One aspect of the use of aqueous systems for the removal of grime or accumulated materials on the surface of paintings has been the incorporation and utilization of surfactants and other non-volatile components in these kinds of preparations to increase their range and efficacy. The clearing of non-volatile materials from surfaces to which they have been applied remains problematic for the conservator. The present study uses radio-isotopically labeled detergents to quantify both the amount of deposited material and the relative efficacy of clearing procedures under a range of conditions. Such critical solution parameters as pH, concentration, surfactant structure, counter ion type, viscosity and ionic strength were varied to gauge their effect on the amounts of material deposited on a test painting surface. A novel assay is presented for the evaluation of residual materials.
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Richard Wolbers (1990) studied this question.