Medals represent service, sacrifice, and pride — and with proper care they'll remain in excellent condition for generations. Whether you're looking after your own medals or preserving a family member's, here's our practical guide to cleaning, storing, and displaying mounted medals.
Cleaning Your Medals
The most important rule when it comes to cleaning medals is: less is more. Over-polishing can remove detail from the relief, wear away the rim lettering, and strip protective lacquer or patina that gives older medals their character.
General cleaning tips
- Handle by the edges or mounting bar. Fingerprints leave acidic oils on medal surfaces that cause tarnishing over time. Always handle with clean cotton gloves if possible.
- Dust gently with a soft, lint-free cloth. For most medals, a light wipe is all that's needed between wearings.
- Avoid abrasive polishes. Never use Brasso or similar metal polishes on medals — they're too harsh and can damage fine detail and inscriptions.
- For light tarnish on silver medals, a specialist silver cloth (the kind used for silverware) applied with a very light touch is acceptable.
- Do not attempt to clean ribbons. Ribbons are delicate and do not respond well to cleaning. If a ribbon is faded or stained, it should be replaced by a professional.
- Court-mounted medals: if the backing board or ribbons are in poor condition, bring the set to us for re-mounting rather than attempting DIY repairs.
Storing Your Medals
When medals aren't being worn or displayed, proper storage protects them from moisture, dust, and accidental damage.
- Use an acid-free box or presentation case. Standard cardboard boxes can off-gas acids over time, which tarnish metal surfaces. Presentation cases lined with velvet or felt are ideal.
- Keep in a cool, dry environment. Avoid loft spaces and garages, which are subject to temperature fluctuations and humidity — both enemies of metal and ribbon.
- Wrap loosely in acid-free tissue if storing in a box, to prevent the medals from knocking together and scratching one another.
- Keep away from direct sunlight. UV light fades ribbons quickly and can discolour medal surfaces over time.
- Check periodically. A quick inspection every six months lets you catch any early signs of tarnish or damage before they become serious.
Displaying Your Medals
Framed display is one of the most popular ways to preserve and showcase medals, particularly for deceased veterans' sets. Done well, a framed display is a beautiful tribute and a lasting family heirloom.
- Use UV-protective glazing. Standard glass allows UV light to reach the ribbons. Museum-grade or UV-filtering acrylic will dramatically slow ribbon fading.
- Avoid south-facing walls in direct sunlight. Even UV-protective glazing isn't a substitute for a sensible hanging position.
- Frame professionally mounted medals, not loose ones. Having medals professionally court-mounted before framing ensures they're correctly ordered, correctly spaced, and will hold their position in the frame.
- Include cap badges, photographs, or documents for a more complete tribute — a framed display tells the whole story of a person's service.
Ready to Have Your Medals Mounted?
If your medals need re-mounting, or you'd like to have them mounted for the first time ahead of a parade or display, our Full Size Medal Mounting service is carried out to the highest standard by veterans who care about getting it right.
Explore our Full Size Medal Mounting options or our complete medal mounting range.
Have a question about a specific medal or material? We're always happy to advise — just get in touch.