How to Care for a Bronze Sculpture at Home

I get asked this a lot. And honestly? I love that people ask, because it shows that they really care about their sculpture, which is the loveliest thing to hear as the person who made it.

I'm a wildlife sculptor based in Yorkshire. I work in clay, then work with a bronze foundry to ceate the casts.

So I’ve seen the process from the lump of clay in my studio, all the way to the finished sculpture in your home.

It's also the reason I have very strong feelings about washing-up liquid. But we'll get to that!

First, a little bit about my bronze sculptures

My bronze sculptures are really designed to be loved indoors, where you can actually see them properly and enjoy seeing them every day. That's important, because some of the more colourful patinas I use much prefer to be inside.

The patina - that beautiful surface finish - is applied using a combination of heat and chemicals which is then protected by a lacquer and / or wax depending on the colour.

Whether it’s a traditional rich bronze or a bright, unique blue, it’s part of the piece’s story.

Right then, here's what you actually need to do

Ready? Here's my care routine for an indoor bronze:

If it's looking a little dusty, give it a gentle wipe over with a soft cloth.

I know - you were probably expecting something far more complicated! Some guides will point you towards specialist waxes and pH-balanced solutions, and if you really want to use a microcrystalline wax like Renaissance Wax (buffed on very gently with a soft cloth), that's absolutely fine for occasional use. But honestly, for a well-made indoor bronze? A soft, dry cloth is genuinely all you need.

The most important thing is to enjoy it. Touch it. Interact with it. That's what it's there for!

Now, the washing-up liquid thing

This is the one that makes me wince!

I completely understand why you might think that dish soap would be a good idea - it's gentle, it lives by the sink, it cleans everything else in the house. But it's designed to cut through grease and oils, and it will do exactly that to the protective wax layer on your bronze and then the patina too.

Please, no washing-up liquid! Dry cloth only. Your bronze will thank you for it.

This is the bit I really want you to hear.

My bronze sculptures are tactile - that's absolutely intentional. I want people to pick them up, hold them, run their thumbs over them. That physical connection is a huge part of why I sculpt in the firs place.

Here's what happens when you do: the parts you touch most often - a curved wing, a beak, a nose - will gradually develop a warm, burnished shine as the wax and then the patina wears gently away to reveal the golden bronze beneath.

Far from being wear and tear, I think this is one of the most wonderful things that can happen to a piece.

Think of the Greyfriars Bobby statue in Edinburgh - that little dog whose loyal nose has been rubbed shiny by generations of visitors. Each person who touched it added something to his story. Your bronze can have its own version of that. The shiny patches that develop over time tell the story of how your sculpture has been loved, in your home, by your family. To me, that makes it so much more personal. It becomes uniquely yours.

My favourite collector story

I have a collector who speaks to her bronze Puffin.

A good morning when she comes downstairs, a little chat in passing, a goodnight. As far as she's concerned, he's very much part of the household. And I absolutely love that.

I think about her when people ask me how to care for a bronze, because she gets it completely. The real answer isn't about cleaning products or maintenance schedules. It's about the relationship you have with a piece. When a sculpture comes to live in your home, it's not an object that needs managing - it's something that changes and grows with you over time.

That Puffin is perfectly cared for. Not because of any particular routine, but because he is genuinely loved.

So, to sum up! Here's all you really need to know:

1. Keep it indoors, away from damp and harsh outdoor conditions.
2. 2.  If it looks dusty, a soft dry cloth is all you need.
3. No washing-up liquid. Ever.
4. Touch it, enjoy it, talk to it if you like.

From my hands to yours with love.