Art Technical Q & A

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

watermixableguy — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:57:24 GMT

JanetK, I usually stand the paintings up vertically while they dry and cure. You bring up a good suggestion about leaning them "in" for awhile, which might help the lint from accumulating at their wettest stage. And the micro fibre will be a God-send when I prepare to varnish. I tend to apply paint in thin layers, and as a result, the paintings dry quickly. I can sometimes find the newest paint to be dry to the touch after 2 days!

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

JanetK49 — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:13:50 GMT

Just found this question of yours and wondered, how are your storing your paintiings while they are curing? Are they horizontal and allowing the dust to settle or are they hung upright on or against the wall? I haven't really noticed any lint on the surfaces of mine, but I don't normally varnish until a full year has passed since I tend to paint quite thickly. Since I wait so long to varnish, the surface seems pretty durable so yes, I've vacuumed the surfaces of my paintings too. But usually a good brushing off with a dry bristle brush or even a springy acrylic brush does the trick.

Perhaps if you leaned the freshly completed painting against the wall face in for a week or so until the surface cured a bit, you might not get as much lint?

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

watermixableguy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:08:30 GMT

I've now had a chance to look at, and compare microfibre and tack cloth. I chose one of my less important, unvarnished paintings to test the cloths. This is a 6 month old water mixable painting on 6" x 6" gessoed mdf board.

The tack cloth came out of its package "wet", and left a moist residue on my hands when I held it. So, I decided at that stage not to put it anywhere near my finished painting.

The micro fibre was much better. It was dry, soft, and did a nice job of cleaning the lint off my painting. The cloth handled well, and left no marks or residue when I used it to rub a small area of the painting.

I had never used micro fibre cloth before ValerieMalley mentioned it in this forum. I happened to find the cloth for sale at a discount store, for about $1.50CAN, but I imagine it is commonly available elsewhere. Thanks for the suggestion, Valerie, and thanks to all for comments and feedback.

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

K. Henderson — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:01:21 GMT

I, too, use a tack cloth. I also use small pieces of masking tape just touched to the surface to remove stray hairs.

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

K. Henderson — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:01:14 GMT

I, too, use a tack cloth. I also use small pieces of masking tape just touched to the surface toremove stray hairs.

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

watermixableguy — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:59:40 GMT

Margo, I have used disposable lens tissues on some very expensive lenses, and they work great. After using a clean lens brush or air-canister to blow off any grit, I would add a drop or two of lens cleaning solution to the tissue, and then wipe VERRRRY gently to remove fingerprints (yikes!) or smudges from the lens.

I'm not really sure what micro fibre is, to tell the truth. But I don't know if those lens tissues would be suited to wiping the surface of an oil painting, the painting surface being quite rough in comparison. It might just shred the tissue.

I will get a chance to try the tack cloth soon, and will report back.

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

Margo5 — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:09:52 GMT

What kind of cloth do photographers use to clean their lenses with? They don't have lint and they are soft. Is that micro fiber?

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

Karyn — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:01:15 GMT

Microfiber isn't the same as a tack cloth. Microfiber would probably work well on a painting to remove light surface dust as there are no solvents in it.

Tack cloths are usually cheese cloth fabric with gums and solvents imbedded. They work beautifully to remove dust from wood working projects in between stains and varnishes. But, then again, wood work isn't likely to be damaged by the solvents or the rubbing process.

At this point, watermixable, the tack cloth might work, but the rubbing process could be damaging to the surface.

Good luck!

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

helen sullivan — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:29:17 GMT

Please let us know how it works. I've used tack cloths for years on wood but never thought about them for paintings.

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

watermixableguy — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:41:44 GMT

Hmm, good question, ValerieMalley. I was wondering the same thing, but felt better about the tack cloth because the description specifically said it was safe for any kind of paint. Seemed like it had been developed for the very thing I wanted it to do. Maybe art shops should sell them!

I wonder if the household cleaning cloths ( like J cloths, etc) might have a bit of cleaning solution already embedded in them. Anyway, I DID pick up a couple of tack cloths at lunch today, so we'll see how it goes.

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

valeriemalley — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:30:17 GMT

Would a Microfiber Cloth used for dishes and/or dusting be similar to a tack rag?

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

Margo5 — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:25:16 GMT

Thanks for the information. The price is right, and as long as it is safe for painted surfaces, it sounds great. Thanks for the information.

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

watermixableguy — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:16:42 GMT

tinacci, thanks for your detective work! I have checked a Canadian hardware chain, and the item is indeed sold in my city's store, at a cost of about $2.40. Maybe I'll swing by on my lunch hour and pick up a sheet. I'll test it on one of my "lesser works".

Here's a description of the item for other artists who might be interested:

CLOTH, TACK RAG GOLD 18X36"

- For professional finishes
- Stays tacky and soft
- Will not react with paints
- Anti-static
- Wipe surfaces before staining or finishing to
pick up dust and sanding residue
- Helpful in achieving a smooth, blemish free
finish
- Will not react with any paint on any surface
- Non-toxic
- Contains no silicone or wax

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

Margo5 — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:11:52 GMT

The hardware stores have this?

Re: Removing lint and dust from oil painting before varnishing

tinacci — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:39:38 GMT

Here is something that may just do the trick for you; A "Tack cloth." That wood workers use.

(from google search) When crafting a woodworking project or restoring an old piece of furniture, tack cloth is used in a step between sanding and painting or varnishing. Tack cloth is only slightly sticky so that it will easily pick up small pieces of sawdust and debris left on the wood but will not leave behind any residue. Many expert craftsmen will brush a surface with a dry paintbrush and then go over the surface with tack cloth before painting or staining.