Chandeliers are a beautiful way to light up your home. Their beauty adds sparkle and elegance to any room, but they tend to attract dust and cobwebs which can diminish their sparkling brilliance. Cleaning your chandelier can be a daunting task, especially if the fixture is hung in a precarious location. While many people choose to call a professional cleaning service to clean their chandeliers, the weekend do-it-yourselfer can tackle the job with some basic precautions and supplies.
The first step is to turn off the power to your chandelier. This can be done by shutting off the breaker to that area of your home, or simply placing tape over the wall switch so it cannot be inadvertently switched on during the cleaning process. It’s also a good idea to prepare a blanket or fabric catch under the chandelier to prevent any broken glass or crystal prisms that might fall during cleaning.
Once the lighting fixture is shut off, the next thing to do is to carefully dust the entire chandelier with a feather, lambswool or microfiber duster to remove as much dirt and spiderwebs as possible. This will help to make the cleaner work more effectively and prevent streaks on the crystal prisms. It’s also a good idea for this initial dusting to be completed while the chandelier is still warm so that you can spot any areas that may need special attention.
Whether the chandelier is made of crystal or glass, a clean surface will always produce the best results. You can either purchase a ready-made chandelier cleaner or you can make your own solution by mixing one part isopropyl alcohol to four parts water in a spray bottle. Wearing white cotton gloves (to avoid smudges on the crystal prisms), mist your homemade cleaner onto a microfiber cloth and wipe each piece of your chandelier. Once finished, blot each piece with a dry lint-free cloth to avoid water spots.
If you’re cleaning a chandelier with ‘drops’ of acrylic (which are more brittle than glass), you should wipe them with a clean, lint-free cloth rather than a microfiber cloth. Also, be sure to keep the spray bottle as far away from the acrylic pieces as possible as too much liquid can damage them.
Once your chandelier is clean and dry, it’s a good idea to replace any burned out bulbs and then let the chandelier sit for several hours before turning it back on. It’s also a good idea before each cleaning to make certain that the wires are secure and there are no loose connections, which could lead to dangerous sparking as the fixture is turned on. And, of course, be careful not to spin the chandelier while you’re cleaning it as this can cause it to break or drop its crystals. Taking a chandelier down for cleaning is a big chore, but it’s a necessary one if you want to keep your gorgeous piece of lighting glistening beautifully in your home.