You undoubtedly love the way your crystal chandelier shines when streaks of light pass through it, but the dust that accumulates in the nooks of crystals can interfere. No idea how to get around cleaning your chandelier? There are two strategies that you can opt for:
- Washing the chandelier while it is still in place
- Dismantling it to wipe the individual elements
Let’s discuss the first method to get some insights on the procedure,
Cleaning a Crystal Chandelier without Dismantling It
This is relatively an easier method of cleaning. If you keep up with regular cleaning, the chandelier may never grow so filthy that it needs to be taken apart.
Let’s dive into some important tips while you’re at it,
- To begin, spread a sheet on the floor beneath the chandelier to catch any falling parts and protect them from shattering.
- Second, as a safety measure, switch off the chandelier. Turn on an alternative source of light if necessary to view what you're doing.
- Third, mix one part ethyl alcohol with four parts distilled water to make a cleaning solution.
- Fourth, wear white cotton hand gloves while cleaning to avoid fingerprints from being transferred to the crystal prisms.
- If required, use a ladder to get to your crystal chandelier. Always observe best safety practices.
- Use a microfibre cloth and spray your DIY cleaner on it. Spraying the solution directly onto the crystals will only result in a mess.
- Finally, using the damp cloth, gently rub each crystal prism. Then, to avoid wet marks, wipe with a dry cloth right away.
Taking Down the Chandelier for Thorough Cleaning
Dismantle the crystal prisms from the chandelier for an even deeper cleaning. This makes it easier to get to every single nook and corner of the frame. Most crystal chandeliers have a complex lighting frame, this can make you a little anxious while you’re taking it down. Keep in mind that if you’re not feeling confident dismantling the chandelier by yourself, you may want to contact a professional for help. Always observe best safety practices when using a ladder.
For the best results, follow these guidelines:
- Start by making notes and taking pictures of the hanging patterns of the crystal chandelier so you can easily put it back to its original shape after cleaning.
- For the cleaning purposes, you can either use the alcohol in distilled water solution or prepare soap in warm water solution.
- Carefully remove each piece of chandelier and clean it individually by hand.
- Finally to avoid any spots, quickly dry with a microfibre cloth.
Other Chandelier Cleaning Tips
Follow these guidelines to prevent making mistakes and ensure a flawless chandelier cleanup:
- Using a feather or lamb’s wool sweeper, dust your crystal chandelier every one to two months. Then, once every year, make sure to follow your selected cleaning technique.
- Avoid Ammonia-based cleansers as they can damage the gold-plated or silver-plated parts of the chandelier which grip the crystal prisms in their place. They also remove the shine and spark off chandeliers.
- Avoid rotating the chandelier to get to every part of it as it loosens the hanging joints, causing it to topple. Instead, change positions of your ladder as you get to cleaning different parts of the chandelier.
- A pro-tip is to change your light bulbs while you’re cleaning the crystal prisms, especially if it is not easy to get to the chandelier.
Cleaning can at first seem like it isn’t easy, but if you follow the methods outlined in this blog, you will achieve your desired results before you know it. Whether it's an older chandelier that has gathered dust for months or a new one that just needs a light cleaning, this blog has showed you numerous techniques to get a chandelier dazzling clean and bring it to its natural brightness.
