How to Properly Clean your Fixtures

Many people spend money on expensive fixtures but as dust builds up it ruins the look of the fixture. 

The easiest way to keep your fixtures looking fresh is keeping them well dusted. Dusting your fixtures frequently helps keep the dust from building up and caking onto the light, we recommend dusting your light once every few weeks. You want a duster that’s good at trapping the dust on the fuzzy brush rather than sweeping it all on the floor. 

One of our favorites is the Swiffer duster and works great for glass or metal shades. We use these exact ones in all of our showrooms. Purchasing a duster with an extendable handle works best for those higher chandeliers and pendants that are a little out of reach.

For fixtures with fabric shades a lint roller is the best option to remove dust. You will want to remove the shades and roll them all at once. Or, if it’s easier, you can leave the shades on and carefully roll the shades around the lighting fixture. Here is a great option for a lint roller .

A good dusting for your fixtures is always great but it is important to deep clean your fixtures two to three times a year to keep them looking fresh and new. The first step in deep cleaning your fixture is removing the glass, be careful not to lose or misplace any screws or clamps during this process, and wipe each piece gently with a damp cloth. Then quickly dry the glass to avoid getting water spots on the glass. The best product for this process is a microfiber cloth. Do not place glass in the dishwasher, glass from fixtures is a lot more delicate than people think. Lighting fixture glass is not dishwasher rated and will most likely shatter in the dishwasher. If your fixture has hanging crystals, be sure to remove them first. Wash them in warm, soapy water, remove and then dry. Carefully reassemble your fixture.

One part of the light fixture people forget to clean are the bulbs. Dust on your bulbs can make the light they produce seem dimmer. Before cleaning you’ll want to remove the bulbs. Be sure they have been turned off for a while and are not hot. Hot bulbs can explode if wiped down with cold water. Bulbs can be dusted well with a damp microfiber cloth. Be sure the cloth is damp because the heat produced from bulbs can bake the dust to the light bulb surface making it difficult to remove.

If you want easier to clean fixtures try purchasing fixtures with seeded or fluted glass as these types of glasses do a better job at hiding the dust the lighting fixture collects. You can also purchase fixtures without glass completely. We also recommend fixtures that have straight lines and minimal decoration as those light fixtures tend to allow for easier cleaning. Below are some options we offer with seeded glass, or no glass, and/or straight lines.

Argo LED Pendant from Hinkley

Luca One Light Pendant from Hinkley 

Meridian One Light Pendant 

Ciona Three Light Bath Bar by Kichler