For many homeowners, cleaning their light fixtures isn’t a job at the top of their to-do list. While this is true, it is a simple task that can help significantly brighten up your home. Dead bugs, dust, and grime may be clouding your light bulbs, fixtures, and coverings, diminishing the flow of light. Knowing the best way for cleaning your fixtures, without causing damage or breaking them, is crucial to ensure your home is bright and welcoming.
Regardless of if you want to clean all the lights in your home at once or just tackle a room at a time, the tips here will help you along the way.
Gather Your Supplies
Before you begin the cleaning process, you need to gather your supplies. While this will depend on the type of light fixtures in your home, some of the basic supplies to have on-hand include:
- Step ladder
- Electrostatic duster
- Cleaning solution
- Microfiber cloth
- Mix of water and dish soap
- Vacuum or lint roller
The Steps to Clean Your Basic Light Fixture
Cleaning basic light fixtures isn’t a difficult process, but the steps here will help you.
- Turn off the lights and wait 30 minutes for the bulbs to cool.
- Use the microfiber cloth or duster to wipe fixtures, covers, and bulbs to remove any surface dust.
- Create a mix of warm water and dish soap.
- Remove covers or globes from your fixtures.
- Soak the globes in the soapy mix for five to 10 minutes.
- Use a cloth to scrub away any other grime and rinse with fresh water.
Tips for Cleaning Flush-Mounted or Recessed Lights
The rims holding the covers on your flush-mounted lights will attach right to your ceiling. Take the covers off and soak them for a while, wash them well, rinse, and dry. Be sure to wipe the fixture and bulb with a damp cloth. Ensure everything dries completely before putting the fixtures back up. Learning the proper way to remove stuck dome light fixtures can be a challenge. Make sure you are exerting counterclockwise rotational pressure without pushing up at the same time. For a better grip, wear textured work gloves or latex gloves.
For can or recessed lights, remove and wipe the light bulbs using a damp cloth and allow them to dry fully before replacing them. While the bulbs are out, wipe the inside and outside of the canisters with a damp cloth and let them dry.
Use Caution When Cleaning Electrical Fixtures in Your Home
Any time you plan to clean something that is connected to electricity, you should use caution. If you aren’t careful, serious issues may arise and you may cause an injury or damage to your home. Don’t let this happen by using the tips and information here.
If you notice a problem with a lighting fixture in your home while cleaning them, be sure to contact Tann Electric right away. We can find the problem and fix it quickly.