Can a picture mat be cleaned?

[gtamom]

Hello
We bought a painting on holidays last month and just hung it tonight. I noticed a teeny tiny spec on the cream coloured mat, and tried to blow it off. It didn't move so I flicked it. It then left a purple smudge on the mat! It is tiny, but does ruin the pristine mat. I don't know what it was, it appears to be some sort of purple powder, perhaps from his studio.
I googled, but didn't find anything.
TIA for any suggestions.

Dh is telling me to phone the artist and ask! :O

I take it that the pictire is behind glass? If the edge of the mat is not bevelled then perhaps you could turn it around and have the purple smudge facing in. I have worked in picture framing and I find that a soft, clean white eraser will take almost anything off mats. Is the picture done in pastel (this might account for it being powderey)? I think the artist is most likely to ob you off and say go to your nearest framing shop as he/ she is highly unlikely to have framed it themselves.

Hi knitpicker, and thanks for your reply. The painting is acrylic, and is not under glass.
I will try the white eraser, thanks! He did say it is archive quality framing materials, I didn't want to mess with it. If the eraser doesn't work, I will e-mail him and see if he advises us to take it to have the mat replaced. He is a 5 hour drive from us, and I don't know who does his framing, he probably told us, as he talks a lot, lol, and I did wander off with my friend once while he talked with dh, and looked at his other stuff.
Thanks again!

PS. The mat isn't beveled, but is cloth and seems to be stretched to a white and gold type of wood trim. Do you know what I mean?
Picture of it. You can see the smudge, top right side i72.photobucket.com/albums/i187/bucket_of_something/2010%20Summer/IMG_4766_1.jpg

I couldn't open your link unfortunately. Is it a type of linen cloth?

Yes, it is. Does this one work?

i72.photobucket.com/albums/i187/bucket_of_something/2010%20Summer/IMG_4766_1.jpg

Hi again. No - link isn't working. I think my organisation is blocking the content automatically. Perhaps the powder has settle in the crevices and you need to gently hoover it out? Can't hurt to try.

Hello
The eraser didn't work, for a few seconds I thought it was making it come off, but alas, no. We will be going up north in Oct., so I will e-mail him and see if he suggests bringing it back to have the matting redone. Thank-you for the vacuuming and white eraser tips, they may come in handy in the future.