• Use a soft, lint-free cloth, dampened with luke-warm water.  Do not scrub, but use gentle small circles.  Then wipe gently with a dry cloth, also soft and lint free. If you see a colour other than dirt/brown, stop.

• Make sure the painting is at least 6months old before doing this.

• Clean and dry hands thoroughly before touching the surface.

• It is not recommended washing a painting with lots of sharp textures.

• Use sturdy hanging hooks to prevent falls.

• Store in a flat / upright spot with a soft blanket, or box made for it. The canvas can get 'dents' or torn quite easily. 

• Check often for insects and rodents, these will eat the canvas and they will die a poisonous agonizing death.

• Maintain as steady a mid-temperature and humidity as possible.

• Never leave a painting in freezing temperature.

• Wrap it like a stranger will be rough with it.

• Try to avoid flying. If this can't be helped, do further research on the best ways to fly with it.

• Make sure the painting is dry. It takes at least 6 months for an oil painting to be considered dry.

• Bubble wrap is great for packing it in, but do not let it sit directly on the surface.  Use acid free paper and then a flat piece of cardboard, then bubble wrap. Use only non-abrasive and acid free products on the painted surface.

• Direct sunlight. This fades the colours.

• A small room that gets a lot of smoke. This makes for a dull painting and the varnish needs to be removed and reapplied by a professional.

• Rooms that fluctuate drastically in temperature and humidity.

• Anywhere that is overly damp/moist. ie; bathroom.

• Places where spills, splatters, and sprays occur. ie; kitchen or bathroom.

Love your painting.  Whether it is worth $5 or $50,000, it is in your care and its future depends on how you treat it.  If you hate it, store it somewhere safe, or give to someone that does love it, maybe even a charity. 

If the artist is still alive, contact them, they will take it back. Unless it's cursed, then you are on your own.