Buffing up Aes Signatum bars with Pledge

[Andrew McCabe]

I just picked up one of my two on-display aes signatum bars and thought it had an unusually glossy sheen to it. As if it had been waxed. So did the other bar. Then my mind recalled my house cleaner working those shelves earlier today with a can of Pledge furniture polish and a yellow duster.

I don't suppose it'll have done them any harm.

[Andrew McCabe]

I just picked up one of my two on-display aes signatum bars and thought it had an unusually glossy sheen to it. As if it had been waxed. So did the other bar. Then my mind recalled my house cleaner working those shelves earlier today with a can of Pledge furniture polish and a yellow duster.

I don't suppose it'll have done them any harm.

I guess this didn't yet strike a chord. Don't we all have ancient artefacts that at times have been treated as mere objects or ornaments by spouses / cleaners / fixeruppers? You polished a five pound weight two thousand five hundred year old aes signatum bar with Pledge and a yellow duster???!!?!

Maybe Pledge is called something else in the USA.

[Molinari]

No, I know what it is and had a good laugh/quiver when I read your post.

I can't believe you leave those things out.  I'm assuming it wasn't your new one.

[Carausius]

Our house cleaners are under strict instructions to stay away from my bookcases, because I don't want Pledge near my old auction catalogues and o/p numismatic books!   I doubt it would harm an aes signatum though. If 2300 years in soil didn't destroy the aes signatum, a bit of Pledge shouldn't.

[wileyc]

I am thinking of getting a house cleaner.... Will have to keep this in mind!!!!😀

[Rich Beale]

It's a good thing you don't keep Brasso among your household cleaning supplies... 

[Matthew C5]

Just read this post. The pH is relatively good at 7.5 to 8.5, so little in terms of acid/base corrosion.  Here's the MSDS:

http://www.scjohnson.ca/pdfViewer.aspx?pkMSDSId=645&language=en

Cheers,
Matt

[Lee S]

Interesting, but 7 sides of data sheets for household polish reminds me the world seems to have gone slightly mad!!!

[SC]

Not really.  It does indeed seem like overkill for normal people, but data sheets like these are a good resource for first responders.  Such level of detail is important if a kid just sprayed it into their mouth and passed out or a truck containing a few boxes full of the stuff is on fire.

Shawn