How To Clean A Chandelier

You’re proud of your beautiful chandelier, and it probably takes pride of place in your home. Its elegant structure is part of its charm, but the main appeal lies in the sparkling beauty of its many-faceted crystals. To make sure it always looks its magnificent best, you’ll need to know how to clean a chandelier.

It might seem a daunting task, but it really isn’t. Here are questions people usually ask us – with the answers.

The best way to decide is to look. When the crystals start to lose their lustre, and the bulbs and frame look dull or dusty, it’s probably time to set aside some time for chandelier cleaning. For most situations that means about once a year, with perhaps some light dusting in between.

This method involves cleaning each crystal on a fully assembled chandelier. It has the advantage of being a quicker method. You might not reach every speck of dust, but if the gaps in your chandelier cleaning schedule aren’t too large, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Hint: You should not turn the chandelier around so you can reach it. Make sure you move around the chandelier. If it can’t be lowered to a reachable height, this will means more trips up and down the ladder, but it’s important to avoid any loosening of the chandelier’s fittings.

This is a more thorough cleaning method. Another advantage is that you don’t have to work on a ladder. It involves taking off all the crystals and globes, so they can be cleaned individually. If you have a large chandelier, you might prefer to take apart and clean one section (perhaps a quadrant) at a time. You’ll need soft cloths or lint-free padding to lay out all the crystals

Hint: Take as many photographs as you think you might need so you are totally confident about putting the pieces back together. A diagram that shows all parts of the chandelier will also be helpful, and this might have come with your fitting if you purchased it recently.

If your chandelier is large or complex, or hung particularly high, you can contact a professional chandelier cleaner. This is also an ideal option if you don’t have the time to do the job properly, or you are uncomfortable working on a ladder.

If you decide to go ahead with the job yourself, make sure you have the essentials:

A step ladder
Lint-free cloths – the type used for glass cleaning; linen is ideal
Lint-free gloves
Chandelier cleaning products: isopropyl alcohol; distilled water
 And finally, just in case you drop a crystal, you should lay down blankets or thick drop cloths underneath the chandelier, and place a soft covering on nearby furniture that can’t be moved.

N.B. Take every safety precaution

Double-check that the lights are switched off. Turn off the power at the source, if necessary.
When working on a ladder, don’t extend your reach more than is comfortable; wear appropriate shoes.
If possible, choose a time when someone else is at home (just in case of an accident)

The process is the same, whichever method you choose.

First, make up a chandelier cleaning solution. Into a clean 500ml spray bottle, pour 100mls of isopropyl alcohol. It cleans well, removes any grease, and evaporates quickly. Top up the bottle with 400mls of distilled water, which leaves no streaks or residue.
Spray the solution onto the cloth, not directly onto the crystals. Wipe every surface clean, then immediately go over the crystal again with another dry cloth.
Wear lint-free gloves to avoid leaving finger marks on your sparkling clear crystals.
Use the same method for the frames and globes.
If any pieces have particularly stubborn marks, they can be taken down and washed in warm water and a mild detergent you’d be happy to use on your best crystal drinkware. Rinse and dry off immediately.
The results will be well worth your hard work. Maybe you can toast your sparkling chandelier, with a crystal flute filled with sparkles of a different kind.