During the coronavirus pandemic, all surfaces are being sanitized more than ever before. The products primarily being used for disinfection are ammonia-based cleaners such as Clorox and Lysol. These are effective for killing viruses but Property Managers are indicating that lacquer on metal surfaces is deteriorating faster than usual.
The KC Restoration team has been working with vendors and doing some experiments in our shop to verify various product claims. Here is what we currently know:
- No lacquer will hold up to ammonia products. The best way to delay the degradation is to follow KC Restoration best practices cleaning instructions (below). Increased use of these products on the lacquer means your metal surface will likely need to be refinished sooner than usual. Bronze will tarnish and be more vulnerable to scratching, rust and corrosion if it is left without the protection of lacquer
- While no lacquer will wear as well when cleaning products are consistently applied, there is a new
lacquer that has greater resistance to alcohol and it is also low VOC. There is also an anti-microbial version available.
Both versions should only be applied on interior surfaces. - A lacquer that is alcohol resistant with UV protection is in field trials and we should know more soon!
soon.
Below are useful cleaning instructions for Property Managers and their teams:
- Use a soft towel, preferably a microfiber, not paper towels or abrasive cloths that may scratch or further damage the lacquer or metal.
- Spray cleaners onto the towel and not directly on the metal. Be especially careful to not spray onto electrical components or buttons with openings to electrical components.
- Wipe gently in the direction of the grain of the metal.
If disinfecting necessities continue to cause problems with the look of your lacquered metal, please contact KC Restoration’s sales team to find out about an adjusted maintenance schedule to better handle your changing needs, as well as possible lacquering options that are tailored to indoor metal, outdoor and UV light exposure, or the latest antimicrobial lacquer options for your indoor metal surfaces.