How to Clean Greasy Light Bulbs?

Light bulbs have a classy and soothing appearance. Light bulbs have a charming and calming aura about them. They give your home a posh and sophisticated appearance.

However, most people can’t find the willpower to keep them bright all year round because cleaning them just looks complicated.

So we’ve put together a step-by-step guide about how to clean greasy light bulbs like a pro with DIY materials.

how to clean greasy light bulbs

Tools You Will Need for Cleaning Greasy Light Bulbs

  • Cleaning cloth (preferably microfiber)
  • Ladder
  • Gloves
  • Distilled vinegar (solution of vinegar and water)
  • Dry towel (lint-free)
  • Mild dish liquid
  • Dishpan
  • Warm water
  • Screwdriver
  • Alcohol (optional if your light bulb isn’t too greasy)
  • Baking soda and dish liquid combination for extra greasy bulb lights

How to Clean Greasy Light Bulbs? – Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Safety first, wear your gloves, turn off the light, and let the bulb cool off.

Step 2: Unscrew the light fixture and dust off the dirt on the surface with a duster or a lint-free cloth.

Try to do this gently; you don’t want to end up breaking the light club or cutting yourself.

Step 3: Add dish liquid to warm water in a dishpan. Then wash the light bulb with soap and water.

You can soak the light bulb for some minutes in water to wash off dirt without struggling.

Step 4: Spray the water and vinegar mixture on the cleaning cloth; don’t spray directly on the light bulb itself.

Then, use it to wipe the light bulb. Your light bulb should already look transparent and neat.

Step 5: Place the clean light bulb(s) on the lint-free clean towel to dry.

Step 6: Once the light bulb is dry, screw it back in place.

Step 7: You can get a clear definition of clean the light bulb is by turning on the light; if you missed any spot, you would see them.

Dos and Don’ts for Cleaning Greasy Light Bulbs

As with any DIY project, you need to take safety measures.

Professionals can wing it, but you could get hurt if you don’t take safety measures seriously.

Here are a couple of things you shouldn’t do while cleaning lights bulbs in your home:

  • Don’t apply too much pressure while removing light bulbs; you easily break the light bulbs and get glass in your face.
  • Don’t place your ladder on a blanket. One wrong move and your ladder could become wobbly, and you might fall off.

How to Clean Greasy Light Bulbs in Kitchen?

The steam and soothe from your cooking seals in the dust particles on the light bulbs, forming a thick grease coast on the surface of your light bulbs, making cleaning them more difficult.

Here’s how to clean thick grease from light bulbs in the kitchen:

Step 1: First, unscrew the light bulb and remove dust particles.

Step 2: Mix baking soda with the vinegar mixture to create a paste. Alternatively, you mix the baking soda with dish liquid if you’re out of vinegar.

Step 3: Apply the baking soda on the light bulb and allow it to sit for some minutes, usually 10-15 minutes.

Step 4: Wipe off the paste from the bulb with the cleaning cloth.

Step 5: Follow up with an alcohol and dish liquid mixture if there are still tough stains on the light bulb.

Step 6: Wipe the light bulb with a microfibre cloth, place it on a dry towel and allow it to dry.

Step 7: Finally, screw the light bulb back in place and switch on the light to see any missing spots.

How Often Should You Remove Grease from Light Bulbs?

You can do it every quarter to have bright lights throughout the year.

Is It Possible to Keep Light Bulbs From Becoming Greasy?

You can’t do much about it for the most part, but you could try wrapping a light film around your bulb. So the dust or soothe isn’t directly on the light bulb; it’s on the film.

The downside is that it will not be as bright as it should be, which defeats the purpose of cleaning the light bulbs in the first place.

Conclusion

Getting grease out of lights is a simple DIY project; you can easily complete it on the weekend without breaking a sweat.

But, of course, you could always get professional cleansers if you don’t mind the cost.