In this guide
To clean an oil painting at home, dust it gently with a soft, dry brush or a dry microfibre cloth, working lightly and never pressing on the canvas. That is all most paintings need. Skip water, household cleaners and wipes, and if the painting is valuable, old or damaged, leave any deeper cleaning to a professional conservator.
Oil paintings are tougher than they look, but they do not like moisture, heat or pressure. Here is how to look after one safely, from regular dusting to where to hang it and how to move it.
How do I clean an oil painting at home?
- Take it off the wall. Lay it on a clean, flat surface, or stand it upright against a padded surface with the back supported. Dusting a painting while it hangs can knock it off its hooks.
- Choose a soft, dry tool. A clean, soft-bristled brush (a wide make-up brush or a soft artist's brush) or a dry microfibre cloth. Make sure it is completely dry and has never been used with cleaning products.
- Dust lightly, top to bottom. Use short, gentle strokes, barely touching the surface. Let the brush lift the dust rather than scrubbing it off.
- Never press from the front. If you need to steady the canvas, place a flat hand or a piece of card behind it, inside the stretcher bars, so the canvas is supported from behind.
- Finish with the frame and the back. Dust the frame or stretcher edges and the back of the canvas gently, where dust and cobwebs collect.
Before you start, look closely at the surface. If you see flaking, lifting or loose paint, stop. Dusting can make it worse, and that painting needs a professional.
Oil painting care: what to do and what to avoid
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Dust with a soft, dry brush or dry microfibre cloth | Use water, damp cloths or baby wipes |
| Support the canvas from behind while you work | Press on the front of the canvas |
| Hang it away from direct sunlight | Hang it in a bathroom, laundry or above a kettle |
| Keep it away from heaters, fireplaces and vents | Spray glass cleaner, multipurpose spray or furniture polish near it |
| Carry it by the sides with both hands | Lift it by the top edge or the hanging wire |
| Store it upright in a cool, dry room inside the house | Store it in a garage, shed or roof space |
| See a conservator for flaking, mould, tears or smoke damage | Try bread, cut potato or other home remedies |
What should you not use to clean an oil painting?
The internet is full of home remedies for cleaning paintings. Most of them do more harm than good.
- Water. Moisture can soak into the canvas and ground layer, causing the canvas to swell and shrink, which can lead to cracking, cupping or mould.
- Household cleaners. Glass sprays, multipurpose sprays and furniture polish contain solvents, detergents or oils that can dull, soften or leave a film on the paint.
- Baby wipes and wet wipes. They are damp, and they carry soaps, fragrance and preservatives that leave a residue on the surface.
- Bread. Rubbing a slice of bread over a painting is an old trick. It is mildly abrasive, and crumbs and oily residue lodge in the brushstrokes, where they can attract pests.
- Cut potato. The potato is wet and starchy, so you add moisture and leave a sticky starch residue behind.
When should you call a professional conservator?
Some cleaning jobs are not for home. See a professional conservator if the painting is valuable or sentimental, if it has yellowed or darkened with age, if there is flaking, tearing, mould or water damage, or if it has been exposed to smoke.
Cleaning an old painting properly takes specialist knowledge and materials. In Australia, the professional body to search is the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material, known as AICCM, which lists conservators who can help.
Is a new hand-painted oil different from an antique?
Caring for a new hand-painted oil is simpler. An old painting may carry decades of grime and smoke, and its paint may be brittle. That is why antiques need a specialist.
A new painting has none of that history. Our reproductions are not artificially aged, so there is no imitation crackle or antique finish to protect. Good care is mostly gentle dusting and the right spot on the wall, whether you have a masterpiece from our 50 Most Famous Paintings or a bush scene from our Australian art collection.
Where should you hang an oil painting?
Where a painting hangs matters more than how often you clean it.
- Avoid direct sunlight. Strong sun can fade colours over time and heats the canvas. Choose a wall that does not catch direct sun through a window.
- Avoid humidity. Bathrooms, laundries and the wall above a kettle or rangehood all expose a painting to steam and moisture.
- Avoid heat sources. Do not hang a painting directly above a heater, fireplace or air-conditioning vent. Heat and moving air dry the canvas and push dust onto the surface.
How do you care for a stretched canvas?
A stretched canvas is fabric pulled tight over a timber frame (the stretcher). Over time, especially with changes in humidity, the canvas can loosen and look slightly slack or rippled. Do not spray the back with water or try to re-tighten it yourself. A professional framer can re-tension it properly.
Never lean anything against the front or back of a canvas, even for a moment. A broom handle, a chair or the corner of a box can leave a dent or bulge that is hard to remove. Also check that nothing has slipped into the gap between the canvas and the stretcher bar at the back, as trapped objects press bulges into the front.
How do you move or store an oil painting safely?
Handling and moving
- Use clean, dry hands, and hold the painting by the sides of the frame or stretcher with both hands. Never lift it by the top edge or the hanging wire.
- Carry large paintings with two people, with the painted surface facing towards you so you can see it.
- For a move, cover the front with acid-free or glassine paper first, then wrap in bubble wrap with the bubbles facing out, and add cardboard corners. Bubble wrap placed directly on the paint can leave marks.
- Do not leave a painting in a hot car or a removal truck in summer for longer than you need to.
Storing
Store paintings upright, not stacked flat with weight on top. Keep them off the floor, in a cool, dry room inside the house. Garages, sheds, roof spaces and under the house go through big swings in heat and humidity.
If you stand several together, place stiff card between them so no corner or hook presses into a canvas. Cover them with a clean cotton sheet rather than plastic, which can trap moisture.
How should I look after a painting from Direct Art?
Every Direct Art painting is hand-painted in oils on canvas by professional, university-trained artists. You can see how on our painting process page and look at the brushwork up close on our close-up examples.
A painting ordered with a "Stretched Ready to Hang" finish arrives already on its timber stretcher. Masterpiece reproductions can also be ordered "Rolled in a Tube - Canvas Only (No Frame)". If yours arrives rolled, keep it in its tube in a cool, dry place, and have it stretched or framed by a professional framer without too much delay rather than unrolling it and leaving it lying around.
Our care advice is simple: avoid direct sunlight and humidity, and dust gently with a soft, dry cloth. You will find this and more in our FAQs.
Questions people ask
Can I clean an oil painting with water?
No. Water can soak into the canvas and cause swelling, cracking or mould. Use a soft, dry brush or a dry microfibre cloth instead.
Does bread really clean a painting?
It is an old folk remedy, but it is best avoided. Bread is mildly abrasive and leaves crumbs and oily residue in the brushstrokes.
How often should I dust an oil painting?
A gentle dusting every few months is plenty for most homes. Paintings in a dusty spot, or near a kitchen, may need it a little more often.
Who should clean an old or valuable painting?
A professional conservator. In Australia, search the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material (AICCM) to find one.
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- Famous Australian paintings
- Famous Klimt paintings explained
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