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What cleans tobacco off oil paint?

gunnut505
I bought a really nice oil painting by a famous artist at a yard sale yesterday, and when I got it home, I noticed the White is actually a mild yellow from tobacco (I guess) smoke.
Anyone do conservation in their spare time?
What would remove the stains without damaging the original oil paint?
I'd like to restore it to its' original color, but I don't want to remove any oil paint (or add any other paint).

Yeah, I thought about TSP, denatured alcohol, WD 40, and all the really easy-to-find-but-will-probably-ruin-the-painting stuff; I would have tested all of it on another crappy painting first, but I'm looking for someone who knows for certain that it won't affect the painting.


Thanks for the good info all, especially steg.
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Comments

14 comments

Date Votes
  • competentone
    TSP (trisodium phosphate) is traditionally used in building restoration work for cleaning smoke-damaged painted surfaces, but -- particularly if this has any value -- you'll want to check with art/painting experts before trying it on what you have!
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  • ltcdoty
    Worked in the museum business for over twenty five years...the technicians at the State Conservation facilities would use long Q tips and saliva.

    Its tedious and takes a long time depending on the size of the painting. They let me try it but I kept using the same Q tip..tasted terrible.
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  • SNIPERXX
    GOO-GONE
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  • Floyd58523
    Hire an expert restoration specialist. Best money you will ever spend.
    It would be like having an original Winchester at 99% condition valued at $ 100,000 and you cleaned it. Next morning you look again and all blueing and case coloring are gone. New value $ 1000.00
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  • perry shooter
    FLOYD +1 best advice I see here
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  • babun
    I sell a lot of old paintings. DO NOT try to clean it your self if you think it's worth more than $25.
    As for "testing" things on other paintings, that does NOT mean the chemical will work on the one you are trying to clean.
    Leave it alone or have a professional do it.
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  • CapnMidnight
    My wife and I have several Russell paintings and prints from my family in Montana. We take them to a professional, as has been said, you stand to loose a lot of value if you damage the painting.
    W.D.
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  • steg
    quote:Originally posted by competentone
    TSP (trisodium phosphate) is traditionally used in building restoration work for cleaning smoke-damaged painted surfaces, but -- particularly if this has any value -- you'll want to check with art/painting experts before trying it on what you have!

    I am the retired Artist Technical Consultant for M. Grumbacher, Inc., and am an expert in the materials of the artist and Art Conservators.
    I strongly suggest that you find an Art Conservator (Painting Restorer) in your area and get him/her to look at your painting and give you an estimate as to how much it will cost to restore it.
    Before you do that, I suggest you go to your Public Library and look up this book in the Reference Section: "The Artist's Handbook" Fourth Edition by Ralph Mayer. There is a section about the restoration of oil paintings. It is listed in the book's index.
    Above all, with the exception of those who recommended that you seek out a professional restorer, do not pay any attention to the advice
    given prior to mine. If you try any of these thing, such as using chemicals of any kind on the surface of your painting, you will irreparably damage and ruin your painting!
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  • md1634
    Steg is correct. You are not sure what the stain is. If you go to a professional at least they have liability insurance and hopefully a damage policy. I remember "restoring" an old cook stove somebody had painted black. When I removed the paint from the warming shelf door I got to look at a beautiful hand painting of a bunch of flowers for about 30 seconds before the paint remover dissolved the work
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  • md1634
    Steg is correct. You are not sure what the stain is. If you go to a professional at least they have liability insurance and hopefully a damage policy. I remember "restoring" an old cook stove somebody had painted black. When I removed the paint from the warming shelf door I got to look at a beautiful hand painting of a bunch of flowers for about 30 seconds before the paint remover dissolved the work
    0
  • md1634
    Steg is correct. You are not sure what the stain is. If you go to a professional at least they have liability insurance and hopefully a damage policy. I remember "restoring" an old cook stove somebody had painted black. When I removed the paint from the warming shelf door I got to look at a beautiful hand painting of a bunch of flowers for about 30 seconds before the paint remover dissolved the work
    0
  • md1634
    Steg is correct. You are not sure what the stain is. If you go to a professional at least they have liability insurance and hopefully a damage policy. I remember "restoring" an old cook stove somebody had painted black. When I removed the paint from the warming shelf door I got to look at a beautiful hand painting of a bunch of flowers for about 30 seconds before the paint remover dissolved the work
    0
  • md1634
    Steg is correct. You are not sure what the stain is. If you go to a professional at least they have liability insurance and hopefully a damage policy. I remember "restoring" an old cook stove somebody had painted black. When I removed the paint from the warming shelf door I got to look at a beautiful hand painting of a bunch of flowers for about 30 seconds before the paint remover dissolved the work
    0
  • md1634
    Steg is correct. You are not sure what the stain is. If you go to a professional at least they have liability insurance and hopefully a damage policy. I remember "restoring" an old cook stove somebody had painted black. When I removed the paint from the warming shelf door I got to look at a beautiful hand painting of a bunch of flowers for about 30 seconds before the paint remover dissolved the work
    0

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