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Care guide
How to Preserve Fine Art and Photo Prints
To preserve art prints, keep fingers and cleaning products off the printed surface, limit exposure to strong light, and protect the work during storage and framing. Archival materials still need careful handling.
This guide covers everyday care for fine art and photo prints. If a print is already marked or damaged, ask for advice before trying to clean or repair it.
Handling unframed prints
Handle paper prints as little as possible before framing or packaging. Natural oils from your hands can mark the surface, especially on matte fine art papers.
- Use clean hands or gloves: Wash and dry your hands before handling a print. If you use gloves, choose clean, well-fitting gloves that let you hold the work securely. Follow the paper manufacturer's guidance. Gloves do not make it safe to touch the image area.
- Hold by the edges: Avoid touching the image area. Support larger prints from underneath so the paper does not bend.
- Work on a clean surface: Use a smooth, dry table before matting, sleeving, or framing. Keep food, drinks, tape, and tools away from the print surface.
Displaying paper prints
Paper prints are best protected behind glass or acrylic. A mat or spacer helps keep the print from pressing directly against the glazing, which is especially important for long-term display.
- Avoid direct sunlight: Even archival prints can fade faster in strong sun. Choose a location with indirect light whenever possible.
- Limit light even behind UV glazing: UV-filtering glass or acrylic reduces one source of exposure, but it does not stop all light damage. Brightness and time on display still matter. Keep the print out of direct sunlight.
- Control the environment: Avoid bathrooms, damp rooms, heat vents, fireplaces, garages, and places with large temperature swings.
Ask your framer for preservation-quality mat and backing materials, with a mat or spacer that keeps the print away from the glazing. For photographs, request materials tested for photographic compatibility. Avoid sticking household tape directly to the print.
Canvas and mounted prints
Support mounted prints and stretched canvas by their backing or frame. Rolled canvas is flexible and needs support while you handle it. Keep all of these formats out of direct sun and damp conditions, and avoid resting objects against the image.
Mounting a paper print does not make its surface safe to wipe. Before dusting or removing a mark from canvas or a mounted print, ask us about care for that surface. Do not use water, cleaners, solvents, or sprays on the printed area.
Storing prints before framing
Keep prints protected until you are ready to frame them. For longer storage, use archival folders or boxes made for prints, with the full sheet supported. For photographs, choose photo-safe enclosures that have passed the Photographic Activity Test (PAT). An acid-free label alone does not confirm photographic compatibility.
Store loose paper prints flat in a cool, dry room with stable conditions, away from plumbing leaks, damp floors, attics, garages, and heat vents. Keep heavy objects off the image area.
If a print arrives rolled, open it carefully and let it relax gradually. Avoid forcing it flat with pressure on the printed surface.
Cleaning and maintenance
For framed prints, clean the glass or acrylic, not the print. Spray cleaner onto a cloth first instead of spraying directly onto the frame, so liquid cannot seep under the edge and reach the artwork.
For unframed paper prints, avoid rubbing, brushing, or trying to wash the image. If you find fingerprints, moisture, scuffs, or stubborn dust, contact us before trying to remove them. For a valuable original or historic photograph, a paper or photograph conservator can advise on treatment.
Related guides
Next steps
Keep the print safe after checkout
These pages help connect print care to shipping, media choice, and support.