Bronze

Bronze is so durable it can take any weather conditions though some of the modern esoteric patinas do not last very well. Soap and water using a brush or old tooth brush to get rid of dirt or growth and any clear wax furniture polish brushed on and buffed up with a brush or cloth should be sufficient.

Granite

Granite is incredibly hard and can withstand a Pressure Jet and a good scrub and can be cleaned using a combination of the sbove with a propriettry cleaner like “Dettol” clear spray and polished with a clear wax furnituere polish following the manufactures instruction in all instancies. In all cases try a small unobtrusive area first.

Marble

Remember that marble is porous and will dissolve in acids; for example, wipe up red wine immediately.
To clean marble, dissolve soap flakes in water. Dip a cloth in the soapy water and wring it out. Scrub the marble thoroughly. Then use a clean, damp cloth to wipe it and use a dry cloth to buff it up.
You can use an oil-based finish for polishing the marble.

How can I clean smoke stains off a sculpture or marble fire surround?
Start by wetting the stained area, to prevent the dirt being drawn into the marble when it is dissolved. Apply the cleaning solution, working it into the stain with a nylon-bristle brush. Rinse the marble well and dry with a soft cloth. Work up from weaker to stronger treatments:

• Household detergent dissolved in warm, distilled water
• dilute household bleach
• A solution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide (100 vol.) to 3 parts water
• commercial marble cleaner, e.g. HG Spot Stain Remover.

Origins
Natural marbles are metamorphic rocks, occurring in a wide range of colours, consisting of fine to coarse-grained calcite or dolomite. They have been re-crystallised by natural processes in the earth, causing them to frequently develop a grainy, ?sugary? mineral texture. Rocks which are now marbles may have formed originally from ancient coral reefs (in which case you would find fossil outlines of corals, sea shells and other forms of marine life within the rock), or from calcareous sediments (where you would expect to still see the original sediment?s mineral grains and bedding layers). Marbles which have undergone particularly high metamorphic pressure and temperature changes tend to lose their original sedimentary features, and become coarsely banded rocks. Many types of marble may be hundreds of millions of years old, and have been altered from their original state by a variety of natural earth processes (usually metamorphic changes involving great heat and pressure). These may cause the marbles to be folded, fractured, or veined with different minerals, or carry particular textures, streaks or colour patches which are indicative of the metamorphic processes which have changed them. Both the original sedimentary variation within the rock, and the subsequent metamorphic events that changed it, impose variations of colour, grain size, mineral pattern and mineral texture which are both totally natural and are in fact characteristic of the rock.

The term “marble” in industrial and commercial (as opposed to geological) terms applies to more or less any crystallised limestone capable of taking a polish or of being used for fine architectural or ornamental purposes.

Strengths and Weaknesses
Marble is a natural product and, as such, will vary in nature as the different batches of material are mined from the quarry. No two pieces of marble (and therefore no two sculptures or fireplaces) can be exactly alike in colouration or the amount of veining. Fossils and veining are a normal and acceptable part of genuine marble. Marble also nearly always has holes in it (pores), which will be filled prior to polishing. (Filled marble is not a sign of inferior material ? travertine, for example looks like Swiss cheese in its natural form).

Customer Care
Your marble surface is relatively easy to care for but do be aware that tea, coffee and red-wine will stain and must be dealt with quite swiftly and would possibly require a specialist product. For the routine care and maintenance, however, a marble care kit is recommended. This comprises an anti-stain sealant, a cleaning agent and a marble polish. The care kit will keep your marble surface in pristine condition over the long term. Montpellier Marble or your local stockist can advise you on suitable products for the care of your sculpture or fireplace.

Outdoor Marble

What ever you do always try out a small unobtrusive erea first ,
to remove grime, moss, lichen, green pollen you can use either a pressure jet or a specialst cleaner like “Astonish” www.astonishcleaners.com or/and clear spray “Dettol”.what ever you use follow the specific manufacturers instructions strictly.
A tooth brush can be gently used for intricate areas.
If you are looking to restore the fine polish use a clear wax furniture polish, again following their instructions implicitly.

Resin: bronze / iron / stone / marble / aluminium / copper

Sculpture made using a resin base with a combiation of any of the above(or other materiel) should be treated with great care and should not be cleaned with a pressure jet as it could result in the surface being washed away.
Depending how the piece was made will predicate how much force you can use to remove grime, lichen, moss, green pollen etc. Select an unobtrusive area to try any of the following methods:-
use “Dettol” clear spray and then use a cloth or brush or tooth brush or a household surface cleaner following their instructions implicitly.
To polish use a top quality clear wax furniture polish applied with a shoe brush and buff up with a soft cloth. A good quality brown boot polish can also be used on a brown piece.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel comes in a variety of qualities which weather in different ways. Sometimes rust appears, usually at the welding joints or where it has been ground down. The best solution is to use DERUST available at most hard ware stores, and simply follow the instructions.

Disclaimer

This advice is given on the strict understanding that no responsibility can be laid at ArtParkS or its management or staff for any damage whatsoever however caused.