Caring for and cleaning your favorite collectible neon sign
Ah yes, you have that neon sign you always wanted. You proudly display it. You admire it's beauty. It collects dust! The dust bothers you, but you don't want to damage the sign. Maybe the sign was hanging in a bar and is nicotine coated and looks dingy. You'd like to do something about that. If you just knew a good way to safely clean it.....
Neon is a super collectible. However it is also very fragile! It also will clean up very nicely.
Dusty signs.
Signs that are basically "clean" and just dusty are best cleaned with a very soft brush. First, UNPLUG the sign! Large clumps of dust bunnies can be vacuumed away. Use a brush that has long bristles. Nylon is a good choice as long as it is soft to the touch. No brush? Bet you can find an old sock! Alright, stop laughing, it does work. Put the sock on your hand and carefully go over the tubes. Watch for snagging the sock on the wire ties or tubing holders.
Nicotine covered signs.
This cleaning is probably the most difficult. First, UNPLUG the sign! A cleaner will have to be used on a nicotine covered sign. Have another sock? Good! Some ammonia-based cleaner will work applied to the sock. Go over the neon tubes, changing the wiping part of the sock very often. Be careful not to snag or catch the sock on the tie wires. Don't soak the cleaner into the block-out paint, it will loosen. If a sign has extensive cracking in the block-out paint, cleaning it will make paint come off. It can't be helped, much like peeling paint on a house.
Ongoing neon sign care:
I consider the first matter of importance in ongoing care is much like real estate. Location! A neon sign's display location should be thoughtfully selected. The neon needs to be in a location to prevent accidental damage. Out of the reach of children and pets. Another matter in ongoing care is use. Neon signs like to remain lit. Neon signs use the least amount of electricity when fully "warmed up". Ever turn on a colored neon sign to see bright and dim spots? It's a normal thing on a colored neon tube. You see the powder coating and the trace of Mercury inside need to reach an operating point. In cold temperatures, or when a sign that has been off for a long time, the tubes needs to reach operating level. I have seen this take hours on a Camel Genuine Taste neon sign. I've also seen the warm-up process take a whole day on a commercial neon sign with 13mm diameter tubing. I leave a lot of my neons on 24-7. They use very little power that way. I verified this with my electric bill. I compared a month of using conventional lighting on and off as normal people would do with using exclusively neon lights on 24-7. The monthly savings was $18.00. Hmmmm. Food for thought!