Cleaning Glass Start by checking the fit of the glazing material by putting it into
the frame. It should be snug but you should have a little "play"
so it can be easily taken out. Lay the glass on a clean surface and clean
both sides. Clean the glass with a 50/50 mixture of isopropyl alcohol (this
is available at hardware stores) and water. Undiluted 100% isopropyl can
be used for dirtier areas if needed. We do not recommend commercial glass
cleaners because they tend to be very strong and may contain ammonia.
Cleaning acrylic Prepare a very soft surface to lay the acrylic down so the acrylic does
not get scratched. Start by checking the fit of the glazing material by
putting it into the frame. If your acrylic is a little large it can be sanded
or filed off. Do this away from where you are going to clean the material.
To prepare acrylic, it is a good idea to check the edges and lightly scrape
the edges with a file or some 80-100 grit sand paper. This removes burrs
which could scratch the mat.
Next clean the acrylic sheet with a dusting brush to ensure that all the
dust and bits of paper are off. Peel the cover sheet off then lay the unmasked
side carefully on the protected work surface.
Then remove the other paper. There are two schools of thought regarding
cleaning the acrylic once the paper is removed. Some framers do not clean
the acrylic at all because they are afraid of creating scratches while cleaning.
Others clean the acrylic with a acrylic cleaner to remove the small bits
of residue left when the paper is removed. A museum preparator client said
that he cleaned the acrylic to remove the static electricity that is created
when the paper is removed.
Customer Feedback
Greg - Instead of brushing the plex before removing the paper cover, wipe down both sides and all four edges with a damp cloth. This gets rid of the dust and virtually eliminates static. Further, using a mailing tube or broomstick, tape the edge of the protective cover to the tube and roll the paper off the plex SLOWLY. Pulling it up by hand or rolling it up quickly will create static.
