Lampshade Cleaning: Quick Tips

Do you keep the plastic packaging on your lampshades to make cleanup easier? It’s easy enough to wipe the plastic down with a damp cloth, but the plastic wrap doesn’t fit everyone’s sense of style. Also, be aware that the plastic may be a fire hazard because of the heat the light bulb generates.

Drum Lampshades Are The Easiest To Keep Clean

• If you regularly dust lampshades with a feather duster, this will prevent dust buildup but sometimes the dirt and dust still finds a way to accumulate in pockets–especially around the seams and crevices if it’s a pleated lampshade.
• Brush the lampshade with a whisk broom or a clean baby’s brush. The bristles on a baby’s brush are soft enough to not damage the shade but strong enough to brush off any dirt and dust buildup.
• If you have a brush attachment for your vacuum cleaner, using this can do the trick too. Just vacuum the lampshade to clean it.
• For heavy buildup, wet a white cotton cloth with soapy water (use a gentle soap), squeeze it out to remove as much water as possible, then wipe the cloth shade to clean it.

For spots and stain removal, try this recipe (test a hidden area first):

Lampshade Stain Remover Recipe

• 1/4 cup gentle liquid dish detergent + 1/4 tsp household ammonia + 1/2 tsp vinegar + 2 cups warm water.
• Whip the ingredients with a blender until they foam, then use a sponge to dab the foam into the stains.
• Wipe clean with a damp cloth then use a hairdryer on the cool setting to dry the lampshade.

Did You Know: Lampshades should be rotated regularly to avoid sun damage and fading?

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