Posted by LegWarmers on January 23, 2006, at 0:07:58
In reply to Silk lampshades -- how do you clean them?, posted by Sarah T. on January 22, 2006, at 3:42:27
Silk is the mainstay for the more elegant shade styles today. It is dressy and, being translucent, gives off a soft light, and with the proper care can last many years. That care includes removing the clear cellophane from the shade immediately, lightly dusting it periodically and, for quality shades, every two or three years washing in a mild detergent. Woolite is good, according to Ledbetter, who gives an easy-to-follow directive for the task:
Fill the bathtub, swish the shade up and down two or three minutes or until clean , then drain the tub, rinse out well, fill the tub with clean water and swish the shade up and down as you did for washing. Drain the tub again, then refill for a final rinse. Hang the shade in the sun to dry.
Hot summer days are a great time to do this, he says. The heat will cause the silk that might be somewhat stretched to become taut on the frame. If a trim comes loose in the washing process, wait until thoroughly dry, then use Elmer's GlueB. to affix it. The glue will dry clear.
The shade should look as good as when new. Don't be fooled by the fact that a shade doesn't look dirty. Silk not washed has a tendency to dry-rot. Small holes in the shade mean the silk is disintegrating.
**Let me know how it goes, now that I know I will have to do this with mine eventually :)
poster:LegWarmers
thread:601733
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20060115/msgs/601976.html