I had the opportunity to look through some things that belonged to my great aunt and uncle a few weeks ago. One piece I really loved and was so happy to bring home was this framed embroidery!
As soon as I saw it, I asked about it. There was something so neat about it and though I am not sure who made it, my great aunt was known for creating beautiful needlework. So, I wonder if it may have been something she did?
It was framed locally and the frame was sealed in the back. I tried cleaning an old stretched painting on canvas cloth that was framed just like this from my Grandmother’s house, years ago. I chipped the frame and never could get it back in like it was. I did not want to mess with this one and make that same mistake again.
I left the embroidery right where it was and decided to carefully clean it myself, while it was still in the frame. It was dusty and dirty from years of sitting in an abandoned house…and I suspect it had been exposed to cigarette smoke.
Here’s a closer look at the dust and dirt it had when I brought it home…
The cleaning process turned out to be as success. I want to share the process with you in case you have an old embroidery you’d like to gently clean and refresh without removing it from the frame!
I used the following:
- A lint roller
- Soft-bristled toothbrush
- Baking soda
- A vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment
I began by using the lint roller. The reason I started with the lint roller was because I didn’t want to work the vacuum any harder than I had to, since I wanted to be gentle.
The lint roller took so much dust and dirt off the surface! I was surprised that it showed on the backing right away! It lifted a lot.
Next, I sprinkled baking soda over the entire surface (not too heavy) and began cleaning with the soft-bristled toothbrush. Baking soda is great because it cleans and neutralizes odors! Baking soda is an abrasive so the soft-bristled toothbrush is mostly a guide…allow the baking soda to do most of the work!
I highly recommend a soft-bristled toothbrush! The needlework was secure but the threading is still delicate.
I gently scrubbed the baking soda on the backing. I didn’t press down on the brush handle too hard.
When it came time to clean over and around the threading, I was very careful. I did very gentle and short swipes in the direction of the thread. Here, you’ll want to let the baking soda do most of the work. It’s really about just getting the soda in the thread enough to refresh it, but don’t scrub the brush into the thread.
You can let it sit for a little bit if the odors are heavy. That will give the baking soda a little more time to neutralize stronger odors.
Next, I attached the piece with the soft brush onto the vacuum cleaner and the vacuum lifted the baking soda from the embroidery. I used the soft brush attachment to create some space between the embroidery and the vacuum so the suction wasn’t too strong and so the brush wouldn’t cause any snags. My advice is to use the soft brush, not the stiffer brushes! Here, I used the attachment with the soft brushes, meant to dust surfaces.
After vacuuming, I took the fame outside and lightly tapped the back of the frame to get the excess baking soda out, then ran the vacuum over it one more time!
And I decided to gently take the lint roller across it again. I saw the only thing that was left were the loose fuzzy pieces from the threads.
My great aunt’s embroidery looks and smells clean! The baking soda did the trick.
I think I have found a place for it here by the built-in bookshelves!
