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.
