If you’ve recently looked at your old glass oil lamps, you will notice that they look a lot like stained glass windows.  After some time has passed, you have probably considered replacing them because of the grime and soot that has built up over the years, you may be thankful to find out that you can save yourself some money by simply cleaning them. You are going to have to break them down in order to clean them properly, but with a few short hours, you can have a practically brand new glass oil lamp, without having to fork out the money for a brand new model. Follow the steps below to rejuvenate your old glass oil lamps into a new, beautiful light.

Step 1) Take apart the lamp and remember how it came apart. Start by removing the glass cover, and then work your way down into the burner. You are going to want to empty out any gas that is left for burning the wick, and allow the base to dry thoroughly. You will also need to remove the wick and set it aside. Remember how you took the pieces apart, to ensure that you are able to get it put back together properly.

Step 2) Take a hair dryer to the wicker, assuring you do not get it too hot. You are going to need to dry out the wick properly. Using a blow dryer, and keeping it at a safe distance from the wick, apply heat evenly across the wick until it has been dried. If you are too close to the wick while you are applying the heat to the wick, you run the risk of it catching on fire. The high volatility of the kerosene or other gas when mixed with the high heat is a recipe for disaster if you are not careful.

Step 3) Soak the burner in an ammonia solution. In order to remove the soot buildup from the glass, and the burner, you are going to need to soak the burner, and glass in an ammonia bath until the soot has properly absorbed the liquid. Once the ammonia has been absorbed, you can use a soft sponge to remove the soot buildup from the glass. You will want to run the burner underneath a running faucet to remove the excess buildup.

After you’ve completed these three simple steps, you are going to want to allow all of the pieces to dry thoroughly. Once they have dried, you can begin to reinstall the parts together, and refill the bulb with kerosene to begin using the lamp again.

Buying glass oil lamps is a great way to show your personal sense of style in your home’s decor and design. While you are shopping for new glass oil lamps, you are going to want to make sure that you keep a few tips in mind that will not only help you save money, but also keep you from becoming frustrated by making a poor purchase decision. The tips we’ve listed below are designed to help you do just that: save money, and prevent frustration.

Tip #1) Purchase From The Internet – One of the best ways to make sure you are getting a great deal on your new glass oil lamps is to purchase from the internet. Internet vendors do not have the same amount of overhead, and costs that physical local retailers will have. The savings that internet retailers keep from spending on employees, rent for their business, as well as storage costs for the products can be passed onto you as a consumer. This means that you see much lower prices over the internet than you would in a local retailer.

Tip #2) Purchase Shipping Insurance – When you are purchasing glass materials over the internet you are going to want to make sure that you have purchased shipping insurance, if it is available. This will help protect you in case the products arrive at your door in damaged condition, or possibly even with broken or chipped glass. The expenses of shipping the products back to the vendor will usually fall on you unless you have shipping insurance and a protection plan in place.

Tip #3) Avoid Low Quality – Saving a few bucks by purchasing lower quality glass oil lamps may sound like a great idea at first, but when you consider the amount of time that you are going to have the lamps in your home, you will want to avoid it at all costs. Low quality lamps can present potential hazards, and may not be built with the same quality as a lamp that costs a few bucks more.

Tip #4) Consider Antique Glass Oil Lamps – If you are looking for a truly retro feel for your unique home decor designs, you might also want to consider purchasing antique glass oil lamps. You will want to make sure that you replace the parts in the burner if the lamp is incredibly old, however, to avoid having any potential dangers coming up.

When you come across antique glass oil lamps, you may want to hold onto them. Restoring them isn’t very difficult, and is a great way to not only save money, but also enjoy a piece of history inside of your home. Follow the steps below and make sure that you take your time to begin enjoying it again.

Step #1) Clean The Hand Painted Portions – If your antique lamp has hand painted portions you are going to want to take delicate care to ensure that you do not damage or chip the paint. Using a soft, wet cloth, go over the sections until you feel that they are sufficiently cleaned. Avoid using solvents that could potentially remove the paint during this step.

Step #2) Solder The Metal Splits – Next you will want to figure out if there are any splits in the metal. If the metal has begun cracking, you will need to grab a soldering iron and go over the cracks to ensure the base is sturdy enough to avoid falling over, and potentially causing a fire.

Step #3) Soak The Lamps Chimney – With the lamp taken apart, you will need to soak the chimney, or glass shroud on top of the lamp. Soaking it in a solution of water and baking soda will help break down the grime that has accrued on the lamp over the years, and allow you to restore it to a lustrous condition.

Step #4) Replace Faulty Burner Parts – If the burner is rusty, or looks like it could use some work you are going to want to replace the faulty parts. You can order the burner parts over the internet, and replace them in a few minutes.

Step #5) Repair Cracks In Glass Shade – If there are cracks in the glass shroud, you are going to want to make sure that you repair them before you begin using the lamp. With a non-flammable glass adhesive, go over the cracks and ensure that the bond is secure.

Instead of replacing your glass oil lamps because they do not burn properly any longer, you may want to think about simply replacing the wick. The steps listed below will help you get the old wick out, and put a new one in without damaging the lamp so that you can continue burning it for many more years to come.

Step #1) Make Sure The Lamp Is Cool – The first step is going to be making sure that the lamp you are replacing the wick in has had sufficient amount of time to cool down. It is advised that you allow the lamp to set for at least 24 hours, to ensure that you are not going to be burned when you start taking it apart to replace the wick.

Step #2) Remove The Burner Assembly – Once you are positive that the lamp has cooled you will want to begin taking it apart. First you need to remove the glass shroud so that you can gain access to the burner. Once the burner has been exposed you will need to use the thumb screw on the side of it to loosen it from the top of the lamp. After it is loose you can simply pull it out.

Step #3) Remove The Old Wick – Now you will need to remove the old wick. Depending on how much if it is left, you may be able to turn the thumb screw in a clockwise direction, feeding the remainder through the top of the burner. If it is shorter than this, you will need to turn the screw counterclockwise and attempt to pull the wick from the bottom of the lamp.

Step #4) Install The New Wick – Once the old wick is removed you will need to feed the new wick through the bottom of the burner. As it reaches the spindle, you will want to turn the thumb screw in a clockwise direction to begin feeding the wick out through the top of the burner.

Step #5) Reassemble – After the new wick is installed, you will want to place the burner assembly back onto the lamp and tighten down the screw to ensure that it is snuggly installed on the lamp. From here you can replace the glass shroud and allow the wick time to soak up the kerosene before you begin burning it again.