Ensuring Your Glass Lamp Shade Last A Long Time

While glass lamp shades are a unique type of addition to the home because of their role in both lighting and decor, they require careful maintenance if they are to be kept for a long time. In the short run, the glass surface gets dirty and oily with both dust and manual handling. Furthermore if they experience any trauma little pieces will flake or chip off. In the worst case scenario large cracks can render the entire shade unsightly.

Simple cleansing procedures include regular dusting as part of normal house-hold cleaning. To get rid of smudges, a glass cleaner such as Windex and a soft cloth will suffice, although there are special blend formulas that act as cleansing solutions. The important thing to watch out for when doing light cleaning is that the cleaning solvent should be non-reactive with the non-glass parts of the lamp shade, such as the trim beads, metal foil, solder or other parts.

If the lamp is fairly complicated with hard to reach places, you can take it apart by removing the shade from the fixture, as well as the bulb. Be sure to unplug the lamp for safety reasons! More serious cleaning can be done with a soft-bristled brush to scrub hard-to-reach areas of the fixture or grooves in the glass lamp shade. Glass cleanser or even simple soap and water will be effective at removing grime in these areas. Ensure that all moisture is wiped off at the end of the cleaning process.

Minor damage to the glass lamp shade in the form of chips, which usually happen near the lip, rim or edge, can be repaired in two different ways. The simplest way is to smooth away the chip which reduces its visibility as well as makes the glass lamp shade safer to handle as a smoothed chip cannot cut the skin accidentally. However, to eliminate the visibility of the chip entails gluing or cementing it back into place. This may require an expert repairer for a good job.

Major damage to the glass lamp shade in the form of large cracks or even shattering should be repaired by a professional. A professional restorer can sometimes even remove the crack completely but this is sometimes an impossible demand.

If perfect restoration is desired, you can find a glasswork artisan who makes lamp shades to duplicate the original. How much this costs, and whether you can find such an artisan depends on both the artistic complexity of the original as well as the extent of the damage. However, even in these contemporary times glasswork is pursued enthusiastically by many people. It may not be hard to find someone who is willing to remake the glass lamp shade for a fee.

Additional topics and articles on buying an antique glass shade can be found at the site. Read the most up-to-date information concerning to mini lamp shades.