ContentsCleaning a framed poster: glass, acrylic and scratch-free paper
Updated September 16, 2026 — by César, editor at AestheticPoster
To clean a framed poster without damaging it: dust the frame dry with a microfiber cloth, then wipe the glass or acrylic with a second cloth barely damp with warm water—apply liquid to the cloth, never directly to the frame. An unframed poster gets dusted with a dry cloth; our matte paper, 250 g/m² with PVC coating, tolerates a barely damp cloth, but never any product.
Key takeaways
- Glass or acrylic: warm water + microfiber, never spray directly on the frame (it seeps under the glass and stains the paper).
- Acrylic: avoid paper towels, sponges, and cleaners containing ammonia or alcohol—they scratch or cloud it.
- Frequency: dusting every 2–3 months is enough; every handling risks scratching.
Glass or acrylic: the 4-step method
Same rule as cleaning a phone screen: nothing gets sprayed onto the surface. Excess liquid runs down the edges, seeps between glass and poster, and leaves an irreversible halo.
- 1. Dust dry with a clean microfiber cloth, in one direction only, without pressing.
- 2. Dampen a second cloth with warm water and wring it out nearly dry.
- 3. Wipe in small circles, avoiding the edges where the glass meets the frame.
- 4. Dry immediately with a clean cloth to prevent limescale marks.
Acrylic (polymethyl methacrylate) often equips large frames, including our XL 60×84 cm format (≈ A1), because it weighs less than glass. But it's also much softer: even a dust grain rubbed across it causes micro-scratches. Dedicate a microfiber cloth to acrylic and never use ammonia-based cleaners or alcohol, which cloud it permanently. On mineral glass, a mild window cleaner without ammonia, sprayed onto the cloth, remains acceptable.
What you should never use
| Product or object | Why avoid it | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonia-based window spray | Clouds acrylic, yellows frame varnish | Warm water alone or mild ammonia-free cleaner (glass only) |
| Paper towels, tissues | Abrasive fibers: micro-scratches, especially on acrylic | Clean, dedicated microfiber cloth |
| Sponge, even the soft side | Visible scratches when backlit on acrylic | Damp microfiber |
| Household alcohol, concentrated detergent | Dissolves UV or anti-glare treatments, cracks acrylic | A drop of mild soap in water |
| Spraying directly on the frame | Seeps between glass and paper, irreversible stain | Spray onto the cloth |
The ADEME also recommends limiting concentrated household products and never using them undiluted on sensitive surfaces: water and microfiber are enough.
Poster without frame: dry cloth, nothing else
A poster hung directly on the wall (with adhesive strips supplied, for example) has no glass to protect it. The safe way to dust is flat with a perfectly dry microfiber cloth or soft brush, without rubbing. Our matte paper, 250 g/m² with PVC coating, resists water: it tolerates a barely damp cloth on a localized mark, which standard poster paper doesn't. But no products, no sponge, no wet cloth: moisture warps the sheet.
Our posters come in only one finish, matte—no glossy version to treat differently. Matte shows fingerprints a bit more, hence the rule of handling the sheet by the edges. For lasting protection, a frame (+50 € in M, +70 € in L, +100 € in XL, with fitted glass) remains the best solution: see how to frame a poster.
Frequency and good habits
In a normal home, dusting every 2–3 months is enough. Open kitchen (airborne grease) or high-traffic room: a monthly dry pass prevents the greasy film that later requires scrubbing. Two rules prevent most damage: never open the frame just to clean the glass (dust and fingerprints settle between glass and paper), and never clean in direct sunlight (water dries too fast and leaves marks). The real long-term enemy is direct light: our guide on protecting a poster from sun explains how to limit fading.
FAQ
How can I tell if my frame has glass or acrylic?
Tap the glass with a fingernail: glass rings clear and feels cold, acrylic sounds dull and warms quickly. It's also lighter and flexes slightly under finger pressure.
How do I remove a fingerprint from a poster without glass?
On our PVC-coated paper, run a barely damp microfiber cloth over the mark without rubbing, then let it dry flat. If the mark persists, don't insist: a faint mark beats warped paper.
What if water seeps under the glass?
Open the frame immediately, remove the poster, and lay it flat on a clean, dry surface, face up, without a hair dryer. Once dry, if it has a slight curve, the method for flattening a rolled poster works too.
Pick your next matte poster, 250 g/m² in M, L or XL from our complete catalog—see also which format to choose.
César, editor at AestheticPoster — I once lost an XL acrylic poster with a single window spray: the cloudy veil won't come off, so now it's warm water and microfiber, period.
César, AestheticPoster editor
He writes the blog's guides: sizes, framing, hanging and public-domain artists, with concrete figures rather than generalities.
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