How to Restore a Crystal Chandelier

Crystal chandeliers can have hundreds of individual parts

Crystal chandeliers can add an air of elegance to a dining room or foyer, but the condition they're kept in can make or break the room. To restore an old crystal chandelier, there are three things you need to accomplish. First, remove and clean all the crystal pendants and parts. Next, restore brass finishes on the chandelier. Finally, make sure the wiring is safe for your home. Before you begin, take several digital pictures of the chandelier so you can reassemble it properly.

Things You'll Need

• Digital camera
• Soap
• Paper towels
• Screwdriver
• Brass polish
• Soft cloth
• Lacquer stripper
• Paintbrush
• Spray lacquer
• Fine steel wool
• Wire cutters
• Electrical tape

Instructions

1. Fill your sink with warm water and a squirt of dishwashing liquid. Work up the suds with your hands.

2. Look carefully at the crystal pendants on your chandelier. Unhook all crystals that are the same size. Wash them in the soapy water, rinse under the tap and dry with a paper towel. Place them in a separate spot before going to the next set of different-sized pendants. Repeat this process until all of the crystal parts have been removed and cleaned.

3. Turn off the circuit to the chandelier. Remove all light bulbs from the chandelier, washing and drying them as you did the crystal pendants.

4. Remove the ceiling cap from the chandelier with a screwdriver, exposing the wiring. Decouple the wire nuts and ground wire. Determine what type of metal finish you're dealing with. Brass is most likely for a crystal chandelier.

5. Apply a light coat of brass polish to the metal surface. Allow it to dry then buff with a clean, soft cloth to remove tarnish. If corrosion has occurred, apply a coat of lacquer stripper with a paintbrush, allow it to work for an hour, then scrub with fine steel wool to remove the finish. Try the brass polish again, and tarnish will come off the brass. Buff to a shine, then spray with a new coat of lacquer to seal the surface.

6. Check the wiring for decayed insulation and corroded wire connections. Cut 1/2-inch off the wire ends with wire cutters and strip back insulation to form new, clean connections. Secure the new connections with the wire nuts and wrap with electrical tape. Reconnect the ground wire and rehang the chandelier, securing the ceiling cap with the screwdriver.

7. Rehang each clean crystal pendant as it was before, referring to the digital photographs to make sure you hang them properly. Make note of any missing pendants so you can begin your search for replacements.

Tips & Warnings

• Check antique and second-hand stores for replacement crystal pendants. You may not find exact matches, but you can get close, and add an eclectic air to your crystal chandelier.

• Use chemical strippers and lacquers in well-ventilated areas, and follow package directions carefully.

References

• Schonbek: How to Clean a Crystal Chandelier
• Michigan State University: Chandeliers
• Natural Handyman: Brass Cleaning Questions

Resources

• Do It Yourself: Restoring an Antique Chandelier
• Light Fixture: Light Fixture Wiring