BOOKS
If you value your books, don't crowd your bookshelves. The bindings may break apart from the
pressure if you jam them too tightly together and you may also scratch the covers when
removing and replacing books. Also, always store books upright; leaning them strains the
bindings. Use bookends on partially filled shelves to keep them erect. Books too tall for the
shelves can be laid flat.

Mildew can often be removed from a book cover by carefully using Baby Wipes.

Use lanolin to clean leather bound-books then treat the book with a leather restorer using a
clean, soft cloth. Another suggestion for leather covers that have become old is to apply a
coat of a mixture containing 6 parts castor oil and 4 parts alcohol. Let the book stand one day,
then apply pure castor oil to the cover.

BOTTLES
If you have old perfume bottles that are cloudy from hard water minerals, drop a
denture-cleaning tablet in, fill with water and let the fizzing action clean it.

The insides of bottles can sometimes be cleaned by swirling lead shot or sand around in the
water-filled bottle.

BRONZE
First, be sure you really want to clean the bronze item you have; removing corrosion, for
example, often lowers the value of an item as an antique.

If cleaning is desired, first carefully remove the loose flakes of corroded metal with a penknife
or fine, brass-wire brush. Remove green spots by soaking the item in water or by soaking it in
a weak solution of vinegar and water. (Do not use ammonia to clean bronze.) Rinse the piece
and let dry. The piece can be preserved with a coat of clear varnish, although this will result in
a commercial-appearing gloss. It is not recommended on real antique pieces.

Use hot buttermilk to clean un-lacquered bronze.

CHINA & PORCELAIN
If you love your fine china dishes, put paper doilies or paper towels between plates and
saucers when stacking to prevent scratches. Never, never hang cups by the handles or
stack them. Set them in a row, instead.

You can sometimes salvage cracked china by placing it in a pan of milk and boiling it for 45
minutes to an hour. Not only will a minor crack disappear, but the piece will sometimes actually
be stronger than before.

Porcelain is easily cleaned with salt sprinkled on a soft cloth.

CLOCKS & other mechanical instruments
Electric clocks sometimes stop working due to dirt and grime that has jammed it up. Put the
clock in a slightly warm oven for a few hours and the grime should melt out.

A sardine can opener can be used as a great screwdriver for tiny screws.

Often if a clock winds too easily, a broken spring may be the problem, however first check to
make sure the spring has not become disconnected. This often happens, as well.

If a pendulum clock does not work, carefully try bending the pendulum wire into slightly varying
positions. If this does not work, try tipping the clock slightly in different positions.

COPPER AND BRASS
An easy, economical way to clean copper is to dip half a lemon in salt and rub the object. Rinse
in hot water and polish with a soft cloth.

A solution of salt and vinegar will quickly clean un-lacquered brassware or copperware. There
are also commercial paste-type polishes on the market that cleans and polishes at the same
time. Test these, however to make sure you get the desired outcome before trying it on
something truly cherished.

Brass polish can be made with equal parts of salt, flour and cider vinegar. Rub on paste with
a soft cloth and let dry. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. Buff dry.

Clean lime deposits out of old teakettles by placing vinegar in it, heating it and letting it sit until
the next day.

Renew very old discolored brass or copper by scouring lightly with the finest steel wool
(#0000) and then treat.

If your piece has been lacquered and is purely ornamental, don't do anything with it other than
an occasional, gentle dusting. You don't want to scratch the lacquer coating.

CRYSTAL & GLASSWARE
Your cut glass will sparkle if you wash it in warm, soapy water with a small brush and add
vinegar to the rinse water.

Soap film on glass or tile? Apply lemon oil with a soft cloth or rub the glass with a cut lemon,
then rinse and wipe dry with paper towels. Some people also use white vinegar or alcohol.

Don't wrap satin glass or glassware with similar finishes in newspaper because it will mark the
finish. When purchasing satin glass, be sure to ask the dealer to wrap your piece in tissue or
a paper towel before adding newspaper for extra cushioning.

To remove sticky price tags from glassware soak the piece in water or saturate with glass
cleaner. (The commercial product "Goo Gone" also usually works well for removing stickers
and also works on crayon marks, gum and tar.)

To remove hard water stains, try "Lime-Away" but be sure to follow instructions.

Calcium deposits can be removed by soaking several days in distilled water, or by soaking in a
vinegar solution, or by applying a solution of dilute hydrochloric acid with a soft bristle brush
or by soaking in water into which bits of newspaper have been mixed.

Scratches can be removed by rubbing with jeweler's rouge with a chamois. (Antique glassware
with scratches on the bottom should not have these scratches removed, however, as they are
a proof of age.)

Hot vinegar will remove paint stains from glass.

Two glasses stuck together? Don't risk an accident pulling the apart. Instead put the bottom
one in warm water and pour cold water into the top one. They should now separate easily.

DOLLS AND TEDDY BEARS
Don't clean a cloth doll's body with water. Instead, rub cornstarch or talc into the fabric, wait
four hours, then gently brush it away.

FURNITURE AND WOOD PRODUCTS
Loosen the glue holding a joint by squirting it with vinegar.

Loosen a tight screw by applying peroxide to it. Tight screws can also sometimes be loosened
by hitting the screwdriver with a rubber mallet; or by applying a red-hot poker to the head of
the screw, then letting the screw cool before removal; or by using penetrating oil, first waiting
for it to work its way along the length of the screw.

Tighten a loose screw by wrapping a bit of steel wool around the screw and screwing it back in.

When screws work loose, or are removed permanently, fill the hole with a mixture of sawdust
and glue. The mixture can be smoothed flat if the screw is not to be replaced, and gives the
screw a firm grip if it is to be replaced.

Take the sag out of can chair seats by soaking down the cane which will cause it to shrink as
it dries.

Drawers that stick and jerk will open smoothly if you rub a little soap in the grooves in each
side. Or, you can use an old candle to make the drawer runners slide more smoothly.

Eradicate white spots on mahogany furniture by spreading a thick coat of Vaseline over the
spots and letting it stand 48 hours before wiping off.

Hard to remove dirt on wooden floors can sometimes be gotten rid of by carefully rubbing with
fine steel wool (#0000) moistened with turpentine.

Varnished surfaces can usually be cleaned nicely with a cloth dipped in cool, weak tea.

To remove the "foggy" appearance frequently found on high polished furniture, rub with the
grain of the wood, using a clean, soft cloth that has been dampened with liquid wax. Follow
with polish.

To polish very old furniture use a mixture of two parts turpentine to one part of linseed oil, or
equal parts of turpentine, linseed oil and vinegar. Apply with a soft cloth and rub. Polish with
a dry cloth.

To make scratches "invisible" in mahogany and other dark wood, carefully go over them
applying iodine, or lightly rub the scratches with a piece of cut walnut meat or Brazil nut meat.

To remove heat marks from a varnished or shellacked finish, dampen a cloth with spirits of
camphor or essence of peppermint; dab on spot. Let dry thoroughly. Polish. If the surface is
lacquered, rub with a paste of powdered pumice and linseed oil, in direction of grain. Polish.

Wicker furniture should be cleaned by scrubbing with a stiff brush moistened with warm salt
water. Salt keeps the wicker from turning yellow.

Don't use force with sticky drawers, or you may ruin a good piece of furniture. If possible, wait
until dry weather makes it easy to open the drawer, then rub the surface that is sticking with
soap, paraffin or stick lubricants. If this doesn't solve the problem, the sticking edges may need
to be sandpapered or slightly planed down.

A practical ounce of prevention that will keep painted furniture free of scratches and color
fading is a thin coat of furniture wax applied to the surface. Makes cleaning easier too.

Dents can sometimes be removed by applying a hot iron to a damp cloth covering the dent.

Holes in wood can be filled with plastic wood stained to match the piece or with white,
all-purpose glue mixed with some sawdust from the piece.

Worms in wood can be killed by applying a liquid insecticide into the wormholes, but the
wormholes themselves, unless they are dangerous to its strength, should be left to enhance
the value of the piece.

Loose chair rungs can be a problem. If the chair dowels appear fairly tight in their holes, glue
alone may secure them. Before you glue, however, remove any traces of old glue or you won't
get a bond. Resin-base carpenter glues usually will hold the best. Very loose rungs may
require the expertise of a cabinetmaker. He will probably cut a slot in the end of the dowel
and then partially insert a hardwood shim slightly shorter than the slot. When the rung is
tapped into the hole, the shim is driven into the slot, expanding the end of the dowel.
Glue is then used, as well.

Blisters in veneer can be repaired by splitting the blister with a razor blade, applying white,
all-purpose glue inside, then laying a sheet of wax paper over the blister and weighting it down
with a very heavy object.

Water rings may be removed by rubbing them first with cigar ash, then with olive oil, removing
the oil with naphtha, then re-waxing.

Does your piece of furniture really need refinishing? Before jumping into the job, try wiping the
piece with a damp rag. If it still appears to need refinishing, try cleaning it up with a soft rag
and turpentine, removing all signs of the old wax. If the piece now appears satisfactory, stop
here and apply a new coat of wax. If this fails to produce a satisfactory result however, try
rubbing the piece evenly with a soft cloth soaked in denatured alcohol. If this doesn't smooth
out the finish, try rubbing with a soft cloth and lacquer thinner. If one of these methods works,
rub the entire piece down using that method, then use fine steel wool to smooth the surface
and apply a new coat of wax. Should all of these methods fail to make the piece presentable
it will be necessary to strip off the old finish.

IRON & STEEL
To clean small pieces of iron, try soaking them in white vinegar for 24 to 48 hours.

You'll prevent the inside of your salt shaker metal tops from rusting or corroding if you paint
it with ordinary nail polish. When the lacquer is dry, use a needle or small nail to re-open the
holes from the inside out.

For those items intended for food contact or cooking, careful attention should be given so the
piece will be safe to use, and at the same time, assume as closely as possible its original
appearance. (Years ago newly bought cast iron cooking wares were well greased with lard,
put into the oven to heat-season, then wiped and stored in the cupboard away from dampness
until needed again. After using they were carefully cleaned, maybe oiled, and set back. In many
homes, nevermore did the vessel touch soap or water. For normal rusting and/or heavy
incrustations of grease, or where stripping is needed from a piece that has been painted, first
apply an oven cleaner; the alternative is to use a fine wire brush. Then, wipe carefully
(paper towels recommended). Wipe with a light coating of mineral oil or a solid cooking
shortening (some use salad oil). Bake in a low heat oven, 250 to 300 degrees F. for about 15
minutes; another group advocates oven-baking for an hour at up to 450 degrees F.; this latter
turning the iron even blacker. Finally, let cool, wipe carefully, and the piece is ready to use.

Pieces only ornamentally intended, or to be used outside food contact (tools, sadirons,
bookends, doorstops, etc), can be cleaned with steel wool or a fine wire brush, followed by
a choice of: 1) wiping with mineral oil, 2) wiping with an antique- care product containing a
good cleaning agent, or 3) spraying (not brushing) with a satin finish clear lacquer-type
preservative.

Sandblasting is appropriate only for very large iron objects. If steel wool is used, proceed
carefully, as bearing down too hard could cause scratches.

For very seriously pitted or badly worn iron collectibles, sometimes painting is the only answer
to making them look presentable. On iron, a spray pint is more effective than a brush.

Loosen a rusty screw by putting a drop of ammonia on it.

Rust is the arch enemy of ironware. Wrought iron resists rust better than cast iron. Soak
badly rusted articles in kerosene for 24 hours. Next, briskly rub off the loosened rust with a
steel- wool pad. A brass-bristled brush will work more efficiently on pieces with embossed or
raised designs or lettering. A steel- bristled brush may be used on larger, heavy items. There
are modern commercial rust removers that do the job well. After the rust has been removed,
scrub the item with a stiff brush, using hot sudsy water with a few drops of disinfectant.
Towel dry and then air dry. When completely dry, coat lightly with salad oil.

IVORY
Clean ivory by rubbing the item with lemon and salt and letting it sit in the sun.

Old ivory has a soft yellow appearance that should not be bleached away. It can be cleaned with
a damp sponge, but never soak it. If further cleaning is desired, try making a paste of whiting
with a solution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 4 parts water. Cover the object with the paste
and wipe it off when dry.

Ivory can be cleaned with a pure liquid dish washing detergent (not dish washer) and sponge
but prolonged soaking is not advised.

A light coat of almond oil will protect pieces of ivory.

JEWELRY
To clean silver, gold or diamond jewelry, soak it in a glass of vodka over night.

LAMPS
To clean the old lampshades made of metallic paper or genuine parchment apply a mixture of
1 part turpentine and 10 parts mineral oil with a soft cloth. Wipe off gently but thoroughly.

LINENS, NEEDLEWORK, TEXTILES
To whiten tea towels, boil them with lemon rinds.

To properly maintain framed needlecrafts, you should vacuum them frequently to prevent dirt
or dust buildup.

Bleach will often do the trick with age-yellowing, however washing in hot suds and then
exposing  the item to direct sunlight sometimes helps, although this practice is being
questioned by many experts that feel sunlight damages the fibers.

Soaking items in cold water will usually remove bloodstains. For stubborn stains use a
salt-water solution (1/4 cup salt to 2 cups water). Do not use hot water first; it may set the
stain. When through, wash item in warm suds then rinse.

To remove candle wax, first scrape off the excess wax then place the stained part between
blotters and press with hot iron. Sponge with carbon tetrachloride.

An ice cube can sometimes be used to get rid of chewing gum on fabric or carpet.

Grass stains can often be removed by rubbing with cooking fat or oil and then washing in
hot water.

Ink stains can sometimes be removed by soaking in cold water and then applying vinegar or
lemon juice. Bleach remaining stains and rinse well.

Wash items with mildew stains in hot suds, moisten with lemon juice and salt, and dry in the
sun. If stain is old, bleach and rinse well.

Scorch marks on old linens can sometimes be removed by simply moistening them and
exposing hem to sunlight although it may need to be repeated several times. Normally bleach
can reduce the sight of scorch marks, but again treatment may need to be repeated.

Sheer curtains hang better and resist dust if lightly starched.

Old "Candlewick" bedspreads will not be "de-tufted" if placed in a large sack or pillowcase when
laundered in the washer.

MARBLE
Clean marble with soap and water, or with weak ammonia solution, or with carbonic acid.

An oily substance spilled on marble should be cleaned up quickly. Blot the area with talcum
powder or plaster of Paris.

Stains on marble can be removed with five-percent solution of oxalic acid, or with gasoline,
or with alcohol, acetone or benzene. Use flammable cleaning agents outdoors.

Broken pieces of marble may be glued back together using a glue composed of 4 parts gypsum
(sulfate of lime) and 1 part gum arabic. Mix well and then add enough borax to make a thick
paste. This glue will need several days to set.

For waxing marble use beeswax or paraffin. There are also some good commercial products
on the market for waxing marble.

This information was posted on our BB.                                                                                       
We are not experts so the information is presented here as received.                                         

On marble, any kind of acid removes the shine. Oxalic acid is used by pro's in conjunction       
with putty to re-polish marble. Used alone it DISSOLVES the surface. Vinegar is used to clean  
non-shiny marble. Please do everyone a favor and remove the acids advice. The best care for 
stone of any kind is keep it clean and buff it up. Use a mild detergent, then rinse well and buff.
Beeswax is fine if you like sticky yellow marble. Carnauba wax over clean stone is best. You   
can bleach yellowed statuary with liquid bleach, since it is not acid. You may have to leave     
the bleach and water mix in for several days. OK! Jan the Marble Expert                                   

This information was sent to us by e-mail on 4/13/03.                                                                  
We are not experts so the information is presented here as received.                                         

If fine marble statuary is cleaned with 'soap and water' it will be ruined. Not only do certain   
soaps actually eat the surface of the stone, making it even more difficult to clean next time,   
the water will mix with the dust on the piece and create: mud. So, you will end up with an    
odd looking piece - dingy, with dark creases where the mud mix could not be removed.        
Maybe if you used a garden hose? (that was a joke ;) I'm not a marble expert - just an            
archeologist. And I saw every statue at the Troy public library ruined with soap and water.    
It was amazing - I have *no* idea what the cleaning staff was doing. Dirt was literally ground
into the pores of the stone - I have no idea what would have safely removed the muck at that
point. Matte finish (Parian) marbles are the worst - leave them to the professionals!                

MIRRORS
Old mirrors were made of thick glass. You can test the glass thickness of a mirror by placing
a coin on the surface and judging the distance between the coin and its reflection.

MISCELLANEOUS
You can sharpen scissors by cutting a piece of sandpaper several times with them.

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES
Don't store your newspapers or magazines on bookshelves, especially oak or painted shelves.
Keep them in "archival" boxes with lids.

NICKELWARE
Nickel-plated articles require little care. They should be washed in hot sudsy water, towel dried,
and then gently polished to a shine with a soft towel or flannel cloth. Soiled or greasy spots
may be rubbed lightly with a damp cloth and a small amount of cleanser. A final wiping off with
alcohol, which evaporates quickly, will leave a smudgeless shine.

To remove rust spots in nickel-plate, cover spot with oil or grease, let set several days, then
rub with cloth soaked in ammonia. This will remove the rust without harming the nickel- plate.
Wash, dry well, and polish.

PAINTINGS
Wipe paintings with a soft, dry cloth to remove surface dust. If the painting is valuable,
probably nothing more than this type of surface cleaning should be done by anyone except a professional.

PAPER
Paper collectibles require special storage and are extremely sensitive to the effects of improper
temperature, humidity, light, acidity and even pollution. High temperatures (above 80 degrees
Fahrenheit) will accelerate chemical reactions that attack paper; if heat is combined with high
humidity (above 70 percent), mold will grow. If humidity is too low, however, many paper items
will become brittle and crack. Don't store paper collectibles in the attic! Keep your collectibles
in a room controlled by a thermostat and with air conditioning.

Wearing cotton gloves when handling paper collectibles is not eccentric. The perspiration on
our hands can leach onto the surface of a document and, over time, create a chemical reaction
that destroys the fibers of most papers. Cotton gloves absorbs perspiration and protects the
paper from stains and acidity.

Remove creases and surface dirt from your paper collectibles before framing and displaying
them. Most maps, documents, books and papers can be cleaned lightly with "Opaline", a
non-abrasive cleaning agent handled by art supply stores. To clean a document, put on your
cotton gloves, sprinkle the Opaline on the soiled document, rub erasures lightly in a circular
motion, and brush away soiled particles with a soft-bristled artist's brush. Use a bone folder
(also available at art supply stores) to unfold creased documents. Begin in the center of your
 document and press the bone folder lightly, along the back of the crease in an outward
direction and toward the edge of the paper. When your document is flat and clean, you're
ready to frame it.

Never glue or tape your paper collectibles in an album or scrapbook. Adhesives leave permanent
stains on paper and cause your collectibles to tear and break upon removal.

If framing paper collectibles, use an acid-free mat. Mats prevent prints, photographs, documents
and other items from contacting the frame's glass. The precaution will reduce stress on the
paper and provide extra protection against deterioration.

If your find paper items infested with silverfish, crickets, etc. seal them in plastic bags and store
them in the freezer for 72 hours. This will kill the vermin that eat and destroy paper.

PEWTER
To clean pewter which is so easily scratched, make a paste of whiting and lemon oil and apply
it with a soft cloth, rinse with hot water and polish with a dry, soft cloth. (Most antique
collectors prefer a time-darkened, mellow finish on their old pieces of pewter.)

PHOTOGRAPHS
Remove spots from old photographs by adding a few drops of ammonia to a cupful of warm
water, dip a soft cloth into it, wring it out as dry as possible and gently wipe.

Torn photographs can be carefully mended with archival-quality tape, placing the tape on the
paper side of the photograph, never to the emulsion side. Damaged daguerreotypes,
ambrotypes or tintypes should be mended by a conservator.

PRINTS
To remove a crease, dampen the back of the print and press it against a sheet of glass until dry.

To repair a tear in a print, apply a small amount of paste made from starch and boiling water to
the back of the tear.

Reddish brown "foxing" marks can sometimes be removed from prints by immersing the print
in a strong solution of sodium chlorate and then quickly washing with water, or applying a
solution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 1 part alcohol with a soft-bristled brush.

SILVER
Wash silver with soap and warm water, go over it with a silver cleaner and dry it completely
with a clean, soft towel. If the item is not completely dry, small dark spots can form.

Occasionally, because of the porous nature of old silver, small white spots will appear on
silver after it has been re-planted. These spots are never present just after plating, but they
sometimes appear days or even weeks later. Use ordinary silver polish to remove them.

Silver can be cleaned with toothpaste in an emergency, but apply with your finger, never
with a toothbrush. Always rinse items thoroughly to remove all toothpaste or polish.

Never use lemon-scented dish washing detergent on silver; it spots. And, never use any metal
cleaner not made specifically for silver.

Never wash silver, brass and most other fine metal collectibles in the dishwasher.

When storing silver, wrap large items in silver cloth and store in a zip-type plastic bag. Never
store unwrapped silver in plastic bags or close plastic bags tightly with rubber bands. Also, use
silver bags for flatware. Silver that is stored when not in use is easy to maintain, due to the fact
that tarnish develops from exposure to sulfides (found in the air).

If you choose to display special silver or brass pieces in a china cabinet, you will find that a
few well-placed camphor blocks and anti-tarnishing strips will lengthen the life of the shine!

TEXTILES
Never fold fragile old textiles. Instead, roll them onto a cardboard tube.

Grease stains can sometimes be removed with alcohol, ammonia or carbon tetrachloride.

Samplers can be cleaned with potato flour, dry, warmed in a double boiler, applied about
1/4" thick, then brushed off before it cools.

Silk should never be cleaned with a flammable liquid because rubbing may result in a spark
and fire due to static electricity.

VARNISHING & PAINTING
Get rid of paint odors by adding a couple of teaspoons of vanilla extract to a quart of paint.

WOODENWARE
The care of old woodenware can be quite simple. First scrub the article thoroughly with a
stiff-bristled brush and warm, sudsy water to which a few drops of an efficient household
disinfectant have been added. Absolutely, absolutely do not soak! Woodenware will warp out
of shape if allowed to get soaking wet. Scrub quickly, but thoroughly. Place on wire racks,
such as cake- cooling racks, set in the bottom of the sink. Quickly pour very hot water over the
woodenware. This sterilizes the articles and hastens their drying. Leave the articles on the wire
racks in the open air to dry completely. When absolutely dry, rub utensils, such as ladles,
wooden forks and spoons, briskly with a clean cloth soaked in salad oil. The articles may first
be very lightly sanded if rough or splintery. Allow the oil to penetrate for 10 minutes; now
completely wipe away all excess oil with a clean cloth.

Wooden bowls, after cleaning (see above), may be finished with a thin coating of melted,
harmless beeswax or of paraffin wax such as is used in home canning. The wax is heated
until just melted in a tin can set in a pan of boiling water. Use caution, as wax is flammable.
Carefully pour the melted wax over the article so as to coat it completely and evenly with a
thin layer of the protective wax.