How to Clean an Antique Clock's Case and Movement

How to Clean an Antique Clock Case

Cleaning an antique clock case is a delicate process; it's easy to remove the clocks finish. Always keep in mind that antiques are supposed to have imperfections, they add to the clocks value. Likewise, removing an antiques finish can substantially decrease its value. When cleaning your clocks case only use products that have been proven safe.

Antique clocks have a shellac finish and you should only use a high quality wax, like Briwax. To apply, use a soft cloth and cover the clocks case using circular motions. I find it best to wax the case in sections, that way the excess wax is not left on the case for to long. After allowing it to dry for a couple minutes, remove the excess wax. After all the wax residue has been removed buff with a new soft cloth.

The glass can be cleaned with regular household Windex. Spray a small amount onto a paper towel and use the paper towel to clean the glass. Never spray Windex directly onto the glass because it contains alcohol, which will damage the wood shellac

How to Clean an Antique Clock Movement

A proper clock cleaning is a complex process and requires the movement be completely disassembled. Clock movements are comprised of numerous interconnected gears, which can be difficult to put back together, unless you have experience. Therefore, most people choose to have their clocks cleaned by an expert.

The only way to effectively clean a clock is to clean each individual part in an ultrasonic bath of a specialized cleaning solution. Upon being reassembled all pivot points need to be oiled and sometimes require rebushing.

Simply cleaning the plates does not remove the dirt from the Bearings. Most damage occurs because dirt, in the bearings, causes the holes to wear more on one side than on the other. When the holes are elongated the gears grind and the clock stops working.

The most often made mistake by people is to think you can simply spray some WD40 on the clock gears and call it a day. In fact, applying WD40 is one of the worst things you can do to your clock. It will not fix the problem it actually causes more harm than good. Spraying WD40 will cause particulates to buildup on the entire movement. This happens because a clock bearing only requires a single drop of oil to operate. Surface tension holds the oil in place.

When excess oil is present the weight of the oil is too much and surface tension will not hold the oil in place. As the gears rotate, during normal operation, the oil will spread throughout the entire movement.

After a while, the oil will no longer be in the oil sink and the clock will, in essence, be running without oil. Anyone who has used WD40 knows it's impossible to apply one drop. Additionally, clocks work best when a specialized synthetic clock oil is used.

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