Take Care of Your Handicraft
Dust regularly with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid using abrasive cleaners or will damage the wood. Once a month, use a wood polish or wax to clean and protect the finish. Linseed oil, Coconut oil or any good wood polish available in the market can be used on our products.
How to maintain marble or stone handicraft products –
The correct method is to use a soft dry cloth or mop to remove dirt and debris. Spray with a mild stone cleaner and wipe it off with a soft dry cloth. If you can't find a commercial stone cleaner, you can use a drop or two of mild dishwashing soap on a damp cloth and use it to wipe and clean the marble.
How to maintain paper mache products –
Keep your artifacts in dry conditions away from sunlight. Ideally, paper mache should only be dusted and care taken to not rub off the paint. Never use water to clean your trays, especially black or red trays. This can cause the white cloudy areas that we sometime see on vintage trays. If your tray gets dirty, clean it with cotton wool dipped in soapy water. When dried, polish your tray with micro crystalline wax. This will protect it and give it a lustrous finish. After each use wipe it with a dry cloth. Don’t’ ever rinse or immerse your paper mache antiques in water.
How to maintain metal products like brass, copper, white metal etc –
Regular dusting with dry cloth is highly recommended. If the products are getting black due to oxidation, a simple homemade cleaner to banish tarnish can be made by combining lemon juice with baking soda and stirring until mixed completely. Once mixed, apply to the surface and buff in a circular motion using a soft and clean cloth. Rinse and dry once done. Nowadays lot of good quality metal cleaners like Brasso and Dara are easily available in local markets.
How to maintain natural buffalo horn products –
Horns can easily be cleaned with dry cloth and be sure you don't drench/dip the horns with water or other liquids since it will damage the horns. Hand wash your piece with mild dish soap and water, and towel dry immediately. Do not use abrasives or clean in automatic dishwashers. Food should be removed soon after serving. Leaving food for extended periods may result in discoloration, especially highly acidic or salty foods such as salad dressings, vinegars, tomatoes, or other fruits.
How to maintain terracota products –
Remove any loose dirt from the product. Use your pot brush to clean as much dirt as you can off the clay product. After you have removed the loose dirt, plunge the terra-cotta pots into a large bucket or sink filled with water to which you have added a dollop of dish soap. Then, scrub them gently, once you have finished, rinse the pots in clean water. For the decorative and colored ones, just clean with dry cloth regularly and mop with wet cloth only if too dirty.
How to maintain glass products –
Use care when handling glass works – and use two hands! Make sure your hands are clean but don’t wear gloves, which may be slippery. Pick up all glass art by the base. Loosen the dust with a soft brush or use a lint-free microfiber cloth. Use a damp lint-free cloth to wipe glass art after dry dusting. Thicker items can be washed gently in lukewarm (not hot) water with neutral soap. Do not use ammonia, cream cleaners or any harsh chemicals to clean shiny glass art. Aggressive detergents can damage the surface and leave an irreversible patchy, cloudy or milky effect. After washing dry your artwork thoroughly with a soft cloth because minerals in water leave a residue which can damage and leave spots on the glass art.
How to maintain bamboo / cane products –
Dirt or grime can accumulate on bamboo or cane products over time, so you need to give it a more thorough cleaning every month. Apart from dry dusting, use a soft-bristled scrub brush and warm soapy water to gently scrub the products, and then rinse with a damp sponge. You don't want to oversaturate the pieces, as this can cause the bamboo or cane to swell.
How to maintain Dokra products –
If you want to maintain the lustre of the Dokra handicraft, you must dust it on a regular basis with a soft dry cotton cloth. You can also use soft-bristled brush that makes it convenient to clean the fine surface. It helps keeping the antique look of Dokra with a bit of sparkle as well.
To remove the dull discoloration, remove dust accumulated on the product. And once it is cleaned, apply a brass polish. First, you need to apply it on a piece of soft dry cloth and then rubbing it gently onto the product. After applying the polish, re-clean with another soft dry cloth to retain the actual sheen of Dokra. Before you apply the polish, make sure you completely remove all the dust particles that have been accumulated on the top. Brasso can be used as a dependable brass polish as suggested by a leading handicraft items showroom. It is available on the market and almost suitable to serve your purpose. If you don’t remove the dust properly, you may cause the blunder of rubbing the polish onto the dust and thus corroding the product.