How to Clean a Crystal Lamp

This lamp doesn't look half as striking when it's dirty.

Having a crystal lamp is a gift to any room. It not only gives your interior decorating scheme a graceful accent that bestows a delicate, yet timeless quality to the room, but the crystal base of the lamp creates rainbows on the walls when the sunlight hits it. However, a dirty or cloudy crystal base will dull this remarkable effect and give the entire lamp a somewhat dingy appearance. You don't need to rely on specialized lamp or crystal cleaners to get this lamp gleaming again.

Things You'll Need

• Feather duster
• Basin
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons ammonia
• 2 soft cloths

Instructions

1. Unplug the lamp. Unscrew the lamp shade from the crystal base of the lamp.

2. Dust the lampshade vigorously with a feather duster. Be thorough enough to dislodge all dirt and dust, but gentle enough to keep the shape of the lampshade.

3. Pour 2 cups of water into a small basin. Add 2 tablespoons of ammonia to the water and stir.

4. Dip a cloth in the mixture and wipe down the crystal lamp base. Wipe down any metal work on the lampshade with this cloth.

5. Dampen another cloth in clean water and wipe down the crystal and the metal work on the lampshade. Allow them to air-dry and screw the lampshade back in place. The lamp will be gleaming.

References

• "Uncommon Uses for Common Household Products"; Frank W. Cawood; 2000