Selective Control Mechanisms, Quantitative Evaluation, and Sustainable Strategies for Cultural Heritage Surface Cleaning

The conservation of cultural heritage artifacts requires precise and controlled cleaning strategies to remove surface contaminants while preserving the structural and aesthetic integrity of the original materials. Over time, artifacts made of stone, paper, textiles, and other materials are exposed to environmental pollution, chemical reactions, and microbial colonization, which lead to the accumulation of complex contaminant layers and progressive material degradation. In recent years, significant advances in materials science have introduced innovative cleaning approaches, including polymer gels, microemulsions, nanomaterials, and enzyme-assisted systems, which enable selective contaminant removal with reduced risk of substrate damage. These methods provide improved control over solvent release, contaminant dissolution, and interaction with sensitive surfaces compared to conventional mechanical and chemical cleaning techniques. In addition, advanced analytical tools such as Raman spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) have enabled quantitative evaluation of cleaning efficiency and more accurate monitoring of conservation processes. This review summarizes the major contamination mechanisms affecting cultural heritage materials and discusses recent developments in cleaning technologies, functional materials, and evaluation methods. The analysis shows that selective cleaning methods can significantly minimize damage to the underlying substrate, while environmentally friendly functional materials combined with multi-dimensional quantitative evaluation provide an effective and sustainable framework for cultural heritage conservation.