A lampshade is part of your home decor which can give a nice stylish touch to the overall look around. Just like other decor items, you need to maintain your lampshade regularly to keep it looking nice and clean.
In this article, we share with you a quick lampshade cleaning guide that you can use as an ultimate reference.
Lampshade Cleaning Guide
Prepare these supplies:
- Microfiber cloth or paper towels
- Hand vacuum
- Lint roller
- Warm water
- Fabric detergent
- Hair dryer
- Old toothbrush
Follow these steps:
Dust the shape
Detach the shade from the lamp and wipe the dust with a microfiber cloth or paper towel inside and out. Keep in mind to wipe the shade gently in a circular motion.
If your lampshade is extremely dirty with intricate fringe, you might want to use a lint roller, hair dryer, or vacuum cleaner. However, these tools are only usable for lampshades which are made of durable fabric.
Wash the shade
You can wash your lampshade if it’s made of fabric. It’s a good way to clean up your dirty lampshade especially when it’s stained a lot.
Here’s what you can do:
- Mix a teaspoon of fabric detergent and warm water in a sink or bucket.
- Soak the shade in the mixture of cleaning mixture for around 15 minutes.
- Wipe the shade with a microfiber cloth, giving a bit of pressure on the heavily stained area.
- You can also an old toothbrush if the stains can’t be removed with a simple wipe.
If your lampshade is made of paper, you shouldn’t submerge it in the water. Instead of washing it like the fabric shade, follow the steps below to wash a paper lampshade:
- Dip an old toothbrush or cloth in a mixture of fabric detergent and water.
- Brush the stained area gently.
If you have a silk lampshade, it’s always a wiser idea to hire a pro to clean it up when it gets stained. You may only clean it with a feather duster for daily cleaning.
Rinse the shade
Once you have washed a fabric lampshade, you need to rinse the soap residue by simply soaking it in clean water for around 15 minutes. Then, shake the shade and let it air dry.
For a paper lampshade, you can wipe it with a dry microfiber cloth once you have brushed it with a damp toothbrush.
Make sure that the lampshade is dry completely before you reinstall it at the lamp post.
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The right time to clean a lampshade
Routine maintenance is always the key to keeping your lampshade looking gorgeous all the time. Keep in mind that the shade can easily attract dirt, dust, and fingerprint. A simple dusting each day will is nice maintenance to do.
You can wash the lampshade as shown in the steps above at least every two to three months. A biweekly vacuum is also a good consideration.
