How to Maintain Your Pendant Lighting
Pendant lighting fixtures are some of the most beloved pieces of modern home design. Whether it be above a kitchen island or suspended in a hobby room, these beautiful handcrafted, items provide focused light while providing an elegant style. However, as stunning as glass pendants can be in the home, it’s important that they’re properly cared for in order to stay that way. Otherwise, they risk becoming damaged and less effective as a whole. So, if you currently have or are looking to obtain these lights for your home, make sure you know how to maintain your pendant lighting. That way, you can keep them working correctly and be ready to show off to your guests.
The Importance of Maintaining Pendant Lights
Each day, our homes’ ventilation systems circulate thousands of dust, hair, and dander particles that come to rest on various surfaces across the environment. We notice a dusty surface, wipe it down with a duster or damp cloth and go about our day—only for it to become dirty again in no time at all. Ultimately, it’s this cycle that causes you to dust and vacuum your home more often than you probably feel you should. But it isn’t just your bookcases and trinkets that need to be kept clean. In fact, your lighting pendants, being suspended in the air, collect dirt faster than any other surface in the home.
Dust and dirt particles float in the air before finally landing on something they can cling to. This means that most of them will find the glass of your pendant lights before any other piece of furniture. As they layer themselves on the glass, they block some of the light escaping until they noticeably affect the amount of light released. If left to sit over time, dust and dirt can even cause the glass to stain and make it more susceptible to chipping. Because of this, regular cleanings, occasional deep cleanings, and general part replacement are all key to maintaining your pendant lighting.
Regular Cleanings
One of the best ways to keep excess debris from building up on your glass pendants is to include dusting them as part of your regular home cleaning routine. This allows you to remove dust as it rests to the surface, thus preventing it from becoming a problem down the line. To perform a light cleaning of your pendants, start by turning off the light and letting the bulb cool down so you don’t burn yourself. Then, after putting on gloves and elevating yourself to a comfortable height, use a soft cloth or an extendable duster to gently wipe the glass. The gloves will keep you from leaving fingerprints on the pendant’s surface and standing on a stool will ensure you’re comfortable throughout the cleaning process. It’s also important that you dust off the light bulb itself to help preserve its brightness and energy efficiency. You can use this as a chance as well to wipe down the suspension cable and hardware connectors. This process should only take a few minutes, and will greatly improve the overall look and performance of your lighting components. So, while you’re busy with vacuuming and washing the counters, make sure you pay some mind to other crucial home components.
Deep Cleanings
Occasionally, about once or twice a year, you’re going to want to perform a deeper cleaning of your pendant lighting fixtures. This is to remove any stains or smudges the glass might have developed over the previous months and inspect the state of each component. As such, aside from the initial dusting of the surface, you’ll need to take your pendant lights apart to give each piece the proper level of attention and care. When unhooking a pendant, ensure that the electricity in that area of the home is turned off and loosen the screws while keeping the glass in place. Upon detaching the glass from the hardware, place it in a bucket or sink that’s filled with warm, soapy water and allow it to soak. Next, wipe off any dirt or grime from the light bulb and fixture hardware and inspect them for damage. Once the glass has soaked for several minutes, gently scrub away the grime and allow it to dry completely before reassembling the light. Ensuring that the glass is dry is essential, as any remaining water could react poorly with the electrical socket and cause a fire.
Replacing Faulty Parts
If you find that certain parts are dented, bent, or simply not connecting during your inspection, it’s vital that you get them replaced before hooking your fixture back up. Faulty parts can cause sparking to occur when the electricity is turned back on, which in turn can lead to a dangerous house fire. So, take any component damage as a chance to upgrade your pendant hardware and experiment with new looks. There are a series of different design options for you to choose from, and as long as your new hardware is compatible, you won’t even need to find a new glass piece to go with it. For instance, if your replacement hardware is similar in shape and connectivity to your old set, it’s fairly straightforward to make the switch. However, if you decide on a much different pendant setup than the one you had before, you may need to do some rewiring and find a new glass shade to go along with it. Make sure you also weigh the advantages and disadvantages of certain metal finishes and commit to one that best compliments the style you’ve already established in your home. With all these factors in mind, it’s a lot easier to find replacement parts that cater to each of your needs.
At Bicycle Glass Co., it’s our mission to only provide you with the most gorgeous, handmade glass pendants possible for your home. Made with 100 percent locally-recycled glass, our recycled glass pendant lights are designed to maximize area illumination while complementing your already prevalent style and design. As such, no matter what you’re looking for, we can guarantee that you’ll find something that piques your interest in our inventory. We also offer other types of crafted lighting fixtures like wall sconces and chandeliers to cater to whatever lighting needs your home has.
