Do not clean stained glass with anabrasive material as it will remove or scratch the patina onthe metal. Never use vinegar, ammonia (e.g., windex)or any acid-based cleanser, as these can destroy the came orsolder that is holding the piece together.
It is especially harmful to children, pregnantwomen and unborn babies. Lead accumulates in your body, so evensmall amounts can pose a health hazard over time. Unless handledcarefully, lead cames and solders used in stained glass andlead lighting can be a health hazard if lead dust is swallowed orinhaled.
Try the following on your oxidised stained glass copperfoil and see the magic for yourself:
- mix a quarter cup of white vinegar and a quarter teaspoon oftable salt until the salt dissolves.
- dip the pieces of foiled glass into the mixture and swirl itaround for about 30 seconds.
- rinse the pieces with water and dry them.
Scrub the zinc with fine steel wool or bronze wool. Thenwipe the zinc down with alcohol. If you want to solder , but don'tnecessarily want to remove the patina from the entirepiece of zinc, scrub the area to be soldered with a brass wirebrush.
Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar, then spray themirror with it. Wipe the mirror down with a crumpledpiece of newspaper. Continue rubbing the mirror until itshines and the cloudy streaks disappear. Spread shaving cream ontothe stain with a paper towel, then wipe it off with a damppaper towel.
Mix a lot of distilled water with a little dish soap inthe bowl. Then soak the cloth in it for a couple seconds, wringingit out as you pull it out of the bowl. Ideally, you want to have adamp– not wet– cloth for cleaning the surface ofyour stained glass window(s).
Fill the glass item with equal parts whitevinegar and water, using enough liquid to cover the cloudy area.Allow the liquid to sit for a day, and then clean theglass with a nylon scrub pad. If the item is too narrow toreach into, place a handful of uncooked rice in the bottle,swirling it around with the vinegar.
Cotton or Synthetic Fabric
- Wipe the lampshade with a microfiber cloth, roll it with asticky-tape lint roller or vacuum it with an upholstery-brushattachment to get rid of loose dust and dirt.
- Fill a bathtub or large basin with enough warm water to swishthe shade around freely within the tub or basin.
Glass lampshades can be washed in thedishwasher on the top rack. There's no need to cleanthem separately from other dishes, but don't crowd the machine. Ifyou don't have a dishwasher, clean it in a tubof warm, soapy water.
Swish the water with your hand to make suds. For extrawhitening, choose a laundry detergent that contains oxygenbleach. Dip a sponge or soft rag into the water and wipe thelampshade clean from top to bottom. If certain areas areparticularly stained, scrub them with a soft toothbrush ornylon-bristled scrub brush.
How to Clean an Old Yellowed Lampshade
- Stop the bathtub up and fill it with barely warm water.
- Dip a soft-bristled scrub brush into the suds and gently scrubany visible spots on the lampshade.
- Submerge the lamp shade in the soapy water and carefully moveit around until all areas are damp.
Fill a clean bucket, sink, or bathtub with enoughwarm water to completely cover the lamp shade. Add acapful of laundry detergent, or just enough to form a sudsysolution when agitated. Submerge the lamp shade. If itfloats, hold it down long enough to saturate the entire shade atonce.
To clean a chandelier with the glass or crystalon, prepare a cleaning solution of one part isopropyl alcohol tofour parts distilled water in a spray bottle. Spray a small amountof the solution on a white cotton glove or lint freecloth.
- Unplug the lamp.
- Remove the lampshade from the lamp by unscrewing the twist-offcap that connects them.
- Gently wipe a smooth shade with a soft, clean, dry cloth, suchas a velvety chamois used to clean eyeglasses.
- Wipe a parchment shade's plastic underside or liner with abarely damp cloth.
Simply rub a thin coat onto the brass, let sitfor an hour or so, and then clean the piece with hot, soapywater. Another option is to make a paste of equal parts salt,flour, and white vinegar. Apply the paste to the brass andlet sit for up to an hour. Rinse with warm water and buffdry.
Use ammonia-free glass cleaner for clear andbeveled glass panels. Spray the cleaner on a lint-free clothand wipe the panels gently. Mix dish soap and warm water toclean porcelain Tiffany style lamps. Wipe thelamp clean with a damp, lint-free cloth and buffdry.
Vinegar Soak
Remove tarnish from a relatively small,solid-brass object such as a bookend or souvenir by soakingit in a mixture of one part white vinegar, two parts water.Submerge the piece for several hours, then wipe it with awater-dampened white cloth. Buff the brass dry with anothersoft white cloth.How to Clean Old Oil Out of Oil Lamps
- Remove the oil lamp's globe, wick and the cap on the oilreservoir, and set them aside to be cleaned separately.
- Pour a tablespoon of granular dishwashing detergent into thereservoir.
- Scrub the inside of the reservoir with a bottle brush todislodge deposits and oil film.
A Tiffany lamp is a type of lamp with aglass shade made with glass designed by Louis ComfortTiffany and his design studio. The most famous was thestained leaded glass lamp. Tiffany lamps areconsidered part of the Art Nouveau movement.
There are a few ways to remove rust from antique metal andrestore it to its original appearance.
- Scrub off the rust stains. Use a scrubbing pad to remove thesurface rust.
- Apply white vinegar to the rust stains with a paper towel.
- Make a paste by combining 1 part lime juice with 2 parts tablesalt.
Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and whitevinegar. Spray the vinegar mixture onto the oil-affectedarea of the door, then wipe it off with a paper towel. Continueuntil the glass appears clear and free of oil andgrease.
The lamps made by Louis Comfort Tiffanywere stamped Tiffany Studios New York. Signs of age: Anauthentic lamp won't look brand new. There will be what iscalled patina—fading or small color changes on the bronzeparts of the lamp. But even this is not always foolproof.
Tiffany used both leaded glass and blown glassshades. The markings for the leaded glass shades (assumingthey are signed) is almost always on the bottom inner metal rimedge of the shade, stamped into the metal. It should always havethe words “TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK” in allcapital letters.
Tiffany lamps' value can be anywhere from $4,000to over $1 million. The most expensive Tiffany lamps sellfor upwards of $1 million. The highest price ever paid for aTiffany lamp remains $2.8 million at a Christie's auction in1997.
The History of Tiffany Lamps
By 1895, the first Tiffany lamp was created.Until very recently, it was believed Tiffany himself wasbehind the design and creation of his famous originallamps.Dale Tiffany is the world's foremost designer andmanufacturer of fine art glass lighting and home decor. DaleTiffany insists on the highest standards of quality andworkmanship in every one of its products.
About Meyda Tiffany
Thirty years ago, Meyda Tiffany was founded whenMeyer Cohen was asked by his wife Ida (whose names were combinedinto the company name Meyda) to build a stained glass windowin their kitchen so they wouldn't have to look at the vintage carsin their neighbor's driveway.It is especially harmful to children, pregnant women andunborn babies. Lead accumulates in your body, so even smallamounts can pose a health hazard over time. Unless handledcarefully, lead cames and solders used in stained glass andlead lighting can be a health hazard if lead dust isswallowed or inhaled.
Since it was founded in 1979, Dale Tiffany Inc.has specialized in reproducing leaded lamp designs first developedby Louis Comfort Tiffany, ca. 1890-1920s. There is no otherrelationship. Sometimes there is confusion because both Daleand LC Tiffany can be marked with stamped metaltags.
The choice of bulb depends on the room andfunction of your light, as a general rule we recommend small tablelamps and wall lights take 4-6W LEDs, large tablelamps 2 x 10W LED and a ceiling pendant that needs to lighta room and look beautiful 3 x 13W LED bulbs.
