How to Clean a Paper Lampshade

Captain asked, “How does one clean a lampshade?”

It is best to avoid water when cleaning paper lampshades if possible. Use the steps below to dust and maintain your shade on a regular basis, as well as to remove any minor dirt or grime.

You Will Need:

• Paintbrush
• Microfiber cloth
• Hair dryer
• Compressed air
• White bread
• White Play-Doh
• Dryer sheet

Steps to Clean the Shade:

1. Dust the lampshade regularly with a clean, dry paintbrush. Cut the bristles at an angle to be about ½ inch long so the bristles are stiffer, which will make cleaning easier.² If you don’t have a paintbrush, you can use a soft cloth, preferably microfiber.³ If the shade is pleated, carefully wipe the paintbrush or cloth along each tunnel.⁴
2. If there are any crevices or small parts of the shade that you are having trouble dusting, you can use a hair dryer on the cool setting or a can of compressed air.⁵
3. If the shade needs a more thorough cleaning, use a slice of white bread. Hold the shade or lamp over a sheet of newspaper to catch the breadcrumbs.⁶ Rub the bread along the shade, and it will gather and remove any grime or dirt as you wipe.⁷
4. Instead of white bread, you can use white Play-Doh. Roll a bit of Play-Doh into a ball, then roll the ball over the shade to remove grime and dirt.⁷
5. When finished cleaning, rub the shade with a used dryer sheet. The dryer sheet will remove static from the shade, which will help to prevent future dust from sticking.⁷

If an even more thorough cleaning is necessary, you can carefully use water and a mild detergent. It is best to do this on a warm day. You may want to test this process on a small, hidden area of the shade first to check for any adverse effects, particularly if the shade is hand-painted or has any glued parts.⁸ Do not use this method on collapsible balloon or pendant shades.⁶

You Will Need:

• Two bowls
• Water
• Mild detergent
• Two soft cloths
• A towel
• A fan

Steps to Clean the Shade:

1. Fill one bowl with plain water. Fill a second bowl with water and mix in small amount of mild detergent.⁸
2. Dip a cloth in the detergent water, wring the cloth out well so that it is only barely damp, then wipe a section of the shade. Do not soak the paper; just quickly wipe the surface.⁸ Rotate the cloth as it becomes dirty to prevent redepositing the dirt onto the shade.⁶
3. Dip another cloth in the plain water, wring it out well and wipe over the area you just cleaned with the detergent solution.⁸
4. Gently pat the section dry with a towel.⁸
5. Repeat the process on the next section of the shade and continue until the shade has been completely cleaned.⁸
6. Point a fan toward the shade to hasten the drying if needed.⁸

If there are any stains on the shade that could not be removed with the above cleaning methods, use the information in the steps below to restore the shade.

You Will Need:

• An eraser
• Baking soda or Cornstarch
• Dry cleaning sponge
• Dry cleaning fluid

Steps to Remove the Stains:

1. If there are any stains or marks on the paper, such as from dirt or flyspecks, try using an art gum eraser or white vinyl eraser to gently remove the mark. Do not use a pink pencil eraser as it can stain.⁴
2. For oil or grease stains, use an absorbent powder like baking soda or cornstarch. Cover the stain with the powder, let the powder sit for a couple hours or overnight. Dump off the excess powder, then gently brush off the powder residue.⁶
3. For all other difficult stains, you can use a dry cleaning sponge from a hardware store.³ Brush the shade with the sponge in a lifting motion rather than rubbing the stain farther into the shade.¹
4. You can also blot the shade with dry cleaning fluid, such as K2r, to remove dirt or grime stains.¹

• Consider wearing gloves while you clean the shade or holding the shade with a towel so as to avoid leaving fingerprints.⁸
• Be careful not to damage the shade as you clean, as paper shades can easily bend or crease.⁸
• Do not use a vacuum brush to dust a paper lampshade. The brush could have dirt or dust on it from cleaning another location or it could damage the shade if the bristles are too stiff.²
• Scorch marks from a bulb that is too strong or too large for the lamp cannot be removed.⁶
• If there is any stain or damage that cannot be fixed, consider covering it by decorating the shade with wallpaper border, stickers, stencils, ribbon or tassels.⁴
• If the shade is an antique or valuable to you, consider consulting a professional for cleaning and restoration tips. Older lampshades have been exposed to more light and air, so they tend to be damaged more easily.⁸

1. The Cleaning Encyclopedia by Don Aslett
2. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Cleaning
3. The Queen of Clean’s Complete Cleaning Guide
4. 10,001 Hints & Tips for the Home by Reader’s Digest
5. How to Clean Practically Anything by Consumer Reports
6. The Stain and Spot Remover Handbook by Jean Cooper
7. Joey Green’s Cleaning Magic
8. Home Comforts; The Art & Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson