How to clean and care for plaster décor

To clean plaster décor, dust it gently with a soft brush or a vacuum fitted with a brush attachment. Never soak raw, unpainted plaster: it absorbs water, can stain and may soften at the surface. Once plaster is sealed and painted with emulsion, it can be wiped lightly with a barely damp cloth. Small chips can be filled and touched up with the same paint.

Plaster is a hard, stable material. Look up at the ceilings in any Georgian or Victorian house and you will see ornament that has survived well over a century with little more than an occasional coat of paint. A little care keeps new pieces looking crisp.

Dusting

Dust settles in the recesses of ornament and dulls the shadows that make it read. Little and often is the rule.

• Soft brush. A clean, dry paintbrush or a soft make-up brush gets into leaves and beading without scratching.
• Vacuum with a brush head. Keep the suction low and the nozzle just clear of the surface.
• Work from the top down. Dust falls, so start at the ceiling and finish with skirting and floors.
• Avoid feather dusters with hard quills and anything abrasive.

For wall lights, switch off and let the bulb cool before dusting. With hardwired lights, switch off at the wall and do not take anything apart; any electrical work should be done by a qualified electrician.

Why you should not soak raw plaster

Natural plaster is porous. Water soaks straight in and carries any dirt with it, leaving a tide mark that is hard to shift. Repeated wetting can also soften the surface, blurring fine edges. Household sprays and cleaners are worse, because they can leave residues that stop paint taking later.

If raw plaster gets a mark, try a dry method first: a soft brush, then a clean white plastic eraser used gently. Very light surface marks can sometimes be rubbed back with fine abrasive paper, but on detailed areas this is easy to overdo.

Raw plaster drinks. Seal it, and it becomes far easier to live with.

Sealing and painting

Painting is the best protection. A mist coat of thinned emulsion seals the surface, then one or two full coats give a finish you can wipe. A matt or flat emulsion keeps detail sharp; a slightly washable matt is a good compromise in hallways and around switches. Our paintable plaster page explains the process, and our guide to painting a plaster ceiling rose covers colour choices.

If you prefer the look of natural plaster, you can still seal it. A clear matt sealer suitable for porous surfaces will give some protection while keeping the colour, though it may deepen the tone slightly. Test it on the back or a hidden edge first.

Once painted, clean with a soft cloth wrung out until almost dry, and a drop of mild washing-up liquid if needed. Wipe, do not scrub.

Chips and touch-ups

Plaster is hard but brittle, so a sharp knock can take a chip off an edge. Switch and socket surrounds see the most handling, along with anything in a busy hallway.

• Keep the pieces. A clean break can often be glued back with a little wood glue or PVA.
• Fill small chips. Dampen the area, press in a fine surface filler or a little plaster, leave it proud, and carve or sand back to shape when dry.
• Touch up. Keep a small pot of the paint you used. Seal the filler with a thinned coat first, then dab on the colour.

Hairline cracks can be raked out and filled in the same way. If cracks keep returning, the cause is usually movement behind the piece, which our article on repairing cracked plaster cornice covers.

Bathrooms and humidity

Plaster can live in a bathroom, but treat it with respect. Keep it painted and sealed on every exposed face, place it away from direct splashing, and make sure the room is well ventilated with a working extractor fan. Steam that condenses and runs down a surface every day will eventually mark it.

Lighting in bathrooms is subject to zone rules under the wiring regulations. Any hardwired fitting in a bathroom should be chosen and installed by a qualified electrician, and in England and Wales some bathroom electrical work is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations.

In short

Dust gently, keep raw plaster dry, paint to protect, and keep a little filler and paint for the odd knock. Every Flare piece is hand-cast to order in Shrewsbury and arrives as natural plaster, ready to paint with ordinary emulsion. Browse our switch and socket surrounds or the wall light collection.