Cleaning Your Chandelier
If you purchase an antique crystal chandelier you should take the extra step to have it cleaned and restored by a professional who knows what he is doing.
Most of the time a professional will come to you to do the restoration and cleaning services but if it cannot be done in your home he will oversee the professional packing of the item and supervise the shipping back to his office where he has all of the equipment and help necessary to complete the work. He will be able to replace wires and hooks with items that match the ones that are damaged or missing.
Professional glass men will be able to reproduce or repair the beads, prisms and crystals and see that they follow the original intention of the chandelier. The gold will be re-plated and so will the silver.
If you are going to try to clean your own chandelier you should first make a plan. Have someone remove the chandelier from the ceiling and move it down to where you can reach it. Have a long soft cloth on which to lay the cleaned items. You will need to have other lights available so that you can see because you cannot use the chandelier while it is being cleaned. Turn off the switch and tape it so that it cannot be turned back on by accident. Cover each bulb separately.
To do the cleaning you can make a mixture of one part alcohol or one part ammonia cleaner to three parts of distilled water. Put some of this cleaner in a spray bottle and spray the crystals while trying to keep away from the electrical parts of the light. You can hang the chandelier so that it will drip clean and dry. If you have not cleaned your chandelier for a long time, take a pair of white gloves and put them on. On one glove, spray the cleaning mixture and use this glove to hand wipe each crystal. Use the other glove for holding the crystals and for wiping dry. Some people say that using a window cleaner is just as easy. Just spray and let drip clean.
The body of the chandelier with its wires and electric wires should be cleaned with an ostrich feather duster. If you are going to take your chandelier apart, make a chart of where each piece goes so that you will be able to put it back together when you are finished. You should make certain that the chandelier is held in one position safely and not turning around as you clean it. When it is turning, you might miss cleaning one part or another. Remember that hot water does not leave spots. Clean the bulbs of your chandelier with a lint free cloth like cheese cloth. While you are cleaning the chandelier it is a good idea to take a look at it to see if there is anything that needs to be replaced or repaired.
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