Hey! Talk to the hand! Why conservators wear gloves. Gloves are
an important part of collection care as they protect artefacts
and specimens from being damaged when they are handled. Bare
skin naturally contains salts, oils, acids and other chemicals
introduced through the use of cleansers, soaps and hand creams.
These can be easily transferred to the surface of an object
causing damage such as: - Permanent staining and marking to
unglazed and porous ceramics - Permanent etching of polished
metal surfaces especially bronze or silver - Marking and soiling
to modern paintings, un-primed canvases, and plastics - Staining
or soiling of stone and marble, and alabaster - Staining and
soiling of some plastics Gloves also protect collection material
from physical damage caused by fingernails, and jewellery.
Conversely it is important for hands to be protected from
substances that may be on the surface of an object, such as: -
Friable and/or toxic pigments - Natural poison on spearheads -
Mould on natural history spec