Art Restoration, Cleaning and Conservation


Let Mat About You bring the life back into your art with our expert service and attention.

We clean and restore: works on paper, canvases, documents and maps.

We take the utmost care in restoring your treasures to as close to their original beauty as possible.

We have over thirty years experience in cleaning and restoring your work.

All work is done by our own conservators.

Let us share the following do’s and don’ts about conserving your art.

Art Conservation DO'S:

  • Treat your art with care.  They are treasures from the past and heirlooms for your family’s future. 
  • Clean dust off canvas surfaces with a feather duster only.
  • Clean glass by gently using a soft cloth sprayed with mild glass cleaner.
  • Hang paintings by using properly sized frame hooks.
  • The backs of oil canvases and frames should not be completely sealed.  Use a dust cover that is secured to the top of the back frame and loose on the bottom.
  • Have repairs done as soon as possible for any painting showing visual signs of darkening, lightening or flaking to prevent further -- and more expensive -- repairs.
  • Do bring your art to Mat About You Gallery for reputable and responsible conservation services.

Art Conservation DON’TS (Please don't even think about doing these):

  • Never clean a painting with soap and water.
  • Never hang watercolors or pastels in direct sunlight .
  • Never spray Windex© or any other glass cleaner (or even water) directly on a frame or the glass covering a painting.
  • Never hang a painting on the wall by using just a nail (use a hook and nail).
  • Never clean paintings by rubbing them with paper, towels or your hands .
  • Never try to clean either the back or front of a painting using untested and unknown chemicals. If you are neither an expert or have extensive knowledge of the chemicals you are about to use, the chemicals can leach through the back of fabric and damage the paint.  Also, using improper chemicals can be extremely dangerous to your health and the health of the painting.  Art restorers wear protective masks and gloves and are trained and experienced to use the right chemicals on the right paintings in the right quantity with the right protection.
  • Never assume a rip or tear can't be repaired and dirt can't be removed.  Ninety-five percent of the time a painting can be repaired.
  • Never use cheap mat board or backing on valuable or antique paintings.  Good art needs conservation mat board which will only cost a few dollars more.
  • Never use adhesive tape of any kind to mount a painting to a backer board or mat board.
  • Never allow pastel, watercolors or photographs to touch the glass.  An experienced framer will place a spacer to allow "breathing" room.