Cleaning oil painting

[stowfelda]

Is there anything I can use to clean a small oil painting I bought from a local artist some years ago - it is looking a bit dirty!

[Mosaic]

It depends on the paint medium and what is was painted on eg is it oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas, acrylic on paper, watercolour on paper.....it would be wrong to advise you without this basic information.

[stowfelda]

I think it is oil on canvas.

[Mosaic]

Ok, if oil on canvas, you won't harm it if as a first resort you use a lint-free cloth and a very weak solution of washinbg up liquid. Moisten a corner of the cloth, wring it out and gently dab and wipe at an inconspicuous corner - see what muck comes off and see what effect it has on the painitng. If it seems to do some good, use clean water and a clean cloth to rinse off, and procedd in this way across the picture.
If you suspect at any point that you have an old master or a collectable, stop and consult a valuer!

[stowfelda]

Thank you Mosaic, I'll try that.