Finally got a clean scan of that Roman coin from the Sussex dig site by using a thin layer of baby oil

It was always coming up blurry under the microscope. Has anyone else tried this trick for cleaning up surface details on small finds?

4 comments

4 Comments

gibson.morgan8d ago

And honestly it's the same thing I noticed with old wood furniture and mayonnaise, you know? People get scared of using household stuff on their finds but sometimes the simple cheap solutions work better than the fancy lab chemicals. It's funny how the stuff we already have around the house ends up solving all sorts of niche problems if you just give it a try.

diana_kim662mo ago

Baby oil is a clever idea for a temporary medium. Does it leave any residue you have to clean off later, or does it just evaporate clean? I'd be worried about it getting into any tiny cracks and attracting dust over time. What kind of baby oil did you use, the basic mineral oil kind or one with added scents and lotions?

phoenix_lewis2mo ago

It doesn't evaporate, it's an oil. You just wipe it off with a paper towel when you're done. The basic mineral oil kind works fine and doesn't leave a sticky mess.

nancyjones2mo ago

Listen to phoenix_lewis, diana_kim66. It really is that simple. You wipe it off and it's gone. The whole point is it doesn't seep in or leave a film. People overthink this stuff. Just use the plain kind and a paper towel, done.