Acrylic Glazing - Care and Handling Learn how to care for and clean your acrylic glazing.
Cleaning and Static Removal
We tested several acrylic cleaning products for ease of use and static removal ability. The clear winner for cleaning picture frame acrylic was Brillianize, a one-step cleaner and polish for acrylic. During testing, Brillianize acrylic cleaner and polish appeared to actually increase the sharpness of the image under the acrylic by a minute amount. We suspect this was because it helped remove some leftover residue left from the protective paper mask. Brillianize cleaner and polish significantly reduces static charge on the acrylic. Another way to reduce the static charge is by wiping the acrylic down with a damp cloth while it still has the paper mask covering. This a great method if you are in a hurry to get the frame assembled, but don't want all the dust in the room to be pulled onto the acrylic.
Do not use paper towels to clean acrylic. Paper towels are the equivalent of wadded, ground-up twigs. Micro fiber cloths, however, work very well. After considerable research, we found the equivalent of a micro fiber chamois, which is our favorite. This cloth is manufactured (or resold) by Craftics and they call it "Microfiber Smooth Towel". It quickly removes that last cleaning streak off of smooth surfaces.
Mask Removal
Removing Plastic Mask
Simply peel back a corner and peel off the plastic.
Removing Paper Mask
- Get a cardboard tube such as those used for mailing posters or large photographs
- Center the tube over one corner of the acrylic sheet
- Peel the corner of the paper up and press it against the tube
- Use the tube to roll the paper mask off the acrylic sheet
All acrylic maskings become more difficult to remove over time. When exposed to heat or sunlight, the masking becomes more difficult to remove. Acrylic should be stored in a cool, dry place, and maskings should be removed within two years.
Sometimes the top layer of paper comes off leaving a hard to remove second layer attached to the adhesive and acrylic. When you experience problems removing paper masking on the sheet, it is because the adhesive dries up. This usually happens because of storage conditions and/or the age of the sheet. In order to dissolve the adhesive, kerosene, hexane, or aliphatic naphtha can be used. Kerosene is probably the easiest solvent to find. You can find it at your local hardware store. A power washer can be effective in removing the film covering.