Care & Cleaning

An investment in quality lighting for your home can be better served if these products are maintained properly. In order to get the most out of your lighting fixtures, follow these simple care and cleaning guidelines:

Crystal Chandeliers

Your investment in the sophistication and beauty of a crystal chandelier will last for generations, if cared for properly. Each crystal deserves careful handling during maintenance. Apply a water-dampened soft cloth to the crystals and the frame, or if needed, use commercially sold, non-abrasive, liquid crystal cleaning solution. Never wash crystals in the dishwasher, which causes permanent damage to the crystal components. If you have removed the crystals from the fixture for cleaning, avoid smudging during reinstallation by wearing cotton gloves.

Interior and Exterior Fixtures

Whether inside or outside the home, pollutants can damage your lighting fixtures. Although these damaging effects cannot be eliminated, preventive measures will help reduce them. For interior fixtures, common sense is a good rule. Weekly dusting will help preserve the finish and beautiful characteristics of your products. Polished brass finishes weather more quickly than other metals, but a specially treated brass finish is available through your local Lighting One showroom. Powder coated cast aluminum materials also offer a durable construction to withstand the elements. For glass accents, clean only with a water-dampened cloth. We discourage using a commercial glass cleaner unless the solution absolutely will not touch the metal frame. Always check the recommendations of the manufacturer before performing any of these maintenance and care guidelines.

Light Bulbs

Every U.L. approved light fixture advises the consumer about the maximum allowable wattage of light bulb(s) for that particular fixture. These guidelines are set to avoid fire, and must be followed to ensure safety.

Also, consider the combined wattage of all sockets for the safety of both the fixture and the supporting household circuit. In general terms, try to keep the wattage of a single fixture to a maximum of 480 to 500 watts. So, for example, if you have a 12 light chandelier, use 40 watt or lower bulbs even if each socket is rated for 60 watt bulbs. Your Brecher’s Lighting consultant can "enlighten" you on any of these tips.

Other Tips

Disconnect the electrical source from any fixture you are cleaning. The cleaning tips above also apply to the lighting fixtures throughout your home. Use commercial cleaners only when they state they are specifically made for lighting fixtures. Active cleaning agents and abrasive cleaning agents from non lighting specific cleaners can rapidly remove protective coatings from your fixture resulting in color changes, or other damage to base metals. When removing glass globes, hold them securely while removing thumbscrews or finials. Wash the globes by hand, avoiding contact with items that can cause breakage.