How and how to wash a crystal chandelier

The completion of any general cleaning is washing the chandelier, which is almost always associated with painstaking work and a bunch of troubles for the owners. And if an ordinary glass or plastic lampshade is unpretentious in maintenance, then crystal appliances are much more structurally complicated, and the material itself requires a special approach. Crystal is quartz glass, but with the addition of 24% lead to its composition, which changes its properties in such a way that, in addition to the special refraction of light, the material becomes more plastic and pliable for processing. Unlike ordinary glass ones, crystal luxury items are designed for an almost unlimited service life, and careless handling will affect over time in the form of cloudiness, loss of luster, and radiance.

Equipment selection and preparation

Of course, some nuances depend on the height of the lamp, its dimensions and design, but in order to wash almost any crystal chandelier, in most cases you will need:

• a ladder or any piece of furniture high enough and stable enough for the lamp to be at face level;
• indicator screwdriver - to check the presence of voltage in the device;
• cotton or rubber gloves - as protection of hands from sharp edges and protection of glass elements from falling, scratches, sweat marks;
• a protective mask and goggles are necessary to protect the eyes and respiratory tract from dust and fine particles of caustic chemicals;
• cleaning agent or ingredients for its preparation with dishes - to dissolve and chemically remove dirt;
• spray gun - necessary if it is intended to apply the cleaning mixture by spraying;
• a piece of cotton fabric - individual structural elements are folded onto it;
• paper towels, microfiber - for the physical removal of dirt, as well as primary drying;
• a brush like "pipidastr" or a paint brush - you can't do without them in hard-to-reach areas, hollows and recesses on the product;
• plastic film - to protect the floor surface from moisture. This is especially important in the case of wooden parquet.

Depending on the cleaning method, additional items may be needed, such as a basin, hair dryer, clothes dryer, but all this will be described in more detail.

To begin with, before any manipulations with an electrical device, it is necessary to disconnect it from the power supply.

At correct connection of the circuit breaker its key breaks the phase and, in this case, both contacts on the cartridge will be reliably de-energized. But if the switch is connected to a zero break, then in fact the lamp will remain energized.In this regard, it will be much more reliable to turn off the circuit breaker on the electric meter, thus de-energizing the whole house, and plan to clean the chandelier during daylight hours.

If it seems difficult to disconnect the entire building from electricity, then it is enough to turn off the switch key and check for voltage on the contacts in cartridge indicator screwdriver, and then proceed to the next step.

An alternative to this method would be to switch off the required room in the junction box.

When installing a ladder, pay attention to its height.

This is important, since prolonged manipulation of the hands with the head held high leads to numbness of the cervical spine, and with a sharp change in position, there are cases of dizziness and, as a result, falling from a height.

Choice of remedy

Since the invention of crystal lighting fixtures, much has changed, factory-made tools for cleaning crystal have appeared, but home-made methods are also being improved, not much inferior to factory technologies. Let's move on to choosing a method.

People's

There are various approaches to cleaning crystal, and some methods have migrated from washing ordinary glass. But as practice has shown, fanaticism in independence is not in all cases applicable to small glass parts with a high lead content. Acids and alcohols showed themselves best and most practical in this regard, namely:

• ammonia - purchased in pharmacies, diluted in cool water in a ratio of 2-3 tablespoons per half liter;
• table 9% colorless vinegar - is sold in grocery stores, just like ammonia is diluted in a proportion of 2-3 tablespoons per 0.5 liters of water.

It is not advisable to reduce or increase the concentration, since with a decrease in the proportion of active substances, they do not have such an effective effect on pollution, and the high rate of their evaporation also plays an important role. With an increase in the concentration of the same ammonia, the solution becomes so caustic that it burns the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and eyes. These substances are guaranteed not to leave streaks, dry quickly and dissolve non-greasy dirt well.

Dishwashing detergent is used only in cases where there is a layer of sticky fat with dust on the surface of the parts, which happens when the lamp hangs in the kitchen, next to the stove. If the chandelier washer is a fundamental opponent of the use of household chemicals, then a decoction of potatoes or a starch solution in the ratio of 1 tablespoon with a slide to 0.5 liters of water will do.

Chemical

In this case, we mean highly specialized substances of factory production. Their choice is presented in two types:

• in spray cans;
• in gels - require dilution in water in the proportions indicated in the instructions.

Spray bottle or diluted gel poured into a spray bottle liberally applied to the device two or three times with an interval of 15 minutes and do not require forced drying in the form of wiping. Judging by the reviews of most of these miracle cleaners, their declared effectiveness is extremely doubtful. The usual “pshikalka” for windows shows itself much more practical in this regard.

Read also

How to remove a chandelier from the ceiling yourself

 

Washing methods

They are selected depending on the degree of pollution and the possibility of dismantling the chandelier.

Wet

It is selected in the event that a thick layer of dust, grease and organic traces of flies settled on the parts. Most of the crystal pendants are best removed and placed on a soft, lint-free cloth so that they do not touch each other.

It would be better to immediately lay this fabric on the bottom of the bathroom or sink for washing dishes.

Before dismantling the pendants, take a picture of the chandelier from several angles to make it easier assembly processand install the individual parts in the order in which they were removed.

After that, apply one of the selected products to the pendants and repeat after 10-15 minutes.

Rinse dirt and chemical residue from the shower head or bucket and hang all items in order on a clothesline or clothes dryer.

For the second method, a bucket or basin with a washing solution is used, on the bottom of which all the details are laid on top of the fabric.

After soaking in a cleaning agent, the pendants are washed in a bucket of clean water or under a tap.

Note! Rinsing is carried out only with cold water, and after using soapy substances, in addition to thorough washing in running water, it is better to dip all the “pendants” into a bucket with a solution of ammonia or vinegar. This gives the details an extra shine and prevents streaks.

To speed up drying, you can use a hair dryer, but it is better to let the crystal dry on its own, after which the dried parts should be lightly polished with hands in cotton gloves or with a cloth for wiping glasses. Wearing gloves will prevent fingerprints from getting on the glass.

Dry

It is carried out with a pipedaster or a paint brush and is used only for regular and frequent cleaning to remove a small layer of dust.

Read also

Mounting and installation of a chandelier

 

How to wash a chandelier without removing

If the decorative elements of the lamp are non-removable, then it is cleaned using a dry method or a wet one, which needs to be discussed in more detail. Preparatory measures for washing in this situation include the following nuances:

1. It is necessary to install a stepladder or a sturdy table, which provides a height for lifting to a level when the device is at face level.
2. The light is turned off.
3. Light bulbs are unscrewed, which then also have to be wiped off with a damp microfiber.
4. An indicator screwdriver checks for voltage at the contacts in the cartridge.
5. Small disposable bags are put on the cartridges themselves and fixed with a rubber band.
6. A film is spread on the floor under the chandelier and a wide plastic basin with water is installed to mitigate the possible fall of the pendants.

From the arsenal of the resourceful! Instead of a film and a basin, you can hang an inverted umbrella on the lower tiers of the chandelier. Dirty liquid will drain into it and accidentally slipping out of the suspension mounts will fall.

After that, a cleaning compound is applied from the spray gun in several stages with interruptions of 10-15 minutes to all surfaces of the chandelier and wiped dry with microfiber.

In hard-to-reach areas, dust is cleaned with a paint brush or a soft toothbrush under a spray jet.

Wipe all parts with cloth gloves.

After finishing the work, it is necessary to let the lamp dry naturally for at least 3 hours, then screw in the light bulbs, check the performance and the result.

The difference between a cleaned and a dusty area is visible to the naked eye even without lights on.

You can use the method from the video.

What not to do

There are hundreds of opinions on the web regarding the effectiveness and safety of different crystal cleaning methods, but you can be sure of the following facts:

1. Under no circumstances should abrasives such as chalk, toothpaste, ash, salt, etc. be used. Of course, the abrasive effect speeds up the process of cleaning heavily contaminated surfaces, but after a few years of such practice, the glass will definitely become cloudy. The metal surfaces of the device are also often coated with a thin layer of sputtering. In the case of gilding, there is no need to talk about the use of abrasives at all.
2. Ordinary dust has the same effect, so it is also not recommended to clean the crystal with a dry cloth or hard brushes.
3. It is better to avoid the use of salt and alkali solutions, as they leave white marks after drying.
4. Soap solutions are used only as a last resort, as their sticky residue quickly collects dust.

Regarding safety, it is worth noting that there are frequent cases of falling from a height due to electric shocks and dizziness during prolonged work with a high chin.

Naturally, one can neglect the facts presented, but then there can be no question of the safety of the cleaner, or the durability of precious crystal.

Prevention

Antistatic agents are used as a prophylactic against pollution.

These substances are sprayed in a thin layer on the surface and prevent the adhesion of small particles of dirt and dust. But in the case of crystal and Swarovski stones, it is difficult to talk about the practicality of their use, since a barely noticeable antistatic film still reduces the luster of the chandelier.Although for some this is not critical, and many prefer to get out a little less often to the detriment of beauty and brilliance.