Phoenix Handyman Blog| Scottsdale Kitchen Remodeling & Bathrooms

The do’s and don’ts of protecting your family from lead exposure at home

February 22, 2012 by Susan

Lead is a common metal that has many uses. It may be present in your home in old layers of paint, in water pipes, or in certain household items and toys. But it is also harmful, if it enters into your bloodstream Exposure to even low levels of lead can cause harmful effects on anyone’s health, and can also affect children’s development. Pregnant women must also be careful, as lead can pass through the placenta.

Of course you wouldn’t knowingly expose your family to lead! So follow these easy household do’s and don’ts to reduce people’s exposure to environmental lead in your home:

DO have your water tested for lead content, if you suspect you are connected to older pipes and fittings. You can also find out about the types of pipes installed in your neighbourhood from your municipality.

DON’T use hot tap water to make hot beverages (like tea or coffee), to mix infant formula, or to fill a pot to get it boiling faster on the stove. If lead is in your water, hot tap water is likely to contain more of it.

DO paint over any areas of old exposed paint on your walls, etc., especially if your house was built before 1960. Base coats could contain high levels of lead, which was used as a paint fixative.

DO have old paint that is peeling or chipping tested for lead, and take corrective action if needed. You can simply paint over exposed areas of old paint if the lead-based paint is in good condition..

DON’T create airborne lead dust when sanding or scraping old, cracking, peeling or chipping painted surfaces. Lead dust can be breathed in, and could contaminate your home. Take measures to keep down the dust, or use a chemical stripper instead.

DO check for toy and consumer product recalls at Healthy Canadians.

DON’T assume older or hand-me-down toys are lead-free.

Watch Health Canada video on lead

To learn more about this and other environmental health risks, please visit Hazardcheck

To order Health Canada publications, please visit Health Canada or call 1 800 O-Canada.

Filed Under: Do it Yourself Projects Tagged With: arizona handyman, Do it Yourself Projects, phoenix arizona handyman, phoenix doors, phoenix home remodel, phoenix home repair, phoenix remodel, phoenix remodeling, phoenix windows, scottsdale handyman

Storage Beds

February 22, 2012 by Susan

by MeCC Interiors

broyhill samples beds with storage Storage Beds

Beds by Broyhill (from top right): Genevieve; Bryson; Perspectives, shown in full and as a close up of the headboard storage.

Given the abundance of small condos that are flooding the market, it is not surprising that people are perpetually wondering where they might store all their stuff if they were to move in. When space is at a premium, multi-tasking furniture becomes imperative; many beds now offer increased functionality with great storage potential.

Space Interiors is a Canadian-based designer and manufacturer of premium and custom furniture. Given their custom nature, they offer a build-your-own-bed feature on their website that enables you to select the size, base, headboard, and finish. All designs can be further customized if desired. The model shown above features eleven (11) drawers.

Bed by Space Interiors featuring Queen base DDC and headboard SO2HBARM1-I

Broyhill, a well-known North American manufacturer, offers lots of variety with its storage beds. Unlike most, they offer some more traditional styles for those who prefer to stay away from the more typical clean lines and modern profiles.

ikea oppdal queen frame headboard Storage Beds

Ikea's Oppdal bed frame and headboard

If you need the storage but are looking for something that will fit within your student or first-time-buyer budget, don’t forget about Ikea. The Oppdal bed frame and headboard offers both open and drawer storage for around $500.

Though contemporary designs are certainly more prominent, there are lots of options available within all price ranges and styles, so stop cramming things into non-existent closets and creating sky-high piles. Get organized and enjoy a great night’s sleep!

Filed Under: Do it Yourself Projects Tagged With: arizona handyman, DIY, Do it Yourself Projects, phoenix arizona handyman, phoenix doors, phoenix home remodel, phoenix home repair, phoenix remodel, phoenix remodeling, phoenix windows, scottsdale handyman

5 Ways Our Kitchen Remodel Enhanced Our Home Life

February 21, 2012 by Susan

by Guest

My husband and I have been in the process of remodeling our home for many years now. This past year, we decided on a kitchen renovation focusing on the kitchen cabinets and countertops.

The kitchen remodeling went as planned and we couldn’t be happier with the result. Our goal was to streamline the kitchen while matching its design to the rest of the changes we’ve made in the house.

One area we wanted to improve was movement through the kitchen. Our old kitchen had a huge island with very little space between it and the kitchen cabinets, countertops and appliances. To fix this problem, we installed narrow-depth cabinets and countertops, as the island is the most used area of the kitchen, and a new island the same size as the old one, but with additional cabinet space.

My husband’s tall, but stocky and I’m short, but thin. The new design made our home life a thousand times better because he’s always had difficulty with the island and space and I’ve always had problems reaching for dishes at the back of cabinets. Since we moved into this house, we haven’t been able to cook together and I’ve had to ask him for help or use a step ladder. Now, there’s plenty of space and all of the items we need are on hand in the island or at the front of the cabinets.

In addition to new kitchen countertops and cabinets, we added an extra pantry away from our appliances. My husband loves to cook and the pantry location has always frustrated him because it was near the oven and heat can ruin dried herbs and flour. The pantry added during the kitchen renovation is larger and no longer near heat.

Another area we changed during the kitchen remodeling was the style and color of the kitchen countertops and cabinetry. We’ve added a lot of natural, rustic changes to our home in other rooms and wanted the kitchen to have a warm atmosphere. The old kitchen cabinetry was blue-painted fiberboard with plastic hardware. We ripped out the old cabinetry and installed natural oak cabinets with natural green and black granite countertops. It’s beautiful.

I really can’t express how happy we are with the changes. In the past, our kitchen wasn’t an easy place for two people to navigate at the same time or well-suited for guests. Now, we’re cooking together more and using our kitchen completely.

Heller 1 1024x819 5 Ways Our Kitchen Remodel Enhanced Our Home Life

before

after

Filed Under: Do it Yourself Projects, Kitchen Tagged With: arizona handyman, Do it Yourself Projects, phoenix arizona handyman, phoenix doors, phoenix home remodel, phoenix home repair, phoenix remodel, phoenix remodeling, phoenix windows, scottsdale handyman

Q&A with Mr. Rooter Plumbing Expert

February 15, 2012 by Susan

Do you have a plumbing question?!

Get the answer to your plumbing problem from a Mr. Rooter Expert.

Visit HomeRenovationGuide.com to post your plumbing question.

Jim Jennette is HRG’s resident plumbing expert of our popular “Ask the Experts” section, regularly answering the plethora of plumbing questions sent in by our readers. With more than 20 years of plumbing experience, Jim’s extensive knowledge and resources give him the tools to tackle any plumbing issue or question. Jim Jennette works at the Mr. Rooter Corporation now coaching Mr. Rooter franchise owners in every aspect of their businesses as a franchise consultant, a position he’s had for over five years. Jim is also skilled in garbage disposals, water heaters and boilers as well as pipe bursting and relining, which is new technology to replace broken underground piping without digging up yards and sidewalks.

Here is a round up of some frequently asked questions, which may be of great help to you!

QUESTION: My wife accidentally dropped some coins down the bathroom sink and I would like to know the simplest way to get them out.

ANSWER:

You can get the coins out by disconnecting the trap, which is located below the sink and is directly connected to the drain. The trap can hold on to heavier items such as coins or jewelry that are dropped down the sink drain. Using a wrench, you can detach the trap by disconnecting the top and bottom fittings holding it on to the pipes and then unscrewing them. If the trap is chrome or copper, it may have deteriorated over time and could crumble upon removal. If this happens you will need to replace the trap. You can get a replacement trap at a home store or local plumbing supply store. You simply put it back on as it came off. If you are unsure, you may want to call in a plumbing professional. You can always call a plumber to recover the coins if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself.

QUESTION: My toilet bubbles when I flush it, and the water level rises to the top, almost overflowing and finally sinks back down, but sometimes doesn’t clear what is being flushed. Sometimes the water level stays high and when I plunge it, it’s better but after awhile the same thing happens. Do I need a plumber or can I just get stuff from the store to get it flushing normally again?

ANSWER:

No, there is not a simple drain opener you can buy from the store. Since there are a couple different scenarios that could be causing the problem you describe, I would recommend you call a plumbing company. A plumber has the knowledge and tools necessary to repair this problem in a safe and proper way.

The bubbles generally indicate the toilet is gasping for air as it attempts to flush. Your toilet is connected to a house stack, which is a pipe that runs from your sewer line in the opposite way, up through the roof of the building. This allows the pipe to “breath”, allowing an escape for air and creating the partial vacuum that allows the toilet to flush down the sewer pipe. If something has lodged itself in this stack pipe it can prohibit a good flush. The object will need to be removed, usually by a ‘snaking’ operation of the pipe, which a plumber can easily do.

The other possible problem is rare, but on occasion an object can become stuck in the throat of the toilet (the portion you do not see as the flush passes to the sewer line). This may be the reason your plunging will work on occasion. It may dislodge the object for a few flushes but it then reverts back to its former location, blocking the flush again. This can usually be remedied by removing the toilet from the floor and searching for the object from the underside of the toilet. I’ve found small toys and action figures, large plastic caps and even credit cards that can act as a cantilever and lodge permanently in the toilet. Removing any of these objects that cannot be found once the toilet is lifted from the floor may require breaking the toilet and then installing a new one. The toilet would have to be reset to the floor with a new wax seal to prevent leakage. Again, a plumber can do this for you.

QUESTION: the nuts under the sink connected to the water lines are stripped, and my tap wrench cannot grasp the nut, how do I remove them?

ANSWER:

I would use a basin wrench, which has a long arm that allows you to reach high into the under sink area. It has a set of ribbed jaws (much like a large wrench) that can grasp a stripped nut or one in a difficult location. You can buy a basin wrench at a local plumbing supply house or a home improvement store.

QUESTION: Over the last few weeks, we have been getting a nasty odour from the kitchen drain. We’ve tried flushing it with Drano, vinegar, baking soda, etc but to no avail. A friend tells me that because the kitchen drain is not vented, the odour is probably sewer gas. We have been in the home 1.5 years so I asked him why we would only be having the problem recently. He stated that because there have been a lot of new homes in the area, there’s likely more pressure on the overall system now and therefore the gas is being forced back through the water in the trap. Any thoughts or suggestions?

ANSWER:

The first issue may be rather serious because all waste systems in houses and commercial property must have proper venting. If the line in question is NOT vented, this needs to be corrected immediately. Venting helps provide air to be introduced into the system, assisting in the removal of waste water down drain lines and preventing foul odors.

The other device that is important is the trap under the sink. This device develops a water seal that prevents gases from entering the dwelling and is a critical part of any plumbing system. If the line is vented and there is a trap seal, there is another possibility in cold climates called “hoary frost’ that can develop. It occurs when the venting exiting the roof of the dwelling has ice and snow buildup, and it freezes solid, preventing the house gases from exiting and creating gurgle sounds and possible foul odor in the system.

If you are unsure about which of these effects are taking place, consult a qualified plumber to check it out.

QUESTION: We are getting septic odours from 2nd floor bathroom sink especially in very cold weather. Is water being pulled out of the trap?? What is the fix? No issues with tub or toilet.

ANSWER:

Water is being pulled out of the trap. This sort of problem usually occurs in the northern parts of North America, and it usually involves a heavy buildup of snow on the roof. A simple solution would be to cut the vent pipe in the attic area and insert a new longer piece of vent pipe up through the roof. Be sure to reconnect the vent pipe and seal it in. It should be above the deepest anticipated snowfall lines. The only other option would be to defrost the pipe every time it snows, but that is not too practical.

QUESTION: We are planning to renovate our basement bathroom. The existing plumbing pipe for the sink comes up from the floor and it seems that a full vanity is required just to hide this black pipe. The contractor has advised that there is nothing that can be done to change that, and that a pedestal sink or a vanity that is open at the base are not options. There isn’t really enough room for a vanity – one of the cupboard doors on the previous vanity wouldn’t open fully because the toilet is too close. We presume that the plumbing could be changed, but is the contractor really saying that it would be very costly to do so?

ANSWER:

The line can be rerouted to accommodate a pedestal sink, but I can’t tell you how much it will cost without looking at it. I would get an estimate from a plumber. How much time and money are you willing to devote to this task? A “false” wall could be constructed and the floor jack hammered up to make the proper moves to accommodate the new fixture. The pipe could then be run up the false wall to the proper height to the rough, which is the point where the pipes protrude from the wall to where the sink will be attached, in the pedestal sink. Remember that the line must be vented to provide air supply to the system and to be in code compliance.

QUESTION: My Bathroom sink takes up to one hour to drain. I have disconnected the trap and cleaned properly. As soon as I unscrew the trap it drain very quickly. But as soon as the trap is reconnected there is no suction to drain the water out of the sink. Please help.

ANSWER:

The drain is probably clogged downstream from the trap. It will need to be cleaned out using an electromechanical snaking machine or a high velocity water jetter machine, which is even better. Only a trained professional should use the second choice as other damage may occur if not operated properly.

For more handy tips and info, check out the new “Mrs.” Rooter blog, MrsRooter.com, which will officially launch in September, written by the company president Mary Kennedy Thompson.

Originally published August 28th, 2009

Filed Under: Do it Yourself Projects, Plumbing Tagged With: arizona handyman, Do it Yourself Projects, phoenix arizona handyman, phoenix doors, phoenix home remodel, phoenix home repair, phoenix remodel, phoenix remodeling, phoenix windows, scottsdale handyman

Show your Appliances Some TLC on Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2012 by Susan

by Mr. Appliance

image from http://www.appliancesonlineblog.com.au

Dedicated support, attention to every detail and caring for every need sounds like the ultimate valentine…for your appliances. Forget the hour-long dinner reservations and cook up a romantic meal for your sweetheart. Show your appliances some tender loving care this Valentine’s Day to avoid kitchen heartbreak before your dinner.

“The periodic up-keep can increase the life of your appliances and improve operation,” said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance®.

Take time to love your appliances and they will love you back. Follow these steps from Mr. Appliance to cook up some romance, instead of frustration with inefficient appliances.

Give Your Oven Some Lovin’

Don’t run the self-cleaning cycle within one week of a big dinner – ovens have a tendency to fail during or right after a self-cleaning cycle.
Clean the reflector bowls under the burners to help cook more efficiently.

XOXO For Your Dishwasher

If you’re unsure whether or not an item is dishwasher safe, just wash it by hand.
Run an empty dishwasher with a cup of white vinegar to eliminate odors and buildup.

Keep Your Garbage Disposal Smelling Like Roses

Place a handful of ice cubes in the disposal. Add lemon, orange or lime peels and run disposal with cold water for 15 to 30 seconds. Continue to rinse with cold water.
To avoid clogging your garbage disposal, remember to not pour grease down the drain.

Rekindle Your Refrigerator

Unplug your refrigerator and use a vacuum to remove any dust from the coils. This will help it run more efficiently and trim your utility bills.
Make sure it’s loaded properly. Contents should be evenly distributed.

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For recipes, appliance and energy tips, follow us on twitter at @MrApplianceCorp and like us on facebook at www.facebook.com/MrApplianceCorp.

If your appliances need a technician’s tender loving care, call a professional at Mr. Appliance to play cupid for your appliances on Valentine’s Day.

About Mr. Appliance^®:

Mr. Appliance is North America’s leading appliance repair franchise system. Established in 1996, its franchises provide full-service residential and light commercial appliance repair. Mr. Appliance has more than 150 locations throughout the United States and Canada and is consistently ranked among the top home service franchises by Entrepreneur magazine and other industry experts. Mr. Appliance is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc. For more information, visit www.mrappliance.com.

One Decorator’s Nightmare

February 10, 2012 by Susan

by Janice Clements, clementsinteriors.com

image by Clements Interiors

It’s a Saturday morning ritual in our home to pour over the newspaper flyers that land on our doorstep. Somehow each time I think I will miraculously find that one great home décor deal which will make the weekend tradition worthwhile, or at least worth the messy black smudges on my fingertips.

For me, browsing the flyer pages gets the home improvement juices flowing. The notion that absolutely everything that is ‘wrong’ in our house must be fixed immediately or better yet yesterday, is overwhelming.

I’m certain my husband spends many Saturday afternoons avoiding direct eye contact with me as I purposefully roam from room to room surveying the state of affairs that is our home. Suddenly the draperies in the dining room look tired, the kitchen could use repainting, and if we’re going to repaint, what about replacing some furniture?

The thought process I go through amazes me still today. Having been an Interior Decorator for some 16 years now, I still catch myself falling back into pre-decorator thinking. The notion that “I’ll buy something inexpensive to fix the problem for now” still lingers even though I know better. Perhaps we can blame television shows (on which I am guilty of appearing) and shelter magazines which make it look easy, attainable and instantaneous, with images of all the beautiful things in other people’s homes. If only the looks were only cheaper… okay, free. Free would be good.

I whip myself into a home-decorating frenzy that is only placated on Monday morning when I’m thrust into the world to take on the renovating challenges in my client’s homes. Truthfully, I’m not trying to keep up with the Joneses. I’m just trying to keep up with me!

So, what’s a person to do with too many home renovation ‘wants’ and not the budget with which to tackle it all?

Many homeowners struggle with the concept of “having it all, NOW.” Not biting off more than we can chew seems to be lost on today’s consumer (I’m guilty as charged). To conquer this, I approach my work – and encourage my clients to follow my lead – with a plan first and completing the room as a secondary priority. Too often people try to spread their budgets (large or small) over as much space as they think possible. With a finite number of dollars to spend, they try to redecorate the entire house.

I am an ardent proponent of tailoring your timelines to meet your budget requirements. When planning how to spend your decorating dollars, you must ask yourself, “Does my budget realistically allow me to purchase all the items for my home at once?” A browse around a quality furniture store will quickly give you the answer.

My motto is “Do it once and do it right.” I regularly suggest that clients take money allocated to designing two rooms and consider spending it only on one. This will allow you to purchase the best quality items that you can afford while beginning to make long term investments for your home. This approach coupled with purchasing classic styles will ensure that your money is not wasted on items which need to be disposed of five years down the road because they are already in poor condition…with a home that’s finished for now… not finished for years to come.

Moreover, consumers are probably just as concerned as I am about unwittingly adding to the problem of our community landfills. Until relatively recently, little consideration has been given to the disposability of modern consumer goods. When I think about the number of mere cell phones I have thrown out over the years, I shudder to think about how the waste management problem is compounded by the frequent disposal of much larger furniture items bought because people wanted ‘the-look-for-less’.

Purchasing quality Canadian goods and home furnishings is not a thing of the past. Doing so will help boost our economy while improving the condition of the world we’re leaving our children. Your home is likely the biggest investment you’ll ever make. Shouldn’t the things you fill it with reflect its value?

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About the Author

Janice Clements is a Certified Interior Decorator, President of Clements Interiors and a member of CDECA. Visit her on the web at www.clementsinteriors.com, or follow her blog at http://www.40somethingandcounting.blogspot.com/

Simple studio living

February 9, 2012 by Susan

by Asha Stuttard

For many, one’s first home is either a studio or one bedroom apartment. Although these may be compact, it’s perfectly possible to make a studio homey, especially with all the clever storage solutions you can find in furniture today.

It needn’t be too expensive to kit out a small space. Look around at a furniture sale to give you some ideas of what kind of furniture you should be getting – there are often room sets which can provide you with some inspiration.

If you have a bedroom and a living room, you might want to buy a sofa bed, rather than just a normal sofa. This will provide you with easy to organize guest accommodation – and the bed will fold away and disappear back into the sofa bed whenever it’s not required. If you’re not in a rush to buy a sofa, wait for the sofa sales before you buy – you’ll save a great deal this way. Sales are usually put on to clear the last season’s stock and if you’re not too fussed about what colour or shape sofa you have, you can find some real bargains.

In the living area, you’ll need a table and chairs – even if you don’t have a dining room, you still need somewhere to eat. And if your kitchen is just a corner of the living room, the table can provide useful extra workspace to prepare your meals on.

Find a unit that will hold your TV and DVD player, but also provide some useful storage space. You could get a wall unit that has a space for the TV, or a TV stand with a cupboard built-in underneath it.

The key to making a small space work is to keep it organised, so once you have your furniture sorted out, keep the clutter to an absolute minimum and your space will remain quaintly bijou rather than poky and cramped!

The Benefits Of Wooden Vertical Blinds In The Home

February 6, 2012 by Susan

by Jack Oldham

It’s possible to change the overall feel of a room and make it more appealing to visitors without performing a complete overhaul. The best way to achieve this is by carefully choosing accessories and furnishings that have a real impact on the atmosphere, whilst still making it a comfortable place in which to reside.

Whilst many people believe bold changes are required to accomplish this, there are a number of more subtle ways you can make this sort of difference.

One of the most neglected areas when it comes to home improvement is the window treatments in a home. Many people choose to concentrate on other choices, such as the wallpaper design, or the shadings of the wall paint, and simply do not pay as much attention to window treatments as they should. Many people seem to be of the train of thought that they don’t have much of an impact on the final appearance of a room. This simply isn’t true and a poor decision regarding window treatments could have a disastrous effect on the entire décor scheme in a room.

One option which can offer a number of advantages over its competitors in this case is wooden vertical blinds. According to many style experts and interior designers, these carry a more timeless quality than many alternatives. Window treatments such as blinds and curtains use different fabrics. In a similar way to clothes, fabrics and patterns can very quickly go out of fashion, rendering your window treatments out of date. The lack of patterns and varying colours on wooden vertical blinds mean that this is very rarely a problem.

Instead, these window treatments can go towards creating a contemporary look for any room, with the homeowner safe in the knowledge that not only the appearance, but the blinds themselves are made to last. The appearance isn’t as restricted as you may think either, as there are many types of wood available to make sure that your window treatments fit in with your existing décor. Here are a few tips to make sure you choose the right wood for your home.

Many people choose light woods for their wooden vertical blinds. Woods such as pine are a good choice for people wishing to create a brighter atmosphere in a room. This helps make the room more welcoming not only to you, but also to friends and family who may visit from time to time.

On the other hand, if your room feels a little bit on the large and unwieldy side then darker wood may be the right choice for you. Whilst having a large room is a nice dilemma to be faced with, you may feel that visitors could struggle to relax and kick back in your home as a result of the size. The key here is to create a cosy, relaxing atmosphere. Combining dark vertical blinds with dark décor and a piping hot fire is one way to achieve this.

Another idea is to use the blinds in conjunction with other pieces of décor and accessories to create the perfect atmosphere. Taking real care when selecting cushions, lampshades and other accessories as well as window dressings can go a long way towards making your house a home which appeals to you, your family and your friends alike.

A Whole-House Humidification System Offers Benefits Portable Units Don’t

February 2, 2012 by Susan

by Arpi’s

If you’re looking for a way to alleviate the dry winter air in your Calgary home, a humidification system can help. There are two types to choose from: a whole-house humidification system and a portable unit — and each one has its advantages and disadvantages.

Dry winter air can be problematic. It can cause sinus and respiratory problems; it can also damage wood products in your home, like floors. Both whole-house and portable systems will send moisture into the air, and help to remedy dry air conditions. Adding moisture to the air can also help you with energy savings, because moist air feels warmer than dry air, so you can lower your thermostat.

Whole-house humidification

A whole-house system is ideal for homeowners seeking convenience and savings. This type of system is installed alongside heating equipment and connects to your home’s water supply, so as conditioned air is sent through the ductwork, the humidifier will add moisture as well. In that way, the air throughout your entire home will be more comfortable. With all of the spaces in your home able to benefit from humidification, you can go anywhere and avoid dry air. Finally, once the system is installed, there is very little maintenance required, besides an annual check-up.

Portable humidification

Portable humidifiers can be beneficial as well; however, they are limited in the amount of humidification they can provide. Typically, these devices are positioned in a room and deliver moisture into that specific space — so you won’t get whole-house humidification unless you take the device with you as you move through your home. These systems also require quite a bit of maintenance. You’ll need to fill the water tank every day, and clean out the tank every couple of days. Their main advantage, though, is that they are inexpensive to purchase.

Think your home could benefit from a whole-house humidification system? Contact Arpi’s Industries today, and let our experts help you explore your options and find the best fit for your home. We’ve been serving homeowners in Greater Calgary for almost 50 years.

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Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about humidifiers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Arpi’s services Calgary, Alberta. Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!

HOW TO CLEAN CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS

February 1, 2012 by Susan

by Lights On

It is very often that the visitors of our store, while admiring the beautiful play of colors on our crystal chandeliers, ask – how do you clean crystal?

Many think that cleaning a crystal chandelier is at least a very tedious task. Let us assure you – that is a myth. In reality, if you clean the chandelier the right way, then you will not need to spend much time on it at all and the process will seem easy.

It is just as easy to clean any regular lamp as it is a crystal one, but the effect of cleaning a crystal chandelier is much more noticeable.

The surfaces of a regular crystal are indeed attractive to the bits of dust, but in the surfaces of the Swarovski crystals the natural attractive force of the crystal is neutralized, using a special refining method made by Swarovski. Capillary forces do not allow water to hold on to the surface of the crystal in the same way they don’t allow dust. The dust may only lie on the surface of the cover, while water contracts itself in drops of dew, dripping from the surface without leaving a trace.

Lighting fixtures with Swarovski crystals do not require special care. You don’t have to untangle the numerous knots of suspended crystal strings, nor do you have to take off individual crystals.

A dry antistatic wipe and a brush are enough for you to quickly clean thin dust layers without any consequences.

In order for you not to leave fingerprints on the crystals (sadly, this type of stain is the one that most often worsens the appearance of the chandelier and is the hardest to remove), we recommend to go through this process in white gloves.

But what to do if your chandelier has crystals of another type, not Swarovski ones? A little dishwashing liquid, diluted in warm water, will help conquer very dusty or very dirty crystals. In this case, it is best to use microfiber wipes, even though it is possible to use a lint-free cloth made of cotton. The thinner the cotton, the better. The cloth should be moist. Then each suspension should be wiped, from top to bottom. After wiping, we recommend drying the crystal with a clean dry cloth.

After this procedure, you will see that crystal looks like a brand new one in the hand of a master craftsman.

ADVICE: Do not leave the suspension in a moist condition for too long – this may cause the corrosion of metal parts and connection parts of the lighting fixture.

Recommendations:

Dry cleaning: dry cleaning is the way of cleaning your lighting fixture from dust using an antistatic duster brush

Wet cleaning: If the structure of the fixture allows for crystal suspensions to be taken off, that will simplify the cleaning – just carefully wash them in cool water with special cleaning agents for crystals, then dry it with cloth. If it is impossible to take of the crystal suspensions, then carefully and without pressure, wipe the crystals with wet cloth

Aerosol: we recommend rinsing instead, since many aerosols contain a multitude of solid particles which may leave a trace on the crystal

Also we would like to note, that if you are using any special cleaning agent for crystals, do try to make sure that the agent does not get on the armature of the chandelier, as it may be affected negatively by its chemical components.

ADVICE: Another good approach is a “dual-gloves” one. Take a pair of white, cot-ton gloves, and wet one of them with a liquid used for cleaning glass. Spray the chemical specifically on the glove, not the chandelier itself, otherwise it will for sure get into some part of the armature and cause corrosion. Wipe the crystal using a wet glove and immediately wipe it with a dry one right after.

Careful care and compliance with these easy recommendations will help you enjoy the beauty of lamps, crystal chandeliers, sconces and floor lamps for long, long years.

Do you have a plumbing question?!

Get the answer to your plumbing problem from a Mr. Rooter Expert.

Visit HomeRenovationGuide.com to post your plumbing question.

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