This week in objects conservation, we are cleaning marble. This marble base is part of the recently acquired bronze sculpture, Marble is porous and over time will become very dirty. It can be difficult to clean with solvents as they can remove the glossy protective patina from the surface, so dry-cleaning methods, though often less effective, are preferred. After testing several different ineffective dry-cleaning methods, we found erasers to be most effective at removing the surface soiling.

Cleaning such a large base can be very time consuming, so to expedite the process we are using an electric eraser. In the photos you can see a clear line between the clean half and the dirty half, demonstrating how effective this cleaning method is. Although displayed earlier this year in Gallery 150, Mercury will soon go back on display after treatment wraps up!