Add Light Cleaning to Your Spring-Cleaning List

Have you compiled a list of cleaning tasks you need to accomplish this spring? We hate to add one more job, but you should definitely add cleaning your light fixtures this year. Cleaning your light bulbs and fixtures is an often forgotten about task. However, your lights can appear much dimmer if they have built up dust or grime on them. Your lights can shine 30% brighter just by keeping up with your cleaning. Removing dust from light fixtures can also improve allergy symptoms for those allergic to dust. How do you safely clean light fixtures?

Be Prepared for Cleaning Lights

Before you start cleaning your light bulbs and fixtures, make sure to take necessary safety precautions. Ensure the light that you are cleaning is turned off, and if you are using a ladder, double-check it is safely planted on the ground. Standard supplies people use to clean light fixtures are soft cloths, water, glass-safe detergent, towels, and small hand-held vacuums for fabric lamp shades. Use caution on certain light bulbs because detergents can cloud their appearance, so we recommend doing a swatch test on a small patch before getting started.

How to Clean Light Fixtures

Every kind of light fixture will have a different method when cleaning. If you are cleaning a chandelier, you will have to be extremely careful, and it will be more time-consuming. For recessed can lighting, it is easy to wipe off each bulb quickly. When dealing with ceiling fan or Flushmount lights, it is recommended to put the outer bowl of the light in soapy water, wipe off the light bulb, and dry them both before returning. If you have a light shade, glass ones are easy to wipe off or put in soapy water. However, for beaded, rattan, or fabric lampshades, you should use a hand-held vacuum cleaner or a hose from a vacuum cleaner to remove dust.

Cleaning your lights is often overlooked. However, cleaning your lighting fixtures has many benefits, from a brighter glow to dust removal. Make sure you add cleaning your light fixtures to your spring-cleaning list this year to improve your home’s light quality. Taking the time to clean lights can be difficult, but you will receive instant results when you enjoy a well-lit room. For more electrical and lighting information, visit our website to learn all our tips for your home or building.