What is the best way to remove lint from the surface of an old oil painting?

I just got back an oil painting (painted 5+ years) from storage and I hung it up at my new place but noticed that the whole painting is covered in lint. I tried to lightly brush it off with an clean large paint brush but none of the lint came off. I was thinking of using scotch tape to try to blot the painting to lift off the lint but I'm afraid of doing damage to the painting. What should I do?