As a designer of chandeliers, people and our clients often ask what steps to take to maintain and keep their fixtures clean?  Every chandelier that we create is different so depending on the frame being glass or antique brass is going to dictate the proper steps for maintaining the beauty of the piece.  First I would like to address an old school common way of keeping the crystals of a chandelier clean which I tend to think is outdated not ideal.  Often people would lay newspaper or cloth down under a chandelier and use a cup of warm water mixed with white vinegar and raise the cup up to submerge the crystal in the liquid.  While this does breakdown the oils and dust that often accumulates on each crystal, it does have its drawbacks….

1. Unless you really enjoy the aroma of italian dressing in your home, there are better cleaning products

2. The acidity of the vinegar can cause damage and tarnish the metal used to actually hold the crystals in place

That being said the following are a few techniques and suggestions that we have found useful for all of our chandeliers.

1.  COMPRESSED AIR!!!!!

We have all used the small cans of compressed air to clean a computer keyboard, but this little tool can be used for chandeliers also.  You will be able to get to hard to reach areas on the frames of the lights, as well in all the nooks and crannies that are found in the intricate designs on the arms and in the bobesh dishes.  Especially with the brass frames, the patina and antique look of the brass is something that you want to keep, so using any cleaner on it may result in discoloration and take away from the overall look.  We recommend starting off by spraying away all the dust on the frame.

2.  GLASS CLEANER

Windex or any similar product is going to give the crystal a fantastic finish.  These are typically very soft cleaning products and will not remove any finish that might be on some of the crystals, whether it is an AB coating or a metallic foil.  This will also not be harmful for the metal holding the crystals onto the frame.  Also windex smells better than vinegar.  Just spray a paper towel with the glass cleaner a rub each stone, this will take care of any oils from fingerprints and any dust left over after using the compressed air.

3.  INSPECT

It only takes a few seconds to go over each stone, but by cleaning them individually you can inspect each element to make sure there hasn’t been any damage to the crystal.  If for any reason you find a chip you can contact us and get a replacement piece so that we help keep your chandelier in pristine condition.

It is important to let you know that each of our chandeliers are created using STRASS crystal, which is a division of the SWAROVSKI company.  STRASS crystal has a patented anti-dust finish and works very well, but after about a year there may be some light build-up of dust on the stones although it is significantly less than that of a lesser quality crystal.  Regardless of the type of crystal that you may have on a chandelier it is always nice when the colors shine brightly so small tips like these can go a long way in getting the most beauty out of these functional pieces of art!

CHEERS,

Karen