How to clean lampshades?

Hi everybody!

The most frequently asked question about lampshades is how to clean them.

This is a very difficult topic and, unfortunately, not easy to grasp. I’ll disappoint you right from the start.
There’s no magic bullet here, and the options are very limited.

So…

How to clean lampshades?

Well, lampshades (not to be confused with glass shades) can’t be washed.
Over the 45 years of our work, we’ve had several such stories. Sometimes the cleaning lady put them in the dishwasher, sometimes the hotel showered them… and guess how it ended? Unfortunately, it was always the same… the lampshades had to be thrown away. This shouldn’t worry us much. However, in the interests of sustainability and customer satisfaction, we don’t recommend it, in fact, we advise against it, because we can’t forbid anyone 😉

Lampshades should only be vacuumed. You can vacuum gently, but with a light suction and a soft brush to avoid sucking in the plastic and creating wrinkles, or simply use a dry cloth or dusting mitt. Those that pick up dust well without spreading it are ideal. A self-adhesive clothes roller also works well. For velvet, you can also use what’s called an old-fashioned clothes brush; the dust will roll perfectly. But remember, no chemicals or water.

If, for example, a fly leaves a mark, it’s best to ignore it and turn the lampshade in a different direction. Any attempt to wipe will only worsen the situation, damaging the fabric over and over, making the stain more visible.

The exception to this rule is plastic lampshades (for example, cream-colored plastic with a fabric look). Such lampshades can be gently cleaned with a damp cloth, but be careful only on plastic, as the ribbon is cotton and will stain or streak upon contact with water. And if it’s self-adhesive, it will come off completely.

For hotels, we make custom lampshades from impregnated fabrics. These fabrics have a different finish, and they can be wiped with a damp cloth without going bad. Unfortunately, the color range is limited.

So, at home, if we want to delight the eye with beautiful designs and various patterns, we need to be more careful and treat the lampshades as described above when cleaning to ensure they last a long time.

Best regards, and happy cleaning!

PN