A light does more than providing the illumination to the room; it provides the hard earned charm that could otherwise be farfetched. Over the last few years, there has been a blossoming of lighting technologies, from the conventional bulbs to the more advanced light emitting diodes better known as LEDs. However, old vintage lamps are yet to exit the scene and most of them remain in a good number of homes. Wherever one chooses to buy and maintain an oil lamp, they do so for the good reasons, and can sometimes provide the elegance and detailed touch that is otherwise too difficult to recreate with modern lighting systems. Oil lamps are still used widely in most parts of the world – and even the most advanced homes will choose to possess them as backups during power outages, or to add some pomp and sophistication to the whole design idea.
If you own an oil lamp then an oil lampshade is a must have. A lampshade on this kind of lighting play more than a dozen roles ranging from protecting the eye against direct contact with the flame and the otherwise over bright light, as well as providing a vital windbreak to keep the wick burning even when the weather choose to go rowdy. Make no mistake, the sight of an oil lamp without a shade could be rather unsightly, and there are no ifs and buts when it comes to purchasing one. When and if you choose to have an oil lamp shade then here are some of the important tips that will help you better maintain it, knowing that a good maintenance can help elongate the already long lifespan of your adored lamp.
Regulate your wick – oil lamps use a wick for their source of light, which produces considerable heat in the process. Majority of the oil lamp shades are meant to withstand this heat, but excessive heat will wear down even the most resilient material. Regulating your weak to reasonable levels will reduce the amount of thermal effect on the oil lamp shade, giving it a few more years of useful; life with you.
Regular cleaning is good for your lamp shade – however much you may try to reduce the wick and clean it, it will have to emit some soot. The first destination of this soot is right on the lampshade, and over a few weeks a good amount of it will have accumulated. Add on the dust particles that may also land on it from time to time and you will appreciate having a regular wash of your lampshade.
Avoid water conduct when hot – some of the lampshades may be water resistant, but this does not mean you become careless with them. Most of the oil lamp shades will dread water like a plague when they are hot. Because of the intense heat, bringing them in direct water conduct will compromise their structural integrity and make them wear down more rapidly. Avoid water conduct when these shades are on a burning lamp and if you need to clean ensure they have fully cooled down after use. Else wait until the next evening.