We all have lamps at home and most of them, if not all, have lamp shades. They are beautiful but also need proper maintenance in order to remain so. This is because dust is constantly building up on the lampshades and unless it is removed, eventually will leave permanent marks on the pieces which will greatly reduce their lifespan.
There are some easy steps you can do to clean and maintain your lamp shades to remain in good standing and pretty for everyone to see and saving you money in the long run as the lampshade will be there for your for many years ahead. There is another reason why proper cleaning is needed. By having layers of dust on the shade, it will basically reduce the light that comes through it and will make your life more difficult when it comes to reading or whatever task you are trying to do under the lamp. Of course each lampshade is made of different materials, so they all need proper - yet individual care.
Some of the most common materials are fabric, paper and glass and they all need a different type of cleaning procedures.
The fabric lamp shades are very common among many households and they make for beautiful room enhancers due to their multitude of colors that the fabrics can have. They are also able to perfectly match the ambient by having the same or similar fabric color and pattern that is also existing on window drapes, on chair seats and on the table cloth.
To clean the fabric lampshade you need to first unplug the lamp and then remove the lampshade. Actually this firs step is valid for any lampshades you want to clean. Use a soft brush to remove the dust by using smooth strokes coming from the top of the shade right down to the bottom. If you find any rips or tears in the fabric, do not use the brush as it will case just more tears and possibly ruin your piece completely. Also clean the inside of the fabric for proper care. Depending on the material type, you can even put it in warm and soapy water and then in clean cool water that removes the soap. Then leave it to dry.
Paper lamp covers need dusting only as they are rather fragile due to the nature of the material. All you need is dust from the top of to the bottom in easy strokes. Don't forget to do the inside of it as well.
Those made of glass are really beautiful and elegant. Also they are very easy to maintain and clean. Just like for the previous types, dusting once a week is in order to keep them clean. Then you can use soapy warm water for additional cleaning with a cloth. Then rinse the water off with clean water so the soap gets removed. Dry them with a soft and dry cloth. For each of these types make sure you don't plug the lamp back in until they completely dry.
