Chris Hutchinson, our renovations team lead, explains the process of a recent clean up of our canine friend.
“After a year or so, it became clear that the Mick the Miller mosaic was suffering from the elements. Some of the tiles had become mouldy/discoloured. With such an important part of the stadium’s history, it was essential to seek advice before completing any restoration work. Hence there was a delay in taking action.
Rebecca Hamlin, our Museum and archives consultant, researched what we should do, and contacted the appropriate people for advice.
We were then able to proceed, and thankfully, the work wasn’t too extensive. The Perspex in front of the mosaic was too close to the mosaic tiles and created condensation. So the Perspex was removed, cleaned down, and spacers were put in place to create a small gap to allow air to circulate.
The tiles, also thankfully, cleaned up fairly easily with weak soapy water. A coating of porcelain tile sealer was applied to protect the mosaic further.
So, after a slightly nervous start, we now have a clean and protected mosaic. We’ll continue to monitor how things progress, but going forward I anticipate an annual clean and application of sealant will be the plan.
