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  • 1.  Insect dropping removal

    Posted 03-14-2024 11:01

    I am looking to remove a severe build up of insect droppings from various areas of our 166 year old home museum structure. I have found a fantastic product that works exactly as described and would love for it to be the solution to my problem. Before I move forward cleaning interior and exterior painted wood areas, as well as metal and painted brick. I would appreciate any feedback regarding the product and its ingredients, as well as other ways to rectify the issue. Note: I will not be using this product on any collection pieces. 

    thank you

    Star brite bird & spider stain remover


    ------------------------------
    Candance Near
    Curator
    Dillon Home Museum
    Sterling IL
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Insect dropping removal

    Posted 03-15-2024 09:49
    Hi Candance,

    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

    --
    Saira Haqqi (she/they)
    Conservator
    National Archives and Records Administration 
    Archives II - Room 1600
    8601 Adelphi Rd
    College Park, MD 20740
    301-837-3725 (office)
    202-317-2251 (NARA cell)

    If we are setting up a meeting, please let me know if you need any accommodations!



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Insect dropping removal

    Posted 03-15-2024 16:20
    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:

    To address her specific question, a first step would be to call Star Brite at the number provided and ask if they can provide advice on how their product affects the substrates that it cleans. Ask to talk with their research scientist, not their PR people. 

    My next call might be to Benjamin Haavik, Team Leader for Property Care at Historic New England. The main phone number for Historic New England is (617) 227-3956, or info@HistoricNewEngland.org
    Here is one of Historic New england's white papers on washing exterior surfaces:

    My best practical advice is to start with the gentlest cleaning agents and progress to more aggressive "quick acting" commercial products only as necessary. Test  cleaning agents by removing deposits on small areas of different surfaces (wood, brick, stone) in non-obvious locations, rinse the surface well with water after use, and then check the cleaned areas occasionally for a few months to observe any changes in the cleaned substrate. Test areas in both the sun and shade. Consider that even if there is a change in appearance, that change should have been caused by the deposits and there could be additional damage if the deposits are not removed.

    If one needs to dig deeper, check with historic house museums that have large conservation departments such as Colonial Williamsburg
    and the Henry Ford Museum (Greenfield Village)
    as well as regional centers like The Ford Conservation Center in Nebraska 
    or the Williamstown Art Conservation Center 

    Scientists at the Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute should be able to provide information on this product's active ingredients effect on common building materials.   https://mci.si.edu/
    or even the Getty Conservation Institute 
    The trick with these last two is finding the right conservation scientist to talk with. 

    Much more information that you were probably asking for, but that is how I would approach screening any commercial product to be used on collections objects.

    ---

    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

    --
    Saira Haqqi (she/they)
    Conservator
    National Archives and Records Administration 
    Archives II - Room 1600
    8601 Adelphi Rd
    College Park, MD 20740
    301-837-3725 (office)
    202-317-2251 (NARA cell)

    If we are setting up a meeting, please let me know if you need any accommodations!



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Insect dropping removal

    Posted 03-18-2024 09:02
    Hi Candace,

    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

    --
    Saira Haqqi (she/they)
    Conservator
    National Archives and Records Administration 
    Archives II - Room 1600
    8601 Adelphi Rd
    College Park, MD 20740
    301-837-3725 (office)
    202-317-2251 (NARA cell)

    If we are setting up a meeting, please let me know if you need any accommodations!



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Insect dropping removal

    Posted 03-19-2024 14:03
    Hi Candace,

    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





    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Insect dropping removal

    Posted 03-19-2024 14:37

    Thank you for the information!



    ------------------------------
    Candance Near
    Curator
    Dillon Home Museum
    Sterling IL
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Insect dropping removal

    Posted 03-17-2024 16:53

    Hi Candice,

    You might also find it helpful to reach out to a conservator in private practice.Who is near your location. You can.

    Do this online through the American institute.For Conservation "Find a Professional" search tool. For anything on a building or historic structure, you can put the "architectural" specialty into the search form along with your area zip code.



    ------------------------------
    Katharine Untch
    Principal, Conservator
    Alameda CA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Insect dropping removal

    Posted 03-19-2024 14:37

    thank you



    ------------------------------
    Candance Near
    Curator
    Dillon Home Museum
    Sterling IL
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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