Chandelier cleaning is a delicate task. The difficulty involved in dusting something dangling so many feet in the air might make you decide to skip it altogether, but a chandelier is what makes a room bright and beautiful. It’s dynamic, gorgeous—old-world drama in right in your house. Unless, that is, it’s dirty. A chandelier with dusty crystals looks cloudy and gloomy and diminishes the chandelier’s true beauty. Keep decorative light fixtures glowing with a simple cleaning just a few times a year. Here are easy step-by-step directions on how to clean a chandelier.

Step One

Prep your cleaning space. Place a plastic bowl or container inside a sink to clean the crystals. On the counter near the sink place 2 towels, one for dirty and one for clean chandelier crystals.

Step Two

Disconnect all power from the chandelier. Remove the light bulbs from the chandelier and set them aside on a safe surface.

Step Three

If possible, unhook the chandelier from the ceiling and gently place it on a safe surface. Be careful while unhooking the chandelier from the ceiling. Do this with great care and patience.

Step Four

In your prepped cleaning sink, wash the crystals in soapy water and rinse them in hot water. Wipe the crystals dry and place them on the clean towel. Do one section at a time. When you are done with a section, replace those crystals before moving on to the next section of the chandelier. Clean the crystals until all sections of the chandelier are clean.

Step Five

Gently clean the frame of your chandelier using a damp soapy rag. If you have a metal frame be sure to clean with a metal cleaner. Buff the frame dry.

Step Six

Replace the chandelier on the ceiling. Replace the light bulbs and reconnect the power to the chandelier. You’re done!

How often should it be cleaned?

Crystal should be cleaned at least twice a year. However, cleaning depends on where your chandelier is placed and how big it is. If a chandelier is placed in the kitchen it can acquire grease build-up quickly. These should be cleaned every three to six months if possible. For some homes, twice a year is simply not feasible. If you have an extremely large chandelier you can get away with cleaning it at least once a year.

What should I avoid using to clean a chandelier?

• Harsh soaps and chemical cleaners. Harsh products (like ammonia) will remove the lacquer coating on a chandelier.
• Citrus. Yes, citrus cleaners are water-based and good for cleaning many things, but when the water in the cleaner evaporates a residue is left behind that can react to the metal and damage the chandelier.

Chandelier Cleaning: a Tricky Necessity

A clean chandelier is a chandelier shown to its full advantage. However, this chore may be something that makes you nervous. After all, chandeliers are expensive and dangerous. If you don’t feel up to the task of chandelier cleaning, ask a local professional house cleaning service to perform this task for you.