Cleaning any delicate item needs care and attention to detail, especially if it holds significant value or heritage.
Many people now choose to put back the original features into their home. And one of these features which is seeing a revival is the traditional lamp shade.
Traditional lamp shades and down light shades come in a wide range of types with popular versions including tulip shapes, coloured shades and shades which feature a variety of patterns and designs.
But if you’ve got beautiful glass shades on the lamps or downlights in your home, how do you keep them clean?
With any fragile glass component it’s better to remove it from its fixture before attempting any cleaning. Trying to clean in situ could cause harm to the shade and harm to yourself if the electricity is turned on.
Cleaning antique shades
Most antique glass shades will need to be cleaned with nothing more than plain water and a very soft cloth. Don’t be tempted to use washing up liquid or immerse the shade in a bowl of liquid. A wet cloth should be wrung out and the shade wiped over until it is clean, with the cloth dampened and wrung out on numerous occasions until this is achieved. At the last clean the water should be changed and a new cloth used. The shade can be dabbed dry with a similar soft, dry cloth.
Household cleaners contain acids and alkalis which can cause damage to delicate glass so should never be used.
