How do you clean old, age-darkened oil paintings?
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None of the traditional methods work. Even tried Goo Gone and lighter fluid. The oil has bonded to the surfaces.
They should be professionally cleaned since they are oil paintings, esp. if they have any value at all.
Hi there - this site has a few ideas on cleaning oil paintings: https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-an-Oil-Painting
I would take it to a pro, oil paintings can be tricky and I am sure you don't want to ruin your paintings by trying it by yourself. A pro may even tell you how to do it safely yourself and what to use to clean it.
Ivory bar soap
Here's a tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdS_NQ-tRkg
PLEASE don't try this at home...applying any type of cleaner to the surface can permanently damage or destroy a painting. Instead, call an art museum or reputable framer in your area to ask who they would recommend to clean them. The cleaning and restoration of original artwork is a very specialized field, and only those who are properly trained in it should be entrusted with your paintings. Oil paintings develop cracks as they age; a DIY treatment could cause areas of paint to loosen and fall off, or moisture to soak into the underlying canvas causing mildew, to name just two of many possible hazards. It would be a shame to ruin cherished family heirlooms that may be quite valuable. You're better off leaving them just as they are if you can't find a restoration expert in your area.