Connecting to Collections Care

Aside from the dusting aspect, I would like to know the best option for cleaning chandeliers (when necessary) that are made of crystals/glass and brass or other antique metals.

The methods I have come across for cleaning glass or crystals in general are below and I would like to know which is recommended as well as what to avoid:

 Vinegar & water, Isopropyl & water, soap-Dawn or Ivory vs Orvus.

thank you!

Hello Candance,

I am a private practice conservator, and one of my areas of expertise is glass. I would not recommend vinegar and water, or commercial products like Dawn and Ivory. Isopropanol and distilled water, or ethanol and distilled water would be my recommended approach for the glass/crystal. It's best to spray the solution directly onto a cotton pad (e.g. Webrils), clean microfiber cloth, or clean cotton rag, and then wipe the glass with it. You can use dampened q-tips to get into harder to reach nooks and crannies. Are the metal components just the fittings and pins? Or are the arms of the chandeliers themselves metal? I can provide more specific recommendations based on your answers. 

Also, are you planning on dismantling the chandeliers to give them a "deeper" clean, or cleaning them in situ? I have a number of articles on chandelier cleaning and care that I'd be happy to send you. 

Best,

Rebecca

Aside from the dusting aspect, I would like to know the best option for cleaning chandeliers (when necessary) that are made of crystals/glass and brass or other antique metals.

The methods I have come across for cleaning glass or crystals in general are below and I would like to know which is recommended as well as what to avoid:

 Vinegar & water, Isopropyl & water, soap-Dawn or Ivory vs Orvus.

thank you!

Hello Candance,

I am a private practice conservator, and one of my areas of expertise is glass. I would not recommend vinegar and water, or commercial products like Dawn and Ivory. Isopropanol and distilled water, or ethanol and distilled water would be my recommended approach for the glass/crystal. It's best to spray the solution directly onto a cotton pad (e.g. Webrils), clean microfiber cloth, or clean cotton rag, and then wipe the glass with it. You can use dampened q-tips to get into harder to reach nooks and crannies. Are the metal components just the fittings and pins? Or are the arms of the chandeliers themselves metal? I can provide more specific recommendations based on your answers. 

Also, are you planning on dismantling the chandeliers to give them a "deeper" clean, or cleaning them in situ? I have a number of articles on chandelier cleaning and care that I'd be happy to send you. 

Best,

Rebecca

Aside from the dusting aspect, I would like to know the best option for cleaning chandeliers (when necessary) that are made of crystals/glass and brass or other antique metals.

The methods I have come across for cleaning glass or crystals in general are below and I would like to know which is recommended as well as what to avoid:

 Vinegar & water, Isopropyl & water, soap-Dawn or Ivory vs Orvus.

thank you!

Rebecca,

Could you link me to the resources on cleaning chandeliers as well?

Thanks!

Jodi Lundgren

Crazy Horse Memorial

jodi.lundgren@crazyhorse.org

Hello Candance,

I am a private practice conservator, and one of my areas of expertise is glass. I would not recommend vinegar and water, or commercial products like Dawn and Ivory. Isopropanol and distilled water, or ethanol and distilled water would be my recommended approach for the glass/crystal. It's best to spray the solution directly onto a cotton pad (e.g. Webrils), clean microfiber cloth, or clean cotton rag, and then wipe the glass with it. You can use dampened q-tips to get into harder to reach nooks and crannies. Are the metal components just the fittings and pins? Or are the arms of the chandeliers themselves metal? I can provide more specific recommendations based on your answers. 

Also, are you planning on dismantling the chandeliers to give them a "deeper" clean, or cleaning them in situ? I have a number of articles on chandelier cleaning and care that I'd be happy to send you. 

Best,

Rebecca

Aside from the dusting aspect, I would like to know the best option for cleaning chandeliers (when necessary) that are made of crystals/glass and brass or other antique metals.

The methods I have come across for cleaning glass or crystals in general are below and I would like to know which is recommended as well as what to avoid:

 Vinegar & water, Isopropyl & water, soap-Dawn or Ivory vs Orvus.

thank you!

Hello all,

I am listing below three articles on the cleaning and care of chandeliers, with some notes, as two of them are now 20-25 years old and some of the practices/materials described are not what I would recommend. These articles include descriptions for safe handling, disassembly, and even terminology for all of the components of chandeliers. I hope this is helpful!

Abend, K., L. Borsch, J. Day, J. Mandrus, and L. Pilosi. "Conservation of Eighteenth Century lighting fixtures in The Metropolitan Museum of Art." The artifact, its context and their narrative: Multidisciplinary conservation in historic house museums, a Joint Conference of ICOM-DEMHIST and three ICOM-CC Working Groups: Sculpture, Polychromy, & Architectural Decoration; Wood, Furniture, & Lacquer; and Textiles. The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, November 6-9, 2012.

Reilly, J. A. and M. Mortimer. "The Care and Conservation of Glass Chandeliers." Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 37, No. 2 (1998): 149-172. 

• This describes the use of a calcium carbonate slurry to polish silver components, which is common practice today for cleaning silver. However, it goes on to recommend silver dip and thiourea, which I would advise against (especially for silver-plated objects). I'm happy to discuss the reasoning behind this with anyone who is curious, and alternative options (e.g. what commercial products are better than others, and how to modify their application methods for a gentler approach). 
• This suggests adding ammonia to adjust the pH of your ethanol and water mixture. Both pH testing and understanding the stability of the glass matrix is critical here, so best to leave the ammonia out.

Davison, S. "Historic cut glass chandeliers: Recording and conservation." The Conservation of Glass and Ceramics: Research, Practice and Training. Ed. N. H. Tennent. London: James & James, 1999. 208-216.

• This suggests a mixture of Industrial Methylated Spirits (IMS) and water with a non ionic detergent for cleaning the glass; note that IMS is the British name for denatured alcohol (ethanol with additives). 
• It also recommends silver dip; avoid this!

Best,

Rebecca

------------------------------
Rebecca Gridley
Associate Conservator
Art Conservation Group
Long Island City, NY
rebecca.ec.gridley@gmail.com

Original Message:
Sent: 03-14-2023 12:18
From: Jodi Lundgren
Subject: Cleaning Chandeliers

Rebecca,

Could you link me to the resources on cleaning chandeliers as well?

Thanks!

Jodi Lundgren

Crazy Horse Memorial

jodi.lundgren@crazyhorse.org

Hello Candance,

I am a private practice conservator, and one of my areas of expertise is glass. I would not recommend vinegar and water, or commercial products like Dawn and Ivory. Isopropanol and distilled water, or ethanol and distilled water would be my recommended approach for the glass/crystal. It's best to spray the solution directly onto a cotton pad (e.g. Webrils), clean microfiber cloth, or clean cotton rag, and then wipe the glass with it. You can use dampened q-tips to get into harder to reach nooks and crannies. Are the metal components just the fittings and pins? Or are the arms of the chandeliers themselves metal? I can provide more specific recommendations based on your answers. 

Also, are you planning on dismantling the chandeliers to give them a "deeper" clean, or cleaning them in situ? I have a number of articles on chandelier cleaning and care that I'd be happy to send you. 

Best,

Rebecca

Aside from the dusting aspect, I would like to know the best option for cleaning chandeliers (when necessary) that are made of crystals/glass and brass or other antique metals.

The methods I have come across for cleaning glass or crystals in general are below and I would like to know which is recommended as well as what to avoid:

 Vinegar & water, Isopropyl & water, soap-Dawn or Ivory vs Orvus.

thank you!