Cleaning silk lamp shades

trolleyrun

Hi everyone,

I'm posting here in the hope that your wisdom will help I've got two silk lamp shades that are somewhat filthy with dust and naughty nicotine (I know I know...). Do any of you have any ideas on the best way to clean them please?

Thank you in advance.

Chris25

I use a clean paintbrush for my shades - can't help you with the nicotine though

gibson123

Try white bread! the cheaper and doughier the better. If you put the shade on a newspaper and then just gently rub the bread all over the silk, it will dissolve into either a grey mass or grey breadcrumbs, but it will lift the dirt and grease with it. This also works on wallpaper and paintings

lostinrates

I don't know about nicotine, but a hoover is brilliant, and disgustingly good fun. I do it having cleaned and dried the nozzle first. I have pleated silk lampshades on a couple of lamps and you just do not realise how dusty they are until you have the first vacuumed stripe.