How to clean brass pendant lights

Some practical tips for keeping your brass pendant lights looking as clean, shiny and strikingly beautiful as the day you bought them…

With its beautiful, warm colour brass is a fabulous material for creating pendant lights that cast a buttery light and make a real style statement too. It can be fashioned into many different styles, from antiqued glass and brass lanterns, to contemporary glass and brass chandeliers. Naturally, over time dust and general grime can build up, and oxidisation can occur. To keep your brass pendant lights looking lovely and working efficiently, it’s important to give them a little TLC from time to time.

Keeping dust and dirt at bay

To help stop dust and dirt from building up, and help prevent tarnishing, we recommend that you give your brass pendant lights a quick maintenance clean every week or two. (It won’t take long, and some people find it helps to make it part of their weekly cleaning routine.) For a routine clean, you can normally leave your pendant light in place:

• Remember, safety first - whenever you’re handling a light, you should always begin by turning off the power supply, and allowing the bulb to fully cool down
• Place a chair or stepladder underneath the pendant light, making sure it’s stable and on an even surface
• Using a soft, lint-free cloth or extendable duster, gently wipe over all surfaces of the brass, and any glass and other fittings, to remove the dust and dirt
• Gently dust the lightbulb - this part is often forgotten, but it can make a huge difference to the efficiency of your pendant light!
• Give the fixings and cables a wipe over.

 

Giving your brass pendant light a deeper clean

A regular once-over will help to stop a build-up of general dust and dirt. However, it’s also important to give your light a more thorough clean from time to time - we recommend around twice or year - to get rid of more stubborn dirt and to keep the brass looking in top condition. To clean your brass pendant light, you will need:

• a pair of gloves
• a bowl of warm, soapy water
• a screwdriver
• some newspaper or cardboard
• lint-free cloths or paper towels
• a clean, dry towel

1. Turn off the power - as always, make sure the electricity supply to the light is turned off and that the bulb is cool 2. Remove your brass pendant light - carefully position your stepladder, so that you can reach the light without having to stretch too far. Remove the bulb from the pendant light and place it gently on the newspaper, followed by the shade - you may need to unscrew or unclip the fixings 3. Gently clean your pendant light - gently wipe over all surfaces of the pendant light, using the lint-free cloth or paper towels dipped in the soapy water. Use only a mild detergent, and remember to rinse the cloth regularly. It’s important to take extra care with any fittings that have a patina or a painted or antiqued finish - always read the care label, and if necessary stick to cleaning your pendant light with a dry, lint-free cloth 4. Rinse your pendant light - use a clean, damp cloth to remove any soap residue 5. Dry your light fitting - dry your pendant light thoroughly with a soft, lint-free cloth or towel 6. Clean the light bulb - wipe the bulb with the damp cloth, and allow it to dry 7. Reassemble your pendant light - once everything is clean and dry, you can reassemble the light fitting, pop the bulb back in, and enjoy your brass pendant light in all its glory!

Maintaining your brass pendant light

Uncoated brass oxidises easily, so depending on your light fitting and the effect you want to create, you may need to take action to help prevent tarnishing. However, it’s important to tread carefully, and take extra care with plated metal which will wear more easily. To remove heavy tarnishing, you can make a simple paste by combining baking soda and white vinegar or the juice of half a lemon - as always, check the care instructions of your pendant light first. Using a soft, lint-free cloth, gently work the paste into the brass until the tarnish disappears. Remember to rinse the fitting afterwards with a damp cloth, to make sure there is no residue. For a high-shine finish, and to help protect your brass pendant light, you may want to add a non-abrasive polish or wax.

 

Do’s and don’ts for cleaning brass pendant lights

Do: dust your pendant light regularly to avoid a build-up of dirt and grime Do: follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding cleaning Do: remember less is more - brass is porous and can be easily damaged, so avoid excessive cleaning Don’t: immerse brass fittings in water Don’t: use abrasive cloths or materials, as these can damage the brass Don’t: use any harsh commercial cleaners, including those containing ammonia or alcohol With a little routine maintenance, your brass pendant lights will shine as brightly as the day you bought them. To read full details on how to keep your lovely Pooky lights clean you can go here: Care Guide At Pooky we make affordable designer lighting for beautiful rooms. You can view our range of brass pendant lights here.