Can I use citric acid to wash my sculpture before painting?

You can do this. We have only ever done it a couple of times with very large sculptures.

Sometimes after curing you may notice a white powdery substance on your piece. This is called efflorescence and is due to soluble salts being carried to the surface by moisture and then deposited as the water evaporates.

Important notes about doing this - please note that after washing down with an citirc acid wash, you must thouroughly wash your sculpture with tons of water and more importantly neutralize any remaining acid with a baking soda solution. If you don't do this, your piece will be compromised!

You can see us doing it in the short video below