In the Orthodox tradition, it is very common to dress icons in metal salaries, which can also be called rhizomes. The icon's salary does not have any liturgical meaning, but simply is an overhead decoration that covers the entire icon board apart from the place where the saint is depicted.
The main reason for polluting the salary is candle soot in the church, from which it can darken and lose its shine, or spilled wax. Of course, if you carefully treat the icon and regularly wipe it, it will remain clear of soot for much longer. But if you still need to clean the salary, then before you start this you need to carefully inspect the entire icon and pay attention to some things.
First of all, it is important to consider the general condition of the salary and the icon itself in order to understand what exactly needs to be cleaned. If the salary is metallic, then it should be examined whether corrosion has appeared on it. In the event that there are signs of any serious damage on the salary or the salary is too old, it will be better to entrust this work to the restorers. Otherwise, if the salary does not have significant damage, it must be carefully removed so that during the cleaning process the paint on the board is not damaged.
In order to clear the dust deposit it is best to use a brush and start cleaning from the places where the most dust was collected, after which it is also possible to gently vacuum through specially difficult places.
If the salary needs to be cleared of wax and soot, then it is necessary to start with wax removal with the help of a plastic spatula. Metal use is undesirable, because it can damage the coating of the salary. After this, you need to soften the remaining wax with turpentine, pinene or benzene. Using a piece of cotton wool soaked in one of the liquids, rub the wax residues and when they soften a bit, gently remove them with a spatula.
To remove traces of soot on the oklad use the same liquids, a little diluted with water and ethyl alcohol. We rub the wetted area of the wadding, which we want to clean from the soot and then wipe the treated area with a piece of cotton wool soaked and wrung out in warm, clean water. After that, wipe everything dry with a soft, non-fleecy cloth.
