How to Clean a Linen Lampshade?

• For some - fabric lampshades are out of date, for others - a fancy piece of vintage interior detail.
• If you are one of the latter - there are some things you should know on how to clean a linen lampshade.
• In the article below, we will show you two ways of cleaning your oldie - liquid and dry. Choose wisely!

There’s a good saying - oldie is a goodie. That could definitely be said about classic linen lampshades!

Although for some people who prefer modern interior designs linen lampshades might remind of a granny’s home - if implemented properly, a vintage linen lampshade can work as a very nice and exceptional interior detail!

However, as always, there is another side of the coin - linen, like any other fabric - tends to attract dust. Now, you may wonder - how to clean a linen lampshade and not ruin it? It is a very right question. While other fabric lampshades are not afraid of water - linen lampshades are more gentle and require some specific knowledge when cleaning it.

With that said - it would be best if you would use only dry cleaning methods to restore your linen lampshade - there are quite a bunch of them!

However, if there is a heavy load of dust or your linen lampshade is too dirty to simply dust it off - of course, go for a liquid cleaning method.

How to Clean a Linen Lampshade: Dry Method

1. Take away your linen lampshade from the metalcore. Use the help of the vacuum cleaner to remove the dust. Set the lighter vacuuming program and gently vacuum clean the shade from all the sides. If afterward your lamp looks fresh - you are lucky - put the shade back to its place.
2. Cannot remove the lampshade from its core? Then, you’ll need to find a simple paintbrush. It is very important that the brush is brand-new (you don’t want the color residue to stain your shade). So, when you have a paintbrush, simply brush the fabric off gently up until the dust leaves the fabric fibers. Gotta be honest - this process is much longer than the first one.
3. Clean the linen lampshade with soap foam. It is still considered a non-watery method! Mix a mild soap and clean water up until the foam forms. Then, take some of the foam with a soft brush and gently apply the stains of the lampshade. Continue brushing the stains in circles. Afterward, take a clean damp piece of cloth and clean away the foam residues from the lampshade. Finally - leave it to dry naturally. If you notice any soap residue afterward - simply vacuum clean it.

How to Clean a Linen Lampshade: Liquid Method

So, it seems that you haven’t touched your vintage linen lampshade for years, huh? No worries, we’ll help you get it clean!

1. First of all, gently vacuum clean the heavy layer of the dust from the lampshade. no need to rub it hard - the idea here is to remove as much loose dust as possible.
2. Second, fill the bucket or bathtub (whatever fits your lampshade best) with clean warm water. Add some mild soap and stir it gently.
3. Third, take away your linen lampshade off the fitting and gently soak it in the water-soap solution. Make sure water covers all the sides - try gently rotating it. While you do this - you can gently rub the fabric too, especially in places where there are stains.
4. Fourth, rinse the lampshade with clean warm water. Very very gently! Make sure there are no soap bubbles or foam left.
5. Fifth, put your linen lampshade somewhere clean and safe to air-dry naturally. Before that, soak up the water from it using a CLEAN (better - white color) piece of cloth (or towel).

TIP: As mentioned earlier - soaking the linen lampshade into the water shouldn’t be the first method you use to clean it. Just if any of the dry methods don’t work - go for it. Also, if your lampshade is very expensive - it’s always the best idea to bring it to the professionals.