Cleaning A Porcelain Horse?

Soba

Soba

At the Start
Joined
Apr 7, 2005
Messages
154
Location
Outer Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Hello folks.

I am in need of some advice here and hopefully someone can help me out? (Dims this is up your street i think)

After visiting the attic today to collect some bits and bobs i found our porcelain Lladro Thoroughbred in a box, i nearly died when i looked at it. The thing is he is stinking! After suffering from my OH smoking his head off in the past (now banned indoors) and of open fire dirt he is dire need of cleaning up.
The thing is as it is a matt sort of finish to it i wouldn't know what to use or what not to use to do so. I'd hate to do more harm that good as it has sentimental value, plus it's worth a few bob :D Also his highness indoors would holy mental loopy if i bugger up!

So any tips, hints or advice in how to make it sparkle again would be really appreciated. Give me a real horse to clean, no problem. This one is a totally different kettle of fish altogether!
 
After visiting the attic today to collect some bits and bobs i found our porcelain Lladro Thoroughbred in a box, i nearly died when i looked at it. The thing is he is stinking!
Click to expand...

Move his box downstairs, make sure it has adequate ventilation and muck it out daily.
 
Hor hor!

Seriously, get a little bowl of tepid water with some washing-up liquid in it, and using a fine brush [eg a pastry brust] gently try cleaning off a little of the dirt somewhere inconspicuous, eg on the belly. If all seems well, continue, but be careful of immersing the object if you don't know what the finish is. Some people use hydrogen peroxide, others use diluted denture cleaner. Don't use bleach or anything like that


You can get advice online eg: http://tinyurl.com/y9t8nq
 
for gods sake dont quote me without looking it up, but isnt toothpaste supposed to be quite good for cleaning somehting?? (other than teeth!!!)
 
Hiya Soba, don't use anything stronger than warm water with a hint of washing up liquid. Use a cloth that is very soft, but not one that is going to leave an enormous amount of residue behind, ie tiny blobs of cotton. If this happens, let the piece dry and use a soft artists brush to clean the bits off.

Soba, if you can't look after this piece properly, I know someone who will. ;)
 
Agreed on the warm water with bit of washing up liquid - I used cotton buds on a similar problem. I have heard that Witchhazel is good too but haven't tried it.
 
Thank you SO much for all the helpful`advice folks :)

I will do the washing up liquid trick for sure. I'm sure the horse will look spick and span after that!

Dims, as much as i'm sure you would love him i can't sell it. My OH would sell our wee boy first :D

I was actually thinking of you Dims while i was looking through the attic, it is a real treasure trove where horse ornaments are concerned and i knew you would love them. The story behind having so many was (it must be over thirty items) that whenever my OH's late mum lost a horse, be it a racehorse, broodmare, donkey or an old wee pony she always bought a nice horse piece to put on her mantle to remind her of them. I always thought that was a nice touch.

The Lladro was bought to remind her of her nice but nutty mare, Lake Constance who won the Pretty Polly Stakes. She bred from her, sold her and then when she was retired as a broodmare she was bought back from England to live out her days here. An equine love affair that FORBIDS me to sell the Lladro :lol:

Again, many thanks to all.
 
Back
Top