If you've experienced the convenience of online custom framing, you know that designing a frame can take as little as five minutes.
Once you have it home and on the wall, it's important to care for it so that your artwork or photo can be admired for years to come. Picture frames are decorative pieces and not furniture, so they need to be handled and cleaned a little differently.
Below you'll find our expert advice for what (and what not) to do to maintain your custom framed art.
Cleaning the Frame
The two main components of a picture frame that need to be maintained are the frame itself and the glazing that covers the art. They need to be treated a little differently, so we’ll break down the care for each separately.
Our frames come in a wide variety of wood, painted, and leafed finishes. Below you’ll find care tips universal to all types of frames.
Do: Regularly dry-dust your frame
Like all of our furniture and decor, picture frames need regular dusting. You can dust your frames with a soft dusting cloth, microfiber, or Swiffer.
Do: Use a damp cloth for deep cleaning
If your frame needs a deeper clean than a duster can provide, lightly dampen a lint-free cloth with water to gently wipe away any stuck-on grime.
Don't: Clean your frame with wood polish or chemicals
Wood polish or chemical cleaning sprays can have unexpected effects on the frame finish and should be avoided.
Cleaning Acrylic Glaze
All Level frames come with framing-grade acrylic (plexiglass) instead of traditional glass because it is lightweight, shatter-resistant, and maintains a high level of clarity.
We offer several different types of acrylic glaze you can choose from depending on your artwork and specific needs.
Do: Regularly dry-dust your glaze
Regularly dry dusting the acrylic along with the rest of the frame is usually the most you need to do to maintain acrylic, as it's gentle and prevents buildup.
Don't: Over-clean the glaze
With the exception of regular, non-UV filtering glass, all framing glazes need a gentle touch when it comes to cleaning. Constant wiping and touching the glaze can cause unnecessary wear, so if the
glaze is showing fingerprints, dirt, or some mysterious food splatter, only
then does it need a proper wipe-down with cleaner.
Do: Make sure to use the right cleaner
The glaze cleaning solution that we include with each Level frame is our
cleaner of choice, but you can also use isopropyl alcohol or denatured
alcohol. The great thing about these cleaners is that they can be used
on all types of glass and acrylic, even specially coated types.
Don't use Windex or any solution that contains ammonia, and be aware that special acrylic cleaners/polishers such as Novus cannot be used on Optium Museum acrylic as it destroys the anti-reflective coating.
Don't: Use paper towels
Paper towels and other abrasive cloths can leave scuffs on acrylic. Always use a fresh microfiber cloth (like the one included with Level frames) that is free from other cleaners or debris which can damage the surface of the glaze.
If you prefer a disposable cloth, we recommend Kimwipes.
Our frame cleaning tips tutorial video
Extra Tips
Dust your frames regularly to avoid the accumulation of dirt and other particles.
If you’ve used our At Home framing option and need to disassemble your frame for an even more thorough cleaning, be sure to lay the various components onto a clean, dust-free surface. Make sure all components are completely dry before reassembly.
For any other questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to us via chat (below) or at support@levelframes.com
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