How to Clean Light Bulbs and Lighting Fixtures

Clean Light Bulbs and Lighting Fixtures

Cleaning light bulbs and lighting fixtures is a necessary chore that gives you the light you’re paying for. While it’s no easy feat for it requires reaching high areas, the benefits are worth it. It will help you cut down on energy consumption as well as bring other advantages like extending its lifespan and might even make cleaning easier on a scheduled basis. With the right process, it can help reduce the company’s bottom line.

You barely notice it, but according to the U.S. Department of Energy, dirty light bulbs produce thirty percent less light compared to clean light bulbs. That is thirty percent energy and money put to waste that could have been used for other resources. 

To make sure that energy isn’t wasted and the right amount of lighting is emitted throughout the workplace, the scheduled cleaning should include light bulb cleaning and lighting fixture maintenance. It can be confusing especially if it wasn’t originally included in your routine so determine how often they should be cleaned by consulting experienced and trusted parties like your building electrician and facilities manager. Some of the things you need to check with them are the standard necessary lighting as well as the building’s electrical flow in case something doesn’t go right with the cleaning. Definitely, your lighting fixtures might not have a direct impact on your employees’ level of productivity and security but it’s a well-known fact that offices that strive to keep their workspaces bright, clean, and fresh have always brought out good results.

Here we have some recommendations on how you could increase the efficiency of the operation of your lighting system.

Re-Lamping 

Replacing lamps on a regular schedule will maximize the efficiency of the office light fixtures. It is one of the most popular choices because it costs less than the other maintenance procedures. 

Re-lamping can be done without hiring a professional. You can have your workers do the re-lamping as long as it’s done with extra precaution. To make things smooth-sailing, decide on a schedule when you need to replace bulbs. If you occupy multiple floors in a building, you can have alternate schedules and do it one floor at a time. Start with a floor that is the most vulnerable to disruption and start doing lamp replacements there. It would serve as a practice to see if you have set the replacement schedule correctly as well as conveniently plan out a timeline on how long the entire process will be.

Scheduled Cleaning

Taking care of your building includes setting a fixed budget for everything. Part of it would go to maintenance, and some for cleaning.

When fixing a budget for cleaning we often overlook the cleaning of the light fixtures or the lightbulbs. We forget to notice the importance of keeping it clean. To elongate the lifespan of your light fixtures and make sure you maintain the preferred light levels, our best advice is to hire a cleaning service. 

When hiring a commercial cleaning company, make sure you have them include the cleaning of light fixtures. Instruct them to clean the lights, lenses, the reflecting surfaces, and replace burnt-out lightbulbs.    

Before you hire a cleaning company, you need to familiarize yourself with the different ways of cleaning light fixtures. We came up with some tips on how you can keep your lightbulbs and light fixture clean:

Cleaning light bulbs

Workplaces are now switching to LED and CFL technology when it comes to the lightbulbs. It has a longer lifespan compared to the older versions of lightbulbs. This would lessen the need to replace lightbulbs. The only thing you need to do is to keep it clean. 

As dust piles in your lightbulb, it tends to dimmer its light. Regular cleaning will avoid this from happening. Wiping it with a dry cloth is the best method to use as using a damp cloth could damage the bulb.    

Safety should be a priority when cleaning light bulbs. Here are some things you need to take note of when doing the cleaning yourself:

  • Make sure that the power is turned off. Remove the plugs or for extra precaution, turn off the circuit breaker. This would prevent accidents and electrocutions. 
  • Once the power is turned off, wait for the bulb to cool before cleaning it. There may be some electricity left in the light bulb that could shock you. 
  • Pull the bulb out when you clean it. Cleaning it while it is still connected to the socket will make it more difficult for you. 
  • Do not use wet materials when cleaning. Liquid solutions are not needed in cleaning light bulbs. It will only damage the bulb or the fixture it is connected to. 

Ceiling Fixtures

Ceiling fixtures such as chandeliers, pendants, or ceiling fans need to be cleaned as well. Dust builds up fast in these fixtures and doing scheduled cleaning is necessary. 

If possible, clean the chandeliers thoroughly once or twice a year to maintain their bright appearance. Take it down and have a professional clean the crystals.   

Pendants are easier to reach compared to chandeliers. You may not need to put it down and go directly to cleaning it. Use a cleaning solution and wipe it with a microfiber cloth. A way to clean and dust bulbs is to use a dryer sheet. It is cost-effective and you could also choose a dryer sheet with a scent that could leave your pendants fragrant.  

Like chandeliers, ceiling fixtures are difficult to reach. It is advisable to take them down before cleaning them for it is safer and you can clean them better when it’s within your eye level. No need to look for expensive chemicals when cleaning a ceiling fixture, You may use simple solutions such as soapy water to remove grime and dirt. Just like any other part of your office, it’s important to dust your ceiling fixtures weekly to prevent the piling of dust and dirt.

Maintaining the cleanliness of your building‘s light bulbs and light fixtures is important. It may be a hassle for you or for your employees but it would help you save money in the long run. You may outsource and hire a commercial cleaning company to take charge of the cleaning. Choose a reliable cleaning company that will take the load of cleaning light bulbs and light fixtures out of your shoulder.

For inquiries, contact us. Let our cleaning methods do the talking!