Can I clean an antique sampler?
There is not a great deal you can do to mend or fix the appearance of a sampler once it has become stained and precious samplers should be restored by a professional.
Remove the sampler from the frame and clean the glass with soapy water. Allow it to dry completely. Do not use glass cleaner as it contains chemicals that may cause future damage to the sampler.
The sampler itself may be coated in small dust particles. If your fabric does not appear to be brittle, then you can use a low-suction dust remover to suck up the dust. Small dust vacuums are available from computer stores for cleaning keyboards. Try to hover the vacuum over the sampler rather than touching the fabric or threads.
Carefully put the frame and dry glass back onto the sampler. If your sampler is still looking the worse for wear, then consult a professional cleaning service.
Sally Zwiebach says
July 9, 2012 at 11:44 amI have an 1834 sampler in need of cleaning or restoration. Can you recommend a professional?
Sally Zwiebach says
July 9, 2012 at 11:44 amThank you!
Em says
July 11, 2012 at 10:34 amI too, have two samplers in need of cleaning and would like to have the name of a professional in Fife, Dundee, Perth or Edinburgh. They are dated 1842 and 1850.
Denise Felton says
July 11, 2012 at 11:40 amLadies, I’m so sorry, but this blog post was written August 9, 2007, before I joined the CraftGossip staff. I don’t know of professionals I could recommend to clean such precious works. If other readers can speak to this, I hope they’ll post here.
Denise