Connecting to Collections Care

This question is outside my expertise so I'm going to reach out to some more knowledgeable people and get back to you on this.

Best,

Saira

Connecting to Collections Care Monitor

Hi Candace,

I've heard back from some experts and am still waiting on others. One of the conservators pointed out that in the case of a historic house, the house itself counts as a collections item. Another pointed out that the product seems to be meant for boats so it's probably that it's designed for use on fiberglass as a substrate, not wood, metal, and brick.

The most detailed response I received is below:

I am hoping to hear back from additional experts soon, but in the meantime, this seems like a good place to start!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Saira

Connecting to Collections Care Monitor
--

Another expert said the following:

I've looked at the product, their website, the MSDS sheet, and the ingredients and there's nothing in it that would raise any red flags.  They're very vague about the substrates it can be used on, but it does say it can be used on painted and "marine" surfaces  (whatever that means) which I would assume also means wood boats.  Just to be on the safe side I would do three things.

First call the company and ask to speak to their technical department. They can tell you outright if this project is safe to use on wood.  Don't let them send you to a company rep as that person is going to just say yes because they want to sell you product.

The second is to do a test on a small, inconspicuous area before doing a full application.  Let the testing area fully dry to see if it develops any haze or discoloration.

And thirdly, I recommend gently scraping off as much of the solid droppings as possible so you're using less product on the wood. The ingredients list three different types of salts, so  try and use less of the product and make sure you rinse well.

Best,

Saira
--

This is from a scientist I consulted. She had this to say:

1) Do not use on metallic surfaces as some of the ingredients will begin to leach and corrode metal with prolonged contact. For wood it would be good to run some testing or get more information from the company.
2) Some of the solvents (most ingredients are declared as low percentages in the SDS - so I am assuming the highest percentage by weight is the 2-butoxyethanol) are sometimes found as solvents for paint/paint thinners so I would be extremely cautious using it on any painted surfaces.
3) Definitely rinse well to remove all product after use
4) There is some potential for skin/eye irritation - I wouldn't recommend it, but if planning to use indoors, make sure there is good ventilation

This is not a product that I would recommend we use here in our context. However in a case where concretions and staining are extreme, I can see a situation where the benefits might outweigh the risks provided the points listed above are considered.

Hope that helps!

Best,

Saira