Poulticing Materials
The problems in cleaning stone and other porous surfaces are numerous notwithstanding the very nature of the stone specie and the type and extent of its damage. The general nature and source of dirt on the stone must be determined in order to remove it in the most effective, yet least harmful, manner. Types of "dirt" include soot, smoke, leached salts, rust and organic stains, products of chemical attack from air pollution, micro-organisms and various applied coatings of paint, wax, etc. Stubborn dirt can be treated in a variety of ways including chemical cleaners and abrasives. Each method has its advantages and drawbacks. The safest of all stone cleaning methods is poulticing.
All stone cleaning procedures generally attempt to maximize cleaning power while minimizing chemical and physical attack that can result in further stone degradation. The use of inert natural clay poultices, or mud packs, is recognized as one of the safest methods for removing dirt deposits without affecting the stone’s integrity or surface detail. Poultices act to draw out hidden dirt, salts and microbes and is the least harmful of all techniques.
Attapulgite Clay
Our 1890 Poultice is a specially treated attapulgite clay which is unsurpassed as an absorbing medium. It has an exceptionally low iron content. It is comprised of hydrated magnesium aluminum silicate and is cream in color.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-10005-001 Attapulgite Clay, 1 lb. $ 4.35
CL-10005-004 Attapulgite Clay, 4 lbs. 12.80
CL-10005-010 Attapulgite Clay, 10 lbs. 27.84
CL-10005-025 Attapulgite Clay, 25 lbs. 55.60
Diatomaceous Earth
(Diatomite Mineral Filler)Our diatomaceous earth is specially processed and finely divided. It is chemically inert (silica) and light tan in color. It can be used as a mild abrasive or absorbent.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-10010-001 Diatomaceous Earth, 1 lb. $ 4.35
CL-10010-005 Diatomaceous Earth, 5 lbs. 16.00
CL-10010-010 Diatomaceous Earth, 10 lbs. 27.84
CL-10010-025 Diatomaceous Earth, 25 lbs. 55.60
Kaolin Colloidal
Our 1890 Poultice is a specially treated attapulgite clay which is unsurpassed as an absorbing medium. It has an exceptionally low iron content. It is comprised of hydrated magnesium aluminum silicate and is cream in color.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-10005-001 Attapulgite Clay, 1 lb. $ 4.35
CL-10005-004 Attapulgite Clay, 4 lbs. 12.80
CL-10005-010 Attapulgite Clay, 10 lbs. 27.84
CL-10005-025 Attapulgite Clay, 25 lbs. 55.60
Kaolin Colloidal
Our 1890 Poultice is a specially treated attapulgite clay which is unsurpassed as an absorbing medium. It has an exceptionally low iron
content. It is comprised of hydrated magnesium aluminum silicate and is cream in color.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-10005-001 Attapulgite Clay, 1 lb. $ 4.35
CL-10005-004 Attapulgite Clay, 4 lbs. 12.80
CL-10005-010 Attapulgite Clay, 10 lbs. 27.84
CL-10005-025 Attapulgite Clay, 25 lbs. 55.60
Cotton
Roll Cotton
We stock two grades of roll cotton. Each roll weighs 1 pound and has the approx. dimensions of 12 inches in width by 12 feet in length and ¼" in thickness.
Our #1 grade of roll cotton is made from the finest long fiber cotton available. The long fiber of #1 makes it the best choice for those of you who make your own cotton tipped applicators.
Our #2 grade of roll cotton is made from fiber that is not quite as long as #1 but still quite good. The #2 grade is very good for general purpose use and is still several grades better than the roll cotton purchased at your local drug store. Roll cotton is sold by the roll or by the case (each case has 25 one pound rolls).
Cat No. Description 1-5 rl 6-24 rl 25 rl
CL-20005 Roll Cotton, #1 Grade $ 8.34 $ 7.50 $ 6.67
CL-20010 Roll Cotton, #2 Grade 6.82 6.14 5.46
Applicator Sticks
Bamboo and Wooden Applicators
Our bamboo skewers are 10" in length and 3.5mm in diameter. Bamboo skewer unlike wooden applicators, do not absorb moisture. They are packaged 100 per pack.
Our wooden applicators are made of hard white birchwood. They are 6" in length by 1/12" or 3mm in diameter. Wooden applicators are packed 100 500 or 1,000 per carton.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-22005-0100 Bamboo Skewers, 100 $ 1.87
CL-22010-0100 Wooden Applicators, 100 2.35
CL-22010-0500 Wooden Applicators, 500 6.83
CL-22010-1000 Wooden Applicators, 1,000 10.93
Cotton Tipped Applicators
#806
is a standard round tipped cotton swab that is single tipped, and attached to a 6" x 1/12" applicator stick made of hard white birchwood. The cotton tip is rounded and approx. 1/4" in diameter.#861
is the same size and ship as our standard round tipped cotton swab, but is double tipped (less waste). It is attached to a 6" x 1/12" applicator stick made of hard white birchwood. The cotton tip is rounded and approx. 1/4" in diameter.We have added the next two cotton tipped applicators at the request of objects conservators that needed a smaller swab to get in to tight areas.
#869
is a mini-round tipped cotton swab that is single tipped, and attached to a 6" x 1/12" applicator stick made of hard white birchwood. The cotton tip is rounded and approx. 1/8" in diameter.#826
is a mini-pointed cotton tipped swab that is single tipped, and attached to a 6" x 1/12" applicator stick made of hard white birchwood. The cotton tip tapers to a point that is a little under 1/16".Style #806, #869, and #826 are packaged in single packs that contains 100 swabs, one box contains 1,000 swabs and a case contains 10,000 swabs. Style #861 (double tipped applicators) come packed 100 swabs per pack, 500 swabs per box, and a case contains 5,000 swabs.
Cat No. Description Price
CL-20015-001 Applicators/Standard, Pack $ 1.96
CL-20015-010 Applicators/Standard, Box 11.60
CL-20015-100 Applicators/Standard, Case 86.50
CL-20015-001 Applicators/Double Tipped, Pack 2.65
CL-20015-010 Applicators/Double Tipped, Box 15.66
CL-20015-100 Applicators/Double Tipped, Case 116.78
CL-20015-001 Applicators/Mini-Round, Pack 2.35
CL-20015-010 Applicators/Mini-Round, Box 13.92
CL-20015-100 Applicators/Mini-Round, Case 103.80
CL-20015-001 Applicators/Mini-Pointed, Pack 2.35
CL-20015-010 Applicators/Mini-Pointed, Box 15.66
CL-20015-100 Applicators/Mini-Pointed, Case 116.78
DETERGENTs and Soaps
Orvus WA Paste
Orvus wa Paste is a near-neutral pH, synthetic surfactant and wetting agent with excellent detergency, emulsifying, and dispersing properties. The primary component of Orvus WA Paste is sodium lauryl sulfate. It is a gentle detergent that is recommended for cleaning most fine textiles. Orvus is a neutral pH synthetic detergent with excellent detergency, emulsifying and dispersing properties. Orvus contains no phosphorus and is biodegradable. Orvus is soluble in hot or cold water and provides excellent sudzing across a wide range of water hardness conditions. Orvus lowers surface tension, providing fast wetting and penetration, and is effective in many cleaning tasks, such as cleaning rugs, upholstery and hand washing of delicate fabrics. At room temperature, Orvus is an amber colored liquid of honey-like consistency, but solidifies into a white colored soft paste form at about 55
° F. Use 1 to 3 ounces by weight of Orvus Paste per gallon of water for hand washing of fine fabric and up to 4 ounces per gallon for rugs and upholstery. Remember to rinse very well in order to remove all traces of Orvus from the fabric. When using this product as with all chemicals and cleaners, always wear gloves, safety glasses and protective clothing.Cat. No. Description Price
CL-18005-016 Orvus WA Paste, Pint $ 5.52
CL-18005-032 Orvus WA Paste, Quart 9.88
CL-18005-128 Orvus WA Paste, Gallon 23.55
Vulpex Soap
Vulpex Soap is based on potassium methyl cyclohexyl oleate. It is an exceptionally versatile cleaner for textiles, leather, carpets, oil paintings,
sculpture, metals and stone. The concentrate is soluble in water or in white spirit.
It has been used with eminent success in the safe and controllable cleaning of materials ranging from feathers, costumery, leather, carpets and furniture to oil paintings, armor, precious metals, shell, marble and stone.
Vulpex attacks and emulsifies dirt, fats, fatty oils, mineral oils, waxes and hydrocarbons with great speed and efficiency. The dirty emulsions are remarkably stable, thus easily disposable. Micro-fine cracks harboring dirt are subject to a deep-cleansing action rarely achieved with normal commercial cleaners.
Compared with harsh, acid-based cleaners, alkaline Vulpex is not harmful to health or property. A final rinse or wipe with clean water neutralizes the surface, leaving behind nothing to create future conservation problems.
When the job demands a non-aqueous cleaning system (for example, when removing grime from leather), Vulpex uniquely can be blended with mineral spirit (Paint thinner) instead of water.
Vulpex is supplied as a dense concentrate and must be diluted before use. For normal aqueous cleaning, one part Vulpex to six or seven parts cold tap water (by volume) is sufficient. More water can be added if the soiling is light. As a spirit soap, one part Vulpex in ten to twenty parts solvent will be found effective.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-18015-004 Vulpex Soap, 4 oz. $ 11.36
CL-18015-008 Vulpex Soap, 8 oz. 19.75
CL-18015-016 Vulpex Soap, Pint 34.35
CL-18015-032 Vulpex Soap, Quart 59.74
CL-18015-128 Vulpex Soap, Gallon 209.22
Triton X-100 & XL-80N
Triton X-100 is a
non-ionic surface-active detergent that consists of 100% active ingredients and is 99%+ biodegradable. It takes the form of a clear to slightly hazy thick liquid (240 cps) that is stable for years if stored in a sealed container. It has a pH range of 6.5-8.0. Triton X-100 is soluble in all proportions at 25° C in water, benzene, toluene, xylene ethanol, isopropanol and ethylene glycol. For most cleaning applications a concentration of 2-5% should prove to be adequate.Triton XL-80N
is a good alternative to Triton X-100. Triton XL-80N has all the same basic properties as Triton X-100, but is safer to use (See Health and Safety Notes below). It may be used in most formulas as a direct replacement. For those situations where it does not work as well as needed, consider a mixture of both Tritons. Keep in mind that Triton X-100 is not half as bad for your health as most of the chemicals already in your lab, it’s just a good practice to always use the safest products available.Health and Safety Notes
: For the past few years now, Chris Stavroudis who writes a Health & Safety column for the WAAC newsletter has brought to the attention of conservators that Triton X-100 has some potential health concerns associated with it’s use. Chris has pointed out that Triton X-100 is made from, and decomposes back into, octylphenol which has been demonstrated to mimic the hormone estrogen in a number of animal species at extremely low levels of exposure. Although there is no direct evidence that there is some risk to men and women and particularly a developing fetus. Women in their child bearing years should be especially concerned and might want to
avoid exposure
. Because of these health concerns, we highly suggest you consider the replacement of Triton X-100 whenever possible with the safer version, Triton XL-80N. Most important of all, do as we always recommend, READ THE MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS FOR YOURSELF.Cat. No. Description Price
CL-18080-016 Triton XL-80N, Pint $ 9.88
CL-18080-032 Triton XL-80N, Quart 15.20
CL-18080-128 Triton XL-80N, Gallon 46.78
CL-18080-640 Triton XL-80N, 5 Gallon 152.10
CL-18100-016 Triton X-100, Pint 9.88
CL-18100-032 Triton X-100, Quart 15.20
CL-18100-128 Triton X-100, Gallon 46.78
CL-18100-640 Triton X-100, 5 Gallon 152.10
Document Cleaning
Document Cleaning Powder & Pads
Skum-X products are recommended for cleaning dirty paper but also work well on leather and cloth. The powder is very soft and grit-free. The pad is made of soft cloth and contains the same material as the powder.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-16003 Document Cleaning Pad $ 3.45
CL-16006 Document Cleaning Powder, 1 lb. 10.87
Book and Print Cleaner
Absorene Book and Print Cleaner is a soft and pliable putty like material that looks and feels just like "play-dough". After taking a small handful of putty and working it in your hands until soft, you simply wipe it lightly in one direction across your document. The putty will absorb and lift dirt, dust and smoke right off the paper or most any surface. Packaged in 11 oz. containers.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-16055 Book and Print Cleaner $ 3.95
Leather Dressings
CSS Leather Dressing
CSS Leather Dressing is a blend of 60% Neats-Foot Oil and 40% Lanolin.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-31015-016 CSS Leather Dressing, Pint $ 8.85
CL-31015-032 CSS Leather Dressing, Quart 15.05
Fredelka Leather Preservative
Fredelka Leather Preservative/Restorer is a unique product which has been thoroughly tested and proven to give outstanding results on fine leather bindings. Easily applied rich cream penetrates deeply into leather
to produce a scuff resistant surface with a rich patina to rejuvenate, restore and preserve. A compound of animal and other nondrying oils, it contains no flammable or volatile components. Chemically neutral with defensive buffers to guard against external pollutants. Fredelka formula will not leave an oily or sticky finish on books. Packaged in 8oz containers.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-31030 Fredelka Leather Preservative $ 21.05
wiping materials
Photex Anti-Static Wipes
Photex Wipes are ideal for use in all applications where static neutralization and dust control is critical. These wipes are soft, absorbent and lint free. They will not scratch because they contain no chemical or polymer binders. Photex Wipes reduce or eliminate static wherever they are used. They are excellent for glass, optics, photographic film and especially useful for wiping items before final coatings are applied. They measure 9" x 13" and come packed 25 or 100 wipes per box. They cost less than 25 cents per wipe. Compare that to other anti-static wipers that cost as much as $5.00 each.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-26005-25 Photex Wipes, 25 pack $ 8.50
CL-26005-100 Photex Wipes, 100 pack 25.85
Dust Bunnies
The Dust Bunny magnetic wiping fabric is made of a combination of hi-tech Tyvek and nylon fibers which are chemical free, lint free, washable and reusable. With nearly 50,000 fibers per square inch the Dust Bunny generates a electrostatic charge that attracts and holds dust, dirt, and lint. It can be used on many surfaces including lenses, computer monitors, film and much more. The Dust Bunny is machine washable and dryable, and can be reused many times. Each Dust Bunny measures 17" x 17".
Cat. No. Description 1-9 10-24 25-49 50+
CL-27038 Dust Bunny $ 4.77 $ 4.33 $ 3.94 $ 3.25
Webril Wipes
Webril Wipes are a 100% pure cotton wipe that contains no binders or chemicals. The interlocked fibers won’t come apart, even when soaked in water or solvents. Webril Wipes are soft, lintless, super absorbent, and have amazing wet strength. These wipes are ideal for cleaning, they will not scratch even the most delicate coatings or surfaces. Webril Wipes come in two sizes: 8" x 8" pads on a roll of 100 wipes, and 4" x 4" pads packed 100 per package.
Cat. No. Description 1-9 10-19 20+
CL-28044 Webril Wipes, 4" x 4" $ 7.74 $ 6.97 $ 6.19
Cat. No. Description 1-3 4-7 8+
CL-28088 Webril Wipes, 8" x 8" $ 11.64 $ 10.48 $ 9.31
Kimwipes
Kimwipes EX-L wipes are single-ply, extra low-lint, absorbent, soft, and nonabrasive. They won’t scratch delicate surfaces and they wipe
surfaces clean without leaving residue. All three sizes come in a convenient pop-up box with a special anitstatic plastic lintguard in the slot to reduce airborne lint and keep contaminants out of the box.
The 4½" x 8½" size are packed 280 wipes per box and 60 boxes per case. The 15" x 17" size are packed 140 wipes per box and 15 boxes per case.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-31048-001 Kimwipes EX-L, 4½" x 8½", Box $ 2.78
CL-31048-060 Kimwipes EX-L, 4½" x 8½", Case 139.02
CL-31517-001 Kimwipes EX-L, 15" x 17", Box 8.14
CL-31517-015 Kimwipes EX-L, 15" x 17", Case 101.75
Cheesecloth
Our cheesecloth is a 32/28 weave and comes in a bleached white finish. It is lint-free, soft and is ideal for cleaning, wiping, dissolving solids in liquid, and much more. Cheesecloth can absorb up to six times its own weight of solvents and aqueous solutions. Put up in handifold bolts in self-storing boxes. Accordion folded in 18" folds, 36" wide.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-30036-010 Cheesecloth-Bleached, 36" x 10 yd. $ 10.00
CL-30036-040 Cheesecloth-Bleached, 36" x 40 yd. 30.63
CL-30036-080 Cheesecloth-Bleached, 36" x 80 yd. 54.50
Diaper Cleaning Cloth
Our diaper cleaning cloth is baby soft making then great for buffing wax finishes and cleaning anything that needs that extra fine touch. They are made from several layers of pure white cotton fabric without any filler or finishing materials added. Our diapers are uniform in thickness (no heavy center panel to deal with). They measure 12" x 12" and have a completely finished edge stitching that eliminate lose fiber strands that unravel during use. They may washed and reused many, many times.
Cat. No. Description 1 each 12 pk 25 pk 50 pk
CL-51004 Diaper Cleaning Cloth $ 4.77 $ 4.33 $ 3.94 $ 3.25
Sponges
Vulcanized Rubber Sponge
Vulcanized natural rubber sponges make a great dry cleaning sponge. This sponge has found many uses due to it ability to clean without the use of water or detergents. The sponge surface with its many pores pulls dirt from a soiled surface into the center of the sponge. It works well on wood, metal, painted surfaces and fabrics. The sponge is intended to be used completely dry with only light pressure needed (do not scrub). It is often used to clean materials damaged from smoke and soot after a fire. A great product for over-head cleaning without dripage. Although recommended for dry usage it can also be used wetted with most non-solvent cleaning solutions. It is easily cleaned for reuse many times. The sponge measures 3" wide x 5-1/2" length x 1-3/4" thickness.
Cat. No. Description 1-11 12-23 24 +
CL-14010 Vulcanized Rubber Sponge $ 3.25 $ 2.93 $ 2.63
PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) Sponge
Sponge manufactures refers to sponges made of Polyvinyl Alcohol as PVA. PVA sponges are quite different from other sponges in many ways.
It is a complete open cell sponge and each of its pores are not independent but interconnected. This enables it to be thoroughly cleaned and reused time and time again. Its property to absorb and retain water and organic solvents is remarkably great because of hydrophilic OH-radicals in the molecular structure and the capillary action caused by its fine pore structure. It is resistant to organic solvents, acids and especially alkalines. You will not find a more absorbent sponge. You will find many uses for this sponge, cleaning is but one. They are very good for humidifying. The density and pore size of our PVA sponge is unsurpassed. Our PVA sponges are pure white in color (no dyes to bleed) and measures 3" wide by 6" in length and 1" in thickness.
One quick note about our PVA sponge. When you receive one of these sponges, it will be in its dry form. That means it’s as hard as a rock. You will need to soak the sponge for an hour or so in warn water to hydrate it back to life.
Cat. No. Description 1-11 12-23 24 +
CL-34005 PVA Sponge $ 5.00 $ 4.25 $ 3.50
Gelling mediums & Additives
Carbopol Polymers
Carbopol polymers are extremely efficient thickening polymers that are most often used to thicken cleaning formulas for many different applications. Carbopol yields crystal-clear water-based gels that are freeze-thaw stable and will not vary in viscosity with temperature. They will work in nearly any system where these conditions are met:
A single particle of a dry, powdered Carbopol resin will wet out very rapidly when placed in water. Like many other powders, Carbopol resins tend to form clumps or particles when haphazardly dispersed in polar solvents. The surfaces of these clumps solvate, forming a layer which prevents rapid wetting of the interior of the clumps. Several guidelines for dispersing Carbopol powders are as follows.
stock solution to individual batches can reduce mixing times per batch.
Carbopol resins must be neutralized in order to achieve their maximum viscosity. Unneutralized, aqueous dispersions of Carbopol resins have an approximate pH range of 2.8 to 3.2 depending on resin concentration. Increasing the pH causes the viscosity of the solution to increase rapidly until the pH reaches approximately 5. At a pH of 5, a plateau viscosity is achieved. The system remains at this viscosity through a pH of 10. Although Carbopol resins will still thicken highly alkaline systems, a loss in thickening efficiency occurs as pH’s of greater than 10 are obtained. This is caused by excessive neutralizing ions.
Cat. No. Description Price
CL-24005-004 Carbopol Resin 934, 4 oz. $ 17.20
CL-24005-008 Carbopol Resin 934, 8 oz. 17.20
CL-24005-016 Carbopol Resin 934, 1 lb. 32.68
CL-24005-032 Carbopol Resin 934, 2 lb. 62.09
CL-24010-004 Carbopol Resin 940, 4 oz. 17.20
CL-24010-008 Carbopol Resin 940, 8 oz. 17.20
CL-24010-016 Carbopol Resin 940, 1 lb. 32.68
CL-24010-032 Carbopol Resin 940, 2 lb. 62.09
Rags
Dust Off
Mini Vacuum Attac. Set