How to Wash a Lamp Shade

Lamp shades are going to get dirty. No matter how clean you keep your house, dust, dirt and grime are going to make their way to your lamp shades. Cleaning your lamp shades can be a tricky task. You may be worried about wetting your lamp shades with water or using a vacuum to clean them. It is possible, however, to clean your lamp shades without going to a lot of trouble.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Latex gloves
• Vacuum cleaner with hose attachment
• Soft cloth or towel
• Small bowl
• Stain remover
• Dry cloth or towel

1. Remove the lamp shade from the lamp. Wear latex gloves to keep your fingerprints off of the shade.

2. Place lamp shade on a clean flat surface.

3. Attach the hose attachment to your vacuum cleaner and turn the vacuum on.

4. Vacuum the lamp shade thoroughly to remove any dust, dirt and loose debris.

5. Dip one end of a soft cloth or towel into a bowl of warm water.

6. Place a teaspoon of stain remover onto the soft cloth or towel.

7. Rub the stain remover-soaked cloth or towel on to any stains on the lamp shade. Rub the stain gently to remove it.

8. Dip the cloth back into the warm water and then rinse the stain.

9. Continue applying stain remover to other spots on the lamp shade.

10. Rinse the spots clean with a rag or towel soaked in warm water. Make sure to wring out any excess water from the rag or towel.

11. Let the lamp shade dry under a fan or outside in a shaded area.

Tips & Warnings

• If the lamp shade is on a antique lamp or the shade is completely soiled, consult a dry cleaner before attempting to clean the lamp shade at home using a stain remover. You may want to just vacuum the lamp shade until you find out more about the antique lamp shade.

References

• Lampshade basics
• How to Clean a Fabric Lampshade

Resources

• Lamp Shades: Lamps Plus.com