For collections care individuals

1. Rules for Handling Objects
# 1
AVOID wearing
anything that might
damage objects by
scratching or
snagging the surface,
such as rings and
other jewelry,
watches, belt buckles,
name tags and
service badges.

2. Rules for Handling Objects
# 2
NEVER smoke, eat or
drink around the
objects. Hot coffee
mugs can mar
surfaces and food
particles attract pests.

3. Rules for Handling Objects
# 3
Handle collection
objects ONLY when
necessary.
Museum educators will
use replicas in their
demonstrations.

4. Rules for Handling Objects
# 4
LOOK carefully at an
object before lifting.
Ask yourself:
 Is the surface fragile?
 Are there any clues to
make me think it is
damaged?
 Where am I going to
put the object?

5. Rules for Handling Objects
# 5
Use BOTH HANDS to
lift an object.

6. Rules for Handling Objects
# 6
If an object is in a
container, lift ONLY
the container

7. Rules for Handling Objects
# 7
WEAR GLOVES when
lifting objects.

8. Rules for Handling Objects
#8
Wash your hands
before putting on
cotton gloves. Oils
and acids can soak
through gloves.

9. Rules for Handling Objects
And Most important…
#9
If you break something,
tell the Curator.

10. Handling and Moving
Furniture
General Guidelines

11. Moving and Handling Furniture
Before picking up a piece of furniture,
determine how it is put together and if any
of its parts are removable or detachable.
These are removed and packed separately.
Make sure you know where the furniture is
it’s the strongest generally along a major
element- and try to carry from these points.

12. Moving and Handling Furniture
Never hurry when moving furniture.
Scratches, dents and gouges from
bumps against hand trucks, doorways,
and other furniture are always more
likely in haste, and without sufficient
manpower present.

13. Moving and Handling Furniture
Examine the room and the route whereby the
furniture will be moved. Look around so you
know where everything is and look for
potential trouble. Light fixture that are too
low, or glass tops that are also easily damaged
when bumped. Clear the way by moving these
fragile or obstructive items.
Be sure to pad the furniture to reduce risk to it
and the surrounding area.

14. Moving and Handling Furniture
Make sure you have a firm grip on the piece
with both hands. Do NOT wear cotton
gloves. Furniture is usually highly polished
and slick. It is essential that hands not slip
from the piece while its being moved. Latex
surgical gloves work well as well as clean,
dry, bare hands.

15. Moving and Handling Furniture
Never slide or drag furniture along the floor.
The vibration can loosen or break joints, chip
feet, break legs, etc., to say nothing of what
dragging does to the carpeting or finish on the
floor. Whenever possible, use trolley or dollies
for transporting heavy pieces.

16. Moving and Handling Furniture
Handling valuable furniture requires a special attitude: in
general, movement should be carried out at a slower pace.
Remember: If you don’t break it, it doesn’t have to be fixed.
Here are some quick tips for moving furniture properly:
• Just as gymnasts work with “spotters” to catch them when
they misstep, have helpers on hand to guide the movers
away from obstacles.
• Anticipate trouble; think everything through; plan ahead.
• Make sure the route is clear, including loose carpeting that
can hinder dollies or trip up feet.

17. Packing Materials
The “Good” Materials

18. Ethafoam
Ethafoam is a strong,
resilient, medium-
density, closed-cell
polyethylene foam which
is acceptable for use in
the preservation of
historic objects. It is
available in white and
black. Sold in planks 1
in., 2 in. and 4 in. thick, it
is an ideal material to use
to cushion and protect
fragile items.

19. Ethafoam
One advantage of
Ethafoam is that it can
be cut with a shapeable
cutter to properly cradle
odd shaped objects.

20. Ethafoam
Ethafoam sheeting comes
in rolls with thickness
of 1/8-1/4 inches,
excellent for wrapping
delicate objects and
lining storage shelves.

21. Tyvek
Tyvek is already used in a
number of conservation
storage methods especially
textiles and papers. This
protective material has high
tensile/tear strength in all
directions because its
constituent fibers are spun-
bonded. The relatively slick
surface is a further barrier
and prevents fragile maps
snagging.

22. Acid-free tissue
Any thin, semi-translucent
paper. Tissue into a variety
of forms from soft or glazed
and paper is lightweight and
weighs less than 25 grams
per square meter. Tissue
papers are made any type of
paper pulp buffered or
unbuffered.
Buffered and acid-free tissue
papers are used in archival
storage.

23. Twill tape
 A strong, twill-woven
fabric tape used for
edging fabrics and tying
boxes. Cotton twill tape
is strong and inert. It
has also been used for
labeling objects and
specimens.

24. Blue Board
 An acid and lignin free
cardboard. Archival
corrugated board is
typically buffered with
3% calcium carbonate.
It maintains a pH of 7.5-
9.5.
 Comes in pre-made
boxes or sheets to create
custom sizes

25. Gloves
Four we can use

26. Lint-free cotton gloves
 Lint-free cotton
gloves are for the
handling and
protection of archival
material. They are
especially handy
when working with
delicate material,
including
photographic works.

27. Microdot gloves
 MicroDot gloves are
made of cotton and
feature tiny PVC dots
across the surface of
the palm, which
provides a firmer grip
on objects in transit.
They are not
suggested for use
with metal objects.

28. Latex surgical gloves
 latex gloves also have a
slightly tacky texture
which makes gripping
instruments and objects
easier. The only downside
to latex exam gloves is that
they are made from natural
latex rubber, a protein-
based compound known to
cause allergic reactions and
irritations in some people.

29. Nitril gloves
 Nitril gloves offer a
wide range of solvent
resistance, but are not
recommended for use
with ketones.
 These are for those
allergic to latex.

30. Packing Materials
The “bad” materials

31. Acidic cardboard
 Wood-pulp paper board,
corrugated or plain.
May be bleached white.
Produces organic acids
as lignin as it
deteriorates. Will stain
and weaken organic
objects and corrode
metals.

32. Nylon
 Although highly
resistant to solvents,
nylon deteriorates in the
presence of oxygen and
light. Ammonia is
created as it
deteriorates.

33. Polyurethane foam
 Commonly found as
yellow or gray soft
foam, it is used as seat
cushions. The foam
yellows and
disintegrates into a
friable, acidic, sticky
mass that is no longer
able to absorb shocks.
END