Is there a good way to physically clean prints if they get gunk on them?

Question

Cry for Help

I have just mounted a large (24" x 16") print onto mounting board using a spray adhesive. This is for an exhibition in 3 days' time.

Some of the adhesive got on the front of the print.
This should not have been unexpected, as I am a complete clutz!
Is there a way to clean the glue off the print?

To make this question more generally useful: is there a good way to clean general dirt off a print?

Many thanks for any help!

Asked by AJ Finch

Answer

It would depend what the print was created with. If the print was created with some kind of ink jet system, there is no way to clean it. The inks are soluble, and pretty much any cleaning agent will ruin the ink. The adhesive itself has also likely bonded to the ink particles, so trying to remove the adhesive will damage the print.

Some forms of print are more resilient, such as laser or possibly dye sublimation. Generally speaking, I would assume that there are few cleaning agents that would allow you to remove the adhesive without also removing the ink or ruining the paper substrate.

When it comes to board-mounted prints, usually after bonding the print to the base, you seal the print with some kind of spray-on sealant or laminate. If you use a print sealer, it might help mitigate the effects of the adhesive, as well as make your print resilient to any future damage.

Answered by jrista

Check more discussion of this question.