Prolong The Life of South Carolina Antiques Through Proper Care

Whether you’re a novice in the South Carolina world of antiques or have some mileage under your wheels, you’ve finally tracked down that antique collectible for which you’ve been searching for what seemingly feels like forever. So what do you do with it now? Placing the antique in a revered niche in your home may relate to even the casual observer, the high regard with which you hold the item. But that doesn’t even begin to address what will happen to the antique in the coming months and years. By their very nature, antiques have special maintenance needs in order to keep them in good condition. It’s also important to remember that the climate has changed in South Carolina from the time when the antique was first made. Who knows, someday you may wish to trade the antique for another ancient piece you prize even more. Here you will see what environmental conditions you need to address, in order to keep your antiques in as pristine a condition as possible.

It’s easy to fall into the common trap of placing your newly acquired antiques in your home wherever such an item may usually go. However, just because an antique may have lasted 100 years or more doesn’t guarantee that it will continue to hold together down the road. This is where taking special care of your antiques come in. Especially in a normally humid climate like that in South Carolina, some antiques will not survive intact if not properly protected.

What The Surrounding Environment Can Do To Your Antique

Since the materials used in creating what are now antiques may greatly differ from manufacturing processes used in the present day, it may follow that current airborne pollutants could have a detrimental effect on the antique. You need to be mindful of the following common environmental elements when protecting your antiques:

• Sunlight. Since the oils, varnishes and lacquers used in everything from antique paintings to furniture may have undergone chemical changes in their makeup, care should be taken to keep these away from sunlight in order to prevent fading or discoloration.
• Temperature. Heat that is normally generated when sunlight streams through glass windows can also break down all manner of antique items. Wood can bend and warp over time, metals can experience a quickening of the oxidation process, and paper can discolor and crack. Take care to ensure antiques are not subjected to extreme changes in temperature, either hot or cold that occurs in South Carolina.
• Humidity and dryness. The amount of moisture in the environment in which an antique sits can also hasten its decay. This is especially true of many antique works in metal. Their manufacturing process did not contain anti-corrosive chemicals and materials that would protect them against the kind of humidity found, say, during an average South Carolina summer.

You must also take care not to clean any antique item too excessively since that, too, will increase the wear on the antique. When you purchase an antique piece, be sure you know what special cleaning processes or materials you will need to ensure their preservation. Take a few extra precautions in maintaining your antique treasurers and they will give you years of enjoyment.