How to Clean a Chandelier

Chandeliers and central light fixtures make beautiful, yet intricate additions to your home. Since most items in these categories have many parts, it is difficult to thoroughly clean the chandelier, especially while it's still hanging from the ceiling. The good news is that you do not have to take a chandelier or central light fixture apart to clean it. Instead, you can follow these steps for the best results.

First, make sure to switch off the light and let it cool completely. Most lights can be very hot and can easily burn you if you are not careful.

Once the chandelier has cooled off, cover the light sockets and bulbs with plastic sandwich bags and secure them with rubber bands or twist ties. Make sure the bags are secure enough that liquid will not be able to leak into the light sockets or touch the bulb, since a leak can lead to a ruined chandelier or light fixture, or even an electrocution.

After covering the individual sockets, cover half the chandelier with a plastic sheet and spread another sheet on the floor to catch any drips from the chandeliers. Spray the uncovered half with window cleaner or a commercial chandelier cleaner.

Carefully wipe each piece of the chandelier clean. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for the other half. Even though you are not taking apart the chandelier, it is clearly still a long job, since each individual piece needs to be cleaned. If the thought of wiping each of the chandelier parts individually sounds intimidating, you can instead use a solution of two teaspoons rubbing alcohol in a pint of water. Spray it liberally on the chandelier (after doing steps 1 and 2) and allow it to drip-dry. This will still leave a very clean chandelier, but it will not quite be as good as cleaning each individual part, since you won't be wiping off any dust or grime.