Proper Cleaning for your Gallery or Museum

girl admiring paintings in gallery

Every commercial building has a purpose and benefits society, galleries, and museums are no exception. Their main purpose is to preserve and exhibit both art and cultural objects. Displaying these things, galleries and museums are helping in preserving historical heritage and culture. Giving people opportunities to explore and discover their art and history. Furthermore, they provide educational and community engagement opportunities. They serve as educational resources for tourists and locals, alike. With the help of guided tours, people are provided with detailed information about the object displayed. As a result, people tend to show appreciation and inspiration from art and culture. 

 

Last but definitely not least, it contributes to the area’s economic development. By becoming a well-known tourist spot that attracts tourists to pay visit. With various historical objects displayed, galleries and museums are commercial buildings that need some thorough cleaning. However, cleaning galleries and museums requires a more delicate cleaning if you want your displays to remain undamaged. Gallery of museums like the famous Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Connecticut Science Center, and more need proper cleaning done to have a tidy space with undamaged displays. To keep your visitors coming and impressed, make sure you’re doing your cleaning properly.

 

Proper Cleaning Procedures for your Gallery or Museum

To avoid damaging priceless and delicate artworks, artifacts, and exhibits during the cleaning process, proper cleaning procedures for galleries and museums require close attention to detail and specific techniques. The following can be followed to thoroughly maintain a clean gallery or museum:

 

Dust Regularly

Dust is the worst enemy of artworks and artifacts. These tiny particles can cause scratches and damage on delicate surfaces. If you allow it to accumulate, then expect some new damage to your pieces. Dusting regularly will help you in preserving your pieces. Just remember to use a soft brush or microfiber cloth to remove surface dust. Be sure to not press too much because it might damage your pieces.

 

Vacuum your floors

After dusting, you might want to do some vacuuming on your floors. Dusting might remove dust off the surface, but that same dust just falls on the floor. Before that dust sticks to your pieces again vacuum your floors as often as you dust. We suggest using a HEPA filter to avoid re-circulating the collected dust.

 

Wipe down surfaces regularly

Aside from your pieces, regularly wiping surfaces is also essential. You have to think of your visitors’ health and safety as well. Regular wiping, especially highly touched surfaces, will avoid germ- and bacteria-spread inside the gallery or museum. It is important to use non-abrasive cleaning agents that are gentle on surfaces and do not leave any residue. Care should be taken to avoid using any cleaning agents that could damage or discolor surfaces.

 

Use proper cleaning supplies

As mentioned earlier, cleaning museums and galleries requires delicate cleaning. The same is true when using cleaning supplies. Try avoiding cleaning supplies with harsh chemicals because the lingering chemicals in the air can cause damage. Moreover, at present, there are cleaning supplies specifically formulated for gallery and museum cleaning. So, might as well use them to maintain your gallery or museum. 

handling painting with proper care

Handle the pieces with care

Your displayed pieces are valuable. During cleaning it isn’t avoidable that you have to move some pieces away from their stands to clean them. However, when handling such valuable pieces of history and art be sure to use some gloves. This helps you in avoiding any skin oil from your hands to be transferred to the piece. If you are doing both the cleaning and handling the pieces, you have to transfer the pieces first before touching any cleaning supplies and getting some cleaning done. Although gallery and museum cleaning products are more delicate than regular ones, they still have chemicals mixed into them. Always be cautious when moving and cleaning to prevent accidental damage.

 

Maintain a controlled environment

Maintaining proper environmental controls is also important in galleries and museums. Temperature and humidity should be kept at consistent levels to prevent damage to artworks and artifacts.  Use air filters to remove pollutants and maintain appropriate humidity levels. This will help to preserve the artifacts and art pieces in your gallery or museum. Air quality should also be monitored and maintained to prevent the accumulation of pollutants.

 

Gallery or Museum Areas Needing Constant Cleaning

Other businesses need cleaning services daily, weekly, or monthly. It is the same for galleries and museums however, the frequency of cleaning depends on the area. We have divided gallery and museum areas into two categories, public spaces, and display and storage areas. 

 

Public areas

These are areas that have high volumes of foot traffic such as entryways, hallways, public restrooms, shared eating spaces, and rooms used for lectures or meetings. Public areas like these require daily cleaning or as frequently as possible. For example, Connecticut Science Center requires constant cleaning since they are well-known for its interactive exhibits and hands-on activities. All of which are focused on science and technology. Cleaning every after-use immediately eliminates any germ or bacteria left behind by visitors who come into contact with the exhibits.

 

Display and storage areas

Galleries and museums will always have a designated area for exhibits and collections. These require strict cleaning standards to preserve them. Heavy dusting is advisable to avoid any damages caused by accumulated dirt. Museums such as the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Historical Society Museum, and The Museum of Connecticut History are some of the museums that require their display and storage areas to be cleaned by professional cleaning service providers.

 

Overall, the main purpose of galleries and museums is to promote and preserve art and culture while also providing educational and community engagement opportunities. They help enrich the lives of visitors and contribute to the overall cultural fabric of society, making them an important part of any community. That’s why ensuring that they are properly kept and preserved is essential.

museum hallway

Not confident about your gallery or museum cleaning abilities? You don’t have to worry because Burgos Cleaning is here to help! Burgos Cleaning is made up of a team of professional cleaners highly trained and skilled in their fields of expertise. We will make sure that every nook and cranny of your gallery or museum is spotless. If you’re located around Hartford County or New London County, Connecticut, then get in touch with us to get your consultation started.