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Summary
- Store or display stone in an environment with temperatures below 20°C and a relative humidity in the range 45 - 55 % with maximum variations of 4 °C and 5 % respectively within any 24 hour period.
- Do not expose marble and limestone to direct heating.
- Use cotton gloves for handling most stone objects and disposable latex gloves when handling highly polished stone.
- Protect specimens from dust and store in enamel-coated metal cupboards.
- If wooden storage or display cabinets are used they must be properly sealed to protect calcareous stone objects from acidic vapours.
- Isolate outdoor stone monuments from water sources to avoid or control salt contamination, biological attack and weathering.
- Examine and fully document objects before any treatment.
- Use dry cleaning methods before any solvent cleaning is undertaken. Take care to avoid abrasion of surfaces.
- Test treatments on an inconspicuous part of the object before any large-scale application.
- As most stones are porous, use a minimum amount of water or solvent for cleaning.
- Use easily removable adhesives that have good ageing characteristics to repair stone. Large or heavy stone repairs may require dowels and stronger adhesives.
- Mild cleaning techniques, such as nebulisation, may be suitable for some stone monuments.
- Apply a suitable biocide to biological growths on stone monuments before removing them by mechanical cleaning.
