Anyone know how to clean an old lampshade?

[Paper Roses]

As a wedding present decades ago, we were given a great lamp with a very nice shade. The shade is covered with what feels like raw linen paper or heavily starched raw lined fabric. It has aged and although I vacuum it, the eggshell color has darkened and it now looks like it could use a 'shampoo'.

Does anyone know of a cleaner that will not soak the material but might clean this or at least lighten it up? The top and bottom edges look slightly dirty. I don't want to use a conventional cleaner because I am sure wetting the shade will ruin it. It is an octagonal shape and conforms to the shape of the lamp base, which is an old tall glass oil lamp what was converted.

To have a new one made would cost $$ that I do not have right now and I would never find a shade shaped like this ready made.

Ant thoughts would be appreciated.

[Vinca]

1. Not a clue, P.R. When something gets dirty I sell it!

:rofl: When I googled "how to clean a dirty lamp shade" I got a bunch of promising hits, though.

[Paper Roses]

5. I Googled the process too. Since I can't dunk it in water,

the vacuum thing is the only other dry suggestion I could find. I've done that all along. I just want to freshen this shade up.

The next poster had a great idea, souls like it's a possibility.

I would take a chance on a light foam cleaning if I thought the stuff would dry right away and I could vac it clean.

[Lars39]

2. How about one of those Mr. Clean things, like a big eraser?

[Paper Roses]

3. Don't know what they are but I'll check it out.

Going grocery shopping tomorrow, I would suspect they would be where the cleaning supplies are. Thanks for the tip.

[Lars39]

4. Hope it works out.

:hi:

[grasswire]

6. you might call a lamp repair shop and ask them

I hope you find the answer! It sounds really cool.

[japple]

7. You might try cornstarch. Sprinkle a little on the discolored spots

work it in with a soft toothbrush, then brush or vacuum it off. Cornstarch is one of the ingredients in "dry shampoo." Or you might even try one of the spray-on dry shampoos.

[Paper Roses]

8. Spray on dry shampoo? Today is a learning day.

How did I get to be so old and not ever hear about this product. We have a beauty supple store near me. I'll check tomorrow on my way to do my grocery shopping. Meanwhile, tonight I'm going to see if cornstarch makes a difference. That I have on hand.

[mzteris]

10. I was trying to remember what ingredient

I'd heard used (as in 'old wives tales') I was thinking cornmeal for some reason - but I was a southerner growing up so maybe that's why..

Put the lampshade in a brown paper bag with the cornstarch(?) and shake gently...

[Warpy]

9. What you do depends entirely on what it's made of

and my best guess is that it's made of silk if it was an expensive lamp, and from your description of the hard fabric and fabric lining, that's just what it is.

Sloshing it out in the bathtub with Ivory Snow is your best bet, then letting it dry outdoors in full sun to give it some additional bleaching sounds like the best plan. The fabric will loosen when it's wet but it will tighten again as it dries. The wash water only has to come halfway up, you can turn it over to slosh the other side.

At this point, if the shade has gotten old and stained looking, it's not like you're going to make it a whole lot worse, anyway.

The worst that can happen is that you'll have to buy another lampshade.

However, this method, as I finally get around to Googling, is the preferred method for all non plastic backed lampshades.

[pengillian101]

11. So, did you find something that worked?

I have a couple shades that could use a cleaning.

:-)

[Paper Roses]

12. Glad you reminded me to reply, I forgot. Things worked, yes and no.

A friend who sews a lot and works with an upholsterer said to use foam upholstery cleaner. I did so and was pleased with the shade itself but I will have to replace the gimp trim at the top and bottom. It did not clean as well as the body of the shade and now looks dirty. Before my efforts, the whole shade looked about the same. Now the trim us unattractive. I would use this method again but not on a shade with any applied ornamentation.

I dried it quickly on top of one of the oil filled radiators. Just put a towel over the radiator and rotated the shade now and them. It it had been sunny, I would have hung it outside. I know the wire frames can quickly rust and mark the shade.

I will peel off the old trim and re-glue new trim with tacky glue. I just have to get to the fabric store. It will only take a few minutes and I can hold the trim on with clothespins as it dries.

I thank all who pitched in with this project.

[pengillian101]

13. Glad that worked well!

Ya, a new trim would be easy to do. Good job!

[ehrnst]

14. Vodka is a good "dry cleaning" fluid. (nt)

[Paper Roses]

15. Vodka? What is the procedure?

Do I wipe down the shade to clean it or drink the Vodka and the shade will then look better because I can't see straight?

I have another shade to do and would try your hint if you are serious.

[ehrnst]

16. Put it in a spray bottle, and spray the shade until soaking.

This is what I used a lot when I was a ballet costumer, and sweaty costumes that could not go into the wash needed to be cleaned every night.

We put 100 proof vodka (which is only 50% water) in spray bottles, hung up the costumes inside-out, and sprayed until it dripped off onto the newspapers below. Much less toxic than carbon tetrachloride, and I didn't have to store it in a hazardous materials cabinet.

Kerosene was the original dry cleaning fluid - someone spilled a lamp onto a tablecloth and noticed that the solvent action cleaned the stains. I don't recommend it tho - at least indoors.

[kittykitty]

17. Old fashioned wall paper cleaner--if they still sell it. It was a doughy substance that

came in a can. You kneaded it into a wad and rubbed it over the wall paper, and it removed the dust and dirt, and made the wall paper clean again.

But glad the problem was solved another way.