Home >> Collecting >> Antiques

How to Care for 19th Century Cast Iron Wall Plaques

Cast iron was a relatively common material in the 19th century. Several items were made with cast iron, including wall plaques. Proper care is vital to keeping cast-iron plaques in good condition and preventing rust. The main enemy of cast iron is rust, so the main care of the cast-iron plaque is rust removal and prevention.

Things You'll Need

Wire brush
Soft cloth
Oil or derusting oil
Emery cloth
Methylated spirits
Towel

Instructions

- 1
  Remove loose rust from the cast-iron plaque by gently rubbing the iron with a wire brush. Knock off the loose or built-up rust and wipe with a soft cloth.
- 2
  Add oil to the plaque and rub gently with an emery cloth; use fine-grained emery cloths unless the rust is very bad. If the rust is bad, start with a course-grain cloth and gradually work up to fine grade. Use the finest grade emery cloth available.
- 3
  Soak the plaque in a derusting oil product. These are products specifically designed to remove rust from the cast iron. The only problem is the slight discoloration, so it is best to use the derusting oil as a last resort.
- 4
  Rinse the plaque with methylated spirits and dry it off with a towel. This removes any remaining rust from the plaque.
- 5
  Wipe the plaque with an oily cloth. The oil will prevent rusting later. Periodically add oil to the plaque by wiping it with an oily soft cloth for maintenance.

Antiques