Cleaning a crystal chandelier isn’t as daunting as it may appear. These precious fixtures require a little more love and care than a desk lamp, but you can restore and maintain your crystal’s shine with common household products and a little know-how.

Everyday Care

If your chandelier is still sparkling clean, simply dust the fixture with a lambswool or feather duster every few weeks. Keep your strokes light, since leaded crystal is softer than glass—even dust can scratch it. Be sure to walk around the fixture as you dust, rather than spinning it towards you. Twisting the fixture can strain the wiring or loosen its support.

Spring Cleaning

Eventually, the fixture will need a more thorough cleaning, especially if it’s in a high-traffic area or kitchen. Mid-size chandeliers are still manageable at this stage, provided you have some clean, lint-free rags, isopropyl alcohol, and a little elbow grease.

Before touching the chandelier, follow rule number one: turn off the power to the room when dealing with a ceiling fixture. At least flip the light switch off and tape it so no one will accidentally turn the light on while you’re working. Set up an alternative light source to aid the cleaning. Once the chandelier bulbs have cooled, cover them with plastic snack bags and secure with a rubber band.

Fill a spray bottle with one part isopropyl alcohol and three parts distilled water. Spray on one section of the chandelier at a time, then wipe off with a white cotton glove or lint-free cloth, making sure you dry the frame as well as the crystal. This solution will clarify the crystal and help remove the haze, but is gentler than ammonia on crystal with a design or edge finish. Even so, gently wipe away after spraying and don’t allow the fixture to drip dry. This will help preserve the frame.

Try cleaning your chandelier every two to six months with the alcohol solution, depending on whether the fixture is in a high-traffic area or not.

Heavy Restoration

If your fixture hasn’t been cleaned in a long time (or just needs extra attention), you can go an extra step before calling a professional. This is where a digital camera comes in handy, as you’ll need to remove individual pendants for a more thorough washing. Take pictures of the connections for reference later, then carefully remove the pendants. You may need a pair of needle-nose pliers to help disengage the pendants from the fixture.

Fill a sink with warm water and some gentle dish soap. Carefully wash each crystal piece and rinse in warm water to avoid any drastic temperature shifts. Set the pendants on a clean cloth to dry. Then simply rehang the pendants and enjoy your sparkling fixture!

There’s something exciting about making a large purchase: the rush of buying, the nagging fear that you can’t afford it, the anticipation of it making your life better or easier.  This feeling is especially true when it comes to a new appliance; it’s an investment in saving you time and effort. What if the investment you just made turns out to be a dud because of overlooking the impact it would have on your electrical system?

A lot of the work of an appliance happens within the machine, we tend to not think about the fact that an appliance is really a very complicated electrical machine. In addition, we ignore that they require a lot of electricity to operate. They can really strain your electrical system. This is especially true of modern appliances; it seems like they’ve found a way to computerize everything, and that only makes the power needs of an appliance grow even when they are “Energy Star” rated. Installation of these complex modern appliances seem as easy; some almost seem like they only need to be plugged in and forgotten. This approach neglects the fact that there are important things to keep in mind with regards to appliance installations that can cause serious problems for you down the line.

Obviously, you don’t always need to call an electrician whenever you install an appliance. With that being said, there’s nothing wrong with doing so if you’re not sure what you’re doing. The Best Dallas Electrician you can hire can help you avoid a lot of potential hazards and costs down the line. If you’re still planning on installing your new appliance yourself, keep in mind the following electrical safety do’s and don’ts:

At times, building codes can seem like a hassle that only create more work. But the truth is that these codes are put into place to keep us safe. Just like how a poorly formed foundation can cause massive damage to your home, cutting corners in electrical wiring could cost you your entire house. Whether you’ve purchased a new home, are trying to sell your existing home, or you just don’t know, its a good idea to bring your home up to the electrical code.

The best way to start bringing your home up to code is to target critical areas. These are places that see heavy electrical usage and potentially hazardous situations. Areas such as bathrooms and kitchen are very important to have up to standards. In the bathroom moisture can eat corrode wires and outlets which can cause electrocution. The kitchen also uses the largest, energy using appliances in your home. These outlets should be safe and grounded; if they are not, it can cause fatal injury.

In addition to these locations, there are several other places that should be targeted:

The best way to ensure that your home is up to code is to have a home inspection by a professional. With the long list of potential problems, only a professional can identify the work that needs to be completed. Especially when buying and selling a home, it is important to bring it up to code.