Acrylic glass prints are a great alternative to the usual canvas printed piece if what you’re looking for is a more vibrant and eye-catching wall art for your room. It’s also the preferred medium if you’re printing photos as acrylic has light capturing properties that will enhance the vibrancy and luminosity of the print.
Acrylic boasts natural resistance to moisture damage, knocks and hits, and even UV light exposure. That said, it still requires care and maintenance! In this post, Urban Interiors shares care and maintenance tips to ensure your acrylic glass prints stay beautiful for a long time.
Dust and Wipe
For general cleaning and maintenance, use a soft dry cloth or lint-free cotton fabric to remove dust and dirt from the surface of your acrylic glass print. Use a damp cloth for streaks and smudges you can’t remove with a gentle wipe. You can use any dry cloth; just avoid micro-fabric cloth as it can leave behind tiny scratches on the acrylic surface.
If your acrylic glass print is just dusty, simply use a duster to clean the dirt and debris off the surface. Both feather and synthetic dusters work just as well for general cleaning.
Use a Glass Cleaner
There are some stains that you, unfortunately, can’t remove with just a dry cloth. For stains that are a bit older than a few days and are slightly embedded in the glass surface, we recommend using a glass cleaner. While there are glass cleaners specifically made for acrylic and plexiglass, you can use a regular glass cleaner.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to apply too much pressure when cleaning your acrylic glass print. You can simply wipe the surface clean since the glass cleaner will do the hard work for you. For older stains, apply gentle pressure with your cloth to assist the cleaner.
Finally, avoid using any cleaning solution that has alcohol or petrol in it. These aggressive liquids will cause irreversible damage to the acrylic glass and could even outright destroy it!
Keep your Gloves On
Whether you’re cleaning your acrylic glass print or just moving it around, consider wearing gloves. Not only do you avoid embedding your fingerprints on the acrylic glass, you also safeguard it from scratches and accidentally smudging existing dirt marks.
Consider the Location
While acrylic glass prints are more resilient to environmental factors such as moisture and UV light, its durability will still get worn down eventually. That’s why when you’re choosing the perfect location for your new wall art, there are some locations you want to avoid.Avoid placing your acrylic glass print in direct sunlight as, over time, the wall art will lose its signature colour intensity and vibrancy. You can hang your acrylic glass print in a generally sun-lit room, so long as it isn’t directly exposed to unfiltered sunlight.
You should also steer clear from rooms that experience excessive moisture. Condensation affects all types of wall art mediums, and while acrylic glass prints do boast heightened resilience to it, the moisture will still cause continuous and often unseen damage to your wall art – not to mention causing near-irreversible damage to its framing.
If you’re set on housing your new acrylic glass print in a moisture-prone room, such as the kitchen or bath area, you can avoid intense condensation damage by keeping the area well-ventilated. You can do this even without any ventilation infrastructure by keeping the doors to these rooms open after use, ensuring the moisture gradually escapes the room without issue. If you notice any condensation on the surface of the glass print, simply wipe it clean with your dry cloth.
Wall our printed on acrylic glass boasts vibrancy and colour detail that gives the art substance and depth. While resilient, it still requires general cleaning and care to preserve its beauty. By keeping these care and maintenance tips in mind, you ensure that your acrylic glass prints stay aesthetically pleasing for a long time.