Chandeliers have become a must-have in many homes around the world, and they come in different types, shapes, and materials. When it comes to outdoor chandeliers, it’s a matter of finding a chandelier that suits the nature of your home, whether it’s modern, simple, traditional, or formal. Ensuring that a chandelier is maintained after it has been added to your home is another matter. But how are you going to get there? What are the important tips for the maintenance of the chandelier?
1. Keep the chandelier clean: all the right materials
There are several products suitable for cleaning chandeliers, and you should have them ready before starting the cleaning process. The good news is that these products aren’t too expensive, and you can easily find them all around. They include the following:
- Microfiber/non-wool cloth
- Cloth gloves
- Spray bottle/bowl
- Ladder
- A thick blanket or towel
- Mild dish soap
A cleaning solution. You can prepare your cleaning solution using simple products that do not contain harsh chemicals, such as vinegar and water or isopropyl alcohol and steamed water (1 part vinegar/isopropyl alcohol and 3 parts water).
2. How to maintain a chandelier
Next, we will from deep clean, crystal and glass chandelier, and antique or solid brass chandelier three aspects to introduce how to maintain the chandelier.
1) Deep clean the chandelier
Sometimes, your chandelier needs a deep, thorough cleaning, especially if you don’t have a regular maintenance schedule. When you need to do a deep cleaning, the process is different, first, you need to remove the crystal from the chandelier so that all the parts can be cleaned properly.
Procedure:
- Keep a blanket on the floor to avoid an accident if one of the crystals falls.
- Remove the chandelier using the right-sized pliers or any tool that can help you remove the parts carefully separate the pieces so they don’t get lost.
- Remove the crystal. You can do this one by one, or you can replace them at the beginning of the cleaning process. When removing crystals, it’s important to study them properly to make sure you can replace them when you’re done, or you can take a picture before removing them so you know how to reinstall them.
- Place all the crystals on a soft towel, then clean the spindle with a cloth soaked in the cleaning solution.
- Then, focus on each crystal. Place them in a bowl with a cleaning solution and use a lint-free cloth to remove all dirt that may have accumulated.
- If you’re dealing with a lot of potentially confusing parts, you can choose to remove the chandelier part, clean it, put it back in place, and then remove another part.
- Rinse them with warm water in another bowl, then dry them with cloth gloves.
- Make sure all the crystals are dry and your hands are clean, then carefully hang the crystals back in place
2) Maintenance of crystal and glass chandelier
- When handling crystals and glass, you can use a process called drip washing to keep them shiny and shiny.
- To do this, you need to remove all the bulbs and put them down safely, then place a cloth or paper towel in the bulb socket for protection.
- Spray natural glass cleaner on the chandelier and let the cleaner drip off the chandelier. Make sure there is a cloth or blanket on the floor to absorb all the dripping liquid.
- After the cleaner drips, let the chandelier dry on its own, and do not touch it with your hands or gloves.
- When the chandelier has completely dripped dry, remove the paper towel or cloth from the socket and replace all the bulbs.
- Never use a glass cleaner that contains ammonia, as it can damage the metal parts of the chandelier and create streaks.
3) Maintain antique or solid brass chandelier
First and foremost, make sure the power is turned off before cleaning any light fixtures. Water and electricity don’t mix! If you haven’t switched to LEDs, it’s also important to let the chandelier spheres have a little time to cool. Safety is always the first!
There is a quick and easy way to clean a chandelier without removing each drip or crystal. However, it requires you to be on a ladder, so you will need to spend some time preparing the area to ensure that you can climb safely and that the furniture located below the fittings will not be damaged by water or cleaning. The solution. A simple drop-down list can do the job well.
Get your tools and solutions ready. There are many glass cleaning solutions on the market, but for a simple, non-toxic mixture that can be used on glass and crystal, we recommend mixing 2 cups warm water, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle. When the solution is ready, prepare two pieces of cloth. We recommend using non-fiber cloths, such as microfiber cloths that leave no fiber behind. Spray the solution onto each drop of the accessory and wipe it off immediately with a dry cloth.
Spray the solution onto one of the cloths and wipe each drop. Once you are satisfied that all dirt or grime has been removed, wipe every drop with a dry cloth to ensure that no liquid is left behind. A good technique is to use two soft cotton gloves, dip one hand in the cleaning solution, and dry the other. This is especially handy when climbing a ladder! Clean each droplet around the fitting in a methodical sequence so as not to miss any.
Clean the chandelier arm by wiping it with a dry cloth or cloth containing an appropriate metal cleaner solution. If using the solution on the arm, be sure to follow the same process as the drops and dry off after applying the solution. Make sure to use a cleaner suitable for the material to avoid discoloration.
Gently wipe the dust from the bulb with a clean dry cloth. This also allows you to replace any bulbs that have burned out and ensure that all bulbs have been properly tightened
3. Tips for maintaining chandeliers
Three tips are detailed below:
1) Disassemble and clean
You have to clean the chandelier regularly to keep it clean. You can’t remove it every week, but you can remove it once a month. If your chandelier is one of the modern ones, it will be easy for you to disassemble and clean, but otherwise, it will take time. It is best to decide on the chandelier in your home after considering the labor required. But while it’s time-consuming, it’s worth it.
2) Clean it once a week
In general, crystal chandeliers should be cleaned every two to six months. The frequency of cleaning required depends on where it is used and how easy it is to obtain the workpiece. For oversized pieces like 20-foot chandeliers, you only need to clean them once a year.
Since almost every room of the house is equipped with crystal lights these days, certain components may need to be cleaned more frequently depending on their location. Chandeliers used in the kitchen require more detailed cleaning because grease builds up, and moisture from sinks and stoves causes dust to stick to the components.
Keeping crystal chandeliers on a regular cleaning schedule will always keep them sparkling. However, if a piece has been neglected, it only takes a little extra effort to give it a new look by following the methods listed below.
It sounds a bit complicated, but you can skip deep cleaning by removing everything. Weekly dusting will help you maintain your chandelier. It will keep the chandelier clean for a long time. Even if you can’t do a deep cleaning every month, the habit of dusting every week will help maintain a long-term clean.
3) Hire a professional
When you can’t do something, you need to hire a professional. These professionals are good at it; They have the tools and products to clean the chandelier quickly, but you won’t find the energy every time you try to clean the chandelier. That’s why hiring a professional is a good choice.
This can be a good option, but it’s also expensive because you’ll need to call them regularly. Otherwise, you can call them when you can’t do the cleaning yourself. The combination of your own cleaning and professional cleaning will keep the chandelier shining.
Attention：
- During cleaning, use a microfiber duster to remove dust from the chandelier
- Be sure to turn off the power before removing the crystal or cleaning the chandelier
- Make sure to set up alternative lighting so that you can properly see the chandelier and all its parts when you clean it
- Wear gloves when cleaning to avoid marks, and if you do not want to use gloves, clean your hands thoroughly
- Avoid spraying the cleaning solution directly on the chandelier, as this may damage other parts of the chandelier
- When cleaning the chandelier, avoid rotating the chandelier, so as not to lose the support and fall
- If you have a complex chandelier, please hire the services of a professional
4. Conclusion
Maintaining a chandelier can be simple or complex, depending on the type of chandelier in your home, the nature of the cleaning you perform, and how often you perform it.
In terms of frequency, there is no single rule for how often a chandelier must be cleaned. This depends on several factors, including the location of the chandelier, exposure to dirt and dust, your geographic location, and how much free time you have.
However, once you start to notice that the flash is dimming and the chandelier is getting dull and cloudy, realize that it’s time for some cleaning.