Thoroughly wash your hands. Perspiration, with the oils and salts it contains, can be quite destructive to your artwork.
Remove the artwork from the frame. Lay the artwork face-down, and carefully remove the fastenings so you can take the artwork out of the frame. If there are nails, you can use needle-nose pliers and a small mallet to remove them, gripping the nails with the pliers and tapping the side of the pliers with the mallet. Make sure not to drive the nails or other fastening devices into the artwork.
Clean the glass of your framed artwork with a non-ammonia-based cleaner to a soft fabric or facial tissue. Wipe the glass carefully. Make sure not to spray the cleaner directly onto the glass, as the cleaner could end up getting inside the frame and damaging the artwork. Scrape the inside of the glass surface with a razor blade, getting rid of bumps, which come from microbial growth. Some bumps are a natural part of the glass in the case of glass made with the old pouring method.
Dust the frame using a soft material or feather duster, then polish the frame gently, taking care not to over-polish. According to DesignaCulture.com, “Each polishing removes a layer of metal.”
Take your artwork to a professional framer who is experienced with archival framing if your frame is too damaged or if you would prefer another frame for the artwork. Improper framing can quickly lead to damage of your artwork. According to DesignaCulture.com, you should make sure the framer uses 100 percent acid-free mats, a glaze that will filter UV light, reversible mounting adhesives and frames of either metal or sealed wood.
Use a soft brush, such as a draftsman’s brush, to dust away particles on the artwork as well as on the glass. You shouldn’t attempt to even lightly clean your work without consulting with a professional. According to DesignaCulture.com, “Don’t attempt serious cleaning of most artwork unless you have a thorough knowledge of the chemicals and their effects on the specific materials.” Professional art restorers will use complex processes requiring much experience and expertise, such as color sealing and cleaning using a deacidification process with a neutralizing agent. Professionals will make sure to use chemicals that are proven to be nondestructive to artwork.
Put your framed artwork back together carefully, using the same nails or fasteners and holes, if possible.