A can of compressed air works wonderfully for blowing off dust; you can even use your hairdryer on the cool setting. Focus the air blast on the top of the lamp shade and work your way down to the bottom. To get deeper into the pleats, use a paintbrush and dust from top to bottom.
If you're not ready to invest in an electric duster just yet, a microfiber cloth, a vacuum cleaner (with a soft brush attachment), and a feather duster will all work well according to experts. Be sure that you're cleaning lampshades gently, so you don't risk denting or otherwise compromising the shade.
Steps to Clean the Shade:
Fill a second bowl with water and mix in small amount of mild detergent. ⁸ Dip a cloth in the detergent water, wring the cloth out well so that it is only barely damp, then wipe a section of the shade. Do not soak the paper; just quickly wipe the surface.
Can they be washed? Always try dusting your shades with the methods above and save cleaning with water as a last resort. Getting your shade fabric wet frequently can cause the pleats to lose their shape. If dusting hasn't helped, stains blotted clean with a damp cloth, warm water and a mild detergent like dish soap.
Fill a big enough container with warm water and add a dash of dish soap. Add three tablespoons of vinegar to the mix. Carefully dip the shade and soak it well in the solution. If you need to, scrub with a soft sponge any troublesome areas.
To avoid any discoloration or stain spots with silk lamp shades, you can always bring them in to a dry-cleaning professional.
Naturally, paper and parchment shouldn't be submerged in water, and wetting lampshades with glued seams or embellishments can corrode the adhesive. Because of this, these materials need some special treatment. Consider wearing gloves when cleaning paper lampshades to prevent staining them with the oils from your hands.
A lampshade style that's hit the limelight in recent years, or should that be the spotlight, is the 'hard' pleated lampshade, defined by its knife pleat folds, that create a sharper and crisper looking shade than its soft shade fabric sibling.
When your lamp begins to cast a yellowish glow, it may have everything to do with the lampshade and not the bulb. Lampshades with use and age begin to turn yellow. If you are tempted to replace an old shade, it might surprise you to learn that much of the yellowing comes from dirt.
Use a lightweight cotton fabric so it's easy to work with and glue down. Select a fabric that is semi-transparent, so it will still filter the light and not block it entirely (unless that's the goal.)
Lamp Shades
Mix together vinegar and water (or create another cleaning solution of your choosing). Wet a clean sponge or cloth with your cleaner and start scrubbing. Clean the lampshade until the nicotine stains are removed. Dry the shade with a clean cloth.
There's actually a no-scrub solution for this chore: You can clean glass shades or globes in the dishwasher! Of course, these decorative pieces aren't quite as indestructible as your melamine dinner plates, so proceed with care.
Only use a soft cotton cloth (or microfibre cloth). Sweep your cloth over both sides of your acrylic to remove any loose dust or dirt. Spray a small amount of Acrylic Cleaner such as VuPlex onto a different soft cotton cloth – wipe this onto your acrylic. Wipe gently until the cleaner is totally gone.
Polyester is 100% synthetic material. Pleated items made of polyester can be washed both by hand and in an automatic machine. At the same time, follow the basic rules for washing similar products – set the delicate mode and do not exceed the water temperature above 30 degrees .