A team led by Piero Baglioni from the University of Florence has developed a new sponge-like hydrogel that can clean modern artworks, without damaging them. The material has already proven successful in removing dirt from two masterpieces by US expressionist painter Jackson Pollock. Earlier, the team created hydrogels that could remove sticky strips from artworks but couldn’t be used on the rough, textured surfaces of modern paintings. The hydrogel comprises two different poly(vinyl alcohol) networks, which are mixed together to create a sponge-like structure. The team believes the new hydrogel paves the way for the conservation of cultural heritage and will hopefully allow improved preservation of precious artworks for future generations.