Best Ways to Clean ivory

Old ivory can turn dark or yellow over a period of time because of several reasons. The temperature and humidity are the most common reasons for the change in color and texture of ivory. If you have placed the ivory antiques in a room that occasionally collects steam or reaches a temperature higher than 25 degrees, the ivory is more vulnerable to changes. Changing its place and giving it the right conditions can help prolong its life. In general, a stained ivory antique shows its age, because it tends to change color when it ages.

Ivory artifacts can be safely cleaned with a cloth soaked in water and lemon. Take a piece of cloth and soak it in water, then squeeze out the excess water. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze it onto the cloth. Lemons can do a terrific job at whitening and cleaning ivory because of its low PH which makes it acidic and squeaky cleans ivory every time. The lemon erodes a very thin layer of calcium from ivory, exposing the layer below, which is shiny and white.

To clean ivory, use soapy water on a cotton swab. If required you can also use a sponge or an old toothbrush to gently scrub the dust, grime, or dirt away. If the ivory object or sculpture you are trying to clean is small, there should not be much risk involved in breaking or swelling the object. If the ivory sculpture is large, you might have to be more careful because the moisture in the air and water might damage it. The moisture or change in temperature can cause some types of ivory to break, swell, or shrink.