AIC's 51st Annual Meeting

Mechanical cleaning is an essential process for conservation and it is crucial to assess any harmful impact the cleaning materials used might have on the cultural objects and the environment. Vellux® is a brand of insulation blankets commonly marketed for the hospitality sector. In the early 2010s, heritage conservators incorporated it into their cleaning supplies. Vellux® showed good cleaning properties, however, blankets started yellowing and shedding nylon fibres as they aged. The fibres are hardly visible and go completely unnoticed on white surfaces due to their translucency and short length. Shedding can also release particles of polyurethane foam and unknown additives. Vellux® fibres were likely being left on objects, and limited research had assessed their composition or deterioration.

An MPhil dissertation at the University of Glasgow in 2022, written by the author, investigated Vellux® properties and quantified shedding, evaluating options to reduce it. The research aimed to bring awareness to nylon fibres of Vellux® being left on cultural objects and transferred to sewage and waste sites. The research involved developing experiments simulating mechanical cleaning with Vellux®. The tests compared a new blanket to a three-year-old blanket and were performed on fabrics of different textures. The fabrics were photographed with ultraviolet lights, which increased the visibility of nylon fibres. The fibres were counted with the support of the free software ImageJ and analysed statistically. The research also included SEM and FTIR to assess the composition and deterioration of the material.

The experiment demonstrated that a startling amount of fibres could be left on surfaces after cleaning. Tests revealed that some techniques for using the material might increase shedding. A positive alternative to reduce residues would be to pre-wash Vellux® before cleaning, however, this would carry other concerns on Vellux® physical stability, water consumption and pollution of sewage with nylon fibres.