Learn & Discover

Cleaning is a conservation approach or technique used to stabilize, preserve, or restore heritage materials and structures. It aims to protect significance while minimizing unnecessary change and documenting all interventions.

Source: ICCROM, ICOMOS

In conservation, the process of extracting harmful salts from porous materials like stone, pottery, or wall plasters. Salts often enter heritage objects through groundwater, sea spray, or previous cleaning chemicals and can cause damage by crystallizing and expanding inside the material (efflorescence). Desalination typically involves repeated soaking or poulticing to draw out the salts gently.

Source: ICCROM, ICOMOS

The process of safely removing mold growth from heritage objects or within historic buildings. Mold can occur on organic materials (paper, textiles, wood) in damp conditions, causing stains and weakening the material. Remediation involves first drying and stabilizing the environment, then cleaning or treating affected items with appropriate methods (like HEPA vacuuming, alcohol wiping, or specialized biocides) to eliminate mold and prevent its return.

Source: ICCROM, ICOMOS

Regular, planned maintenance activities aimed at keeping heritage buildings and objects in good condition and preventing small issues from becoming major problems. This can include cleaning gutters on historic roofs to avoid water damage, periodically inspecting and treating wooden beams for pests, or tuning climate control systems in archives. Preventive maintenance is cost-effective and extends the life of heritage assets by addressing wear and tear early.

Source: ICCROM, ICOMOS

The gentle removal of dirt, soot, corrosion, or biological growth from the surface of heritage objects or materials. This may involve dry methods (like brushes, vacuuming) or wet methods (using water, solvents, or special cleaning solutions) depending on the item’s sensitivity. Surface cleaning improves appearance and can slow deterioration (for example, removing pollutants that might acidicly corrode stone or metal).

Source: ICCROM, ICOMOS

Deterioration or loss resulting from water exposure, whether from flooding, leaks, firefighting efforts, or high humidity. For heritage objects and buildings, water can cause warping, staining, corrosion, mold growth, or structural failures. Mitigating water damage involves drying out materials carefully, cleaning deposits like mud or salt, and stabilizing affected structures.

Source: ICCROM, ICOMOS