conditions cause leather to crack. Damp conditions cause
mold. If you are unable to store your materials under ideal environmental
conditions, (68ºF & 40% relative humidity), incremental improvements
can still be beneficial. Simply moving items from an attic with 85ºF
and 80%RH to a room that has 75ºF and 60%RH conditions can increase
the life of your treasures by 3½ times. Moving things from such
hot, humid attic conditions to an environment of 68ºF and 40%RH
provides a tenfold improvement in the life of paper artifacts, such as
family photographs and Bibles. Using an air conditioner or a dehumidifier
may be a cost-effective way to achieve a stable, cool, dry environment.
Direct sunlight can cause fading. Try not to place any family treasures in direct sunlight. Sunlight and fluorescent lights emit high amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Glass and acrylic can both be bought with an added UV filtering component to reduce the damaging effects from UV. Include UV filtration in the glazing to protect the object from UV radiation. It should be noted that UV filtration does not eliminate the damage caused by visible light.
Avoid hanging objects in direct sunlight or any other intense light source. Control exposure to ultra violet light through glazing or placement away from a UV source. Occasionally rotate framed objects to cut down on the duration of light exposure.
Good housekeeping is also important. You should dust objects and keep storage areas clean. This will help prevent insect infestations.
Handling Tips for Several Types of Treasures
Books
Shelve upright supported by book ends if needed
Store large volumes flat
Support books when removing them from shelves and when carrying them
Don't pull on the headcap (top of the spine) of a book to remove it from the shelf
Push in the books on either side to remove the book in the middle
Don't press the pages of a book down to provide a flat opening if there is resistance in the spine (this will break the paper and/or the binding)
Paper
Store paper items flat, rather than folding and unfolding
Paper materials may be stored in acid-free file folders
Avoid using pressure-sensitive tapes (including those called "archival") as they can cause irreversible disfigurement, embrittlement of paper and alteration of inks
Photographs
House photos in protective enclosures to keep out gritty dirt and dust which can scratch images
Avoid pressure-sensitive tapes and rubber cement.
Remove materials such as cardboard, rubber bands, paper clips,
Suitable storage materials are made of plastic or paper. Paper enclosures should be acid-free.
Commonly available PVC slide pages, easily identified by their strong plastic odor, should never be used because of their extreme chemical reactivity. Look for plastics marked polyethylene and polypropylene.
Store all prints and negatives in acid-free boxes. If possible, keep negatives separate from print materials. Store color transparencies/slides in acid-free or metal boxes or in slide pages made from polypropylene.
Place early miniature-cased photographs carefully into acid-free paper envelopes and house flat.
Storage of family photographs in albums is often desirable, and many commercially available albums utilize archival-quality materials. Avoid albums constructed of highly colored pages. Never use commercially available "magnetic" or "no stick" albums for the storage of contemporary or historic photographic prints in black-and-white or color. These materials will deteriorate quickly over time and could damage photographs.
Recorded Sound: Cylinder, Discs and Tape
Store all discs, tape and cylinders upright. Do not lay any recording flat, not even audio or videocassettes.
Do not touch the playing surface of any recording. For cylinders, handle by inserting middle and index fingers in the center hole then gently spread them to just keep the cylinder from slipping off.
Paintings
Display all paintings with a protective backing board attached to the back. An acid-free mat board screwed to the reverse of a painting will keep out dust and foreign objects, and protect against damage during handling. Be sure that the backing board covers the entire back of the picture. The backing board should be attached to the reverse of the stretcher or strainer, not to the frame.
Textiles
Wood, cardboard, and many plastics and metals are considered unsatisfactory storage materials because they emit volatile acids or chemicals. If these materials are the only ones available, place a barrier, such as heavy-duty aluminum foil, between the object and the support. Avoid tightly sealed cases, plastic bags, or frames, since they can trap damaging vapors and provide an environment associated with high humidity problems.
Storage materials, such as archival-quality rolling tubes, and storage boxes, are available through art supply stores and conservation supply catalogues. Contact your local museum for sources near you.
Vacuuming is the best way to clean textiles. It is effective in removing dust and other physical contaminants and discourages insects and molds as well..For many fragile or three-dimensional textiles, dusting the piece with a soft brush directly into the nozzle of a vacuum may be recommended. For large or more sturdy textiles, vacuuming with an up and down motion (lifting, not dragging, the nozzle) through a sheet of flexible plastic screening may be suggested.
Furniture
To limit the effect of light, move furniture out of direct sunlight, use blinds or curtains to help to diffuse sunlight.
Wood will react to rapid changes in humidity by expanding or contracting which can result in the cracking or splitting of the surface. Try to maintain a constant environment with the use of air conditioning or dehumidifiers and humidifiers for dry air.
Furniture oils are not recommended for maintenance as many of them contain linseed oil or other drying oils, and when used repeatedly will create a sticky surface that darkens the wood.
The best way to care for clear varnished furniture is with a coating of good paste wax. Good quality paste wax is available at most hardware stores. Do not wax furniture that is painted or has a flaking finish.
Displaying
General
Avoid hanging or storing anything in the basement, attic, or any other place with extremes in temperature and humidity. A stable, cool, dry environment is best. If you do display in basement, use a dehumidifier; if you display in the attic, use a fan during the summer months. Overly dry conditions cause leather to crack. Damp conditions cause mold. If you are unable to store your materials under ideal environmental conditions, (68ºF & 40% relative humidity), incremental improvements can still be beneficial. Simply moving items from an attic with 85ºF and 80%RH to a room that has 75ºF and 60%RH conditions can increase the life of your treasures by 3½ times. Moving things from such hot, humid attic conditions to an environment of 68ºF and 40%RH provides a tenfold improvement in the life of paper artifacts, such as family photographs and Bibles.
Avoid hanging pieces on outside walls, but if you must, request that a moisture barrier be placed in the mat package.
Avoid hanging framed objects directly above working fire places or radiators.
Light
Direct sunlight can cause fading. Try not to place any family
treasures in direct sunlight. When displaying family
treasures try to follow
the following tips for matting and framing.
Sunlight and fluorescent lights emit high amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Glass and acrylic can both be bought with an added UV filtering component to reduce the damaging effects from UV. Include UV filtration in the glazing to protect the object from UV radiation. It should be noted that UV filtration does not eliminate the damage caused by visible light.
Avoid hanging objects in direct sunlight or any other intense light source. Control exposure to ultra violet light through glazing or placement away from a UV source. Occasionally rotate framed objects to cut down on the duration of light exposure.
Lights that attach to the top of the frame and hang over the picture can be dangerous. These lights cast a harsh glare, illuminate and heat the object unevenly, and can fall into the artwork causing burns or tears.
Mounting
Mat/mounting board should be "acid-free."
The object should be kept from contact with the glass or acrylic sheets. This is particularly important for photographs, otherwise they may adhere to the glazing. This may be accomplished with the use of a window mat.
The window mat should be secured to the back mat board with tape adhered along one side only. This hinge will prevent the window mat from sliding around over the object. The object should not come in contact with the tape.
Attach the object to the mat using non-adhesive attachments -- such as acid-free paper or polyester film corners and strips -- may be used.
Glass or acrylic sheets should be used. Acrylic sheets are lighter and shatterproof, but develop a static charge, and should not be used with dry, unfixed pastels, charcoals, soft pencil or any other powdery media.
