Okay so this week I finally tackled something that’s been bugging me for ages – cleaning up my grandma’s old van cleef lamp. Yeah, that fancy looking one covered in thick, sticky gunk? Looked so bad I wanted to cry. Here’s exactly how I did it step by step, almost wrecked it twice, but somehow saved it.
Starting With The Absolute Mess
First thing I did was lug that heavy lamp out into my backyard. Needed space because this was gonna get messy. Seriously, decades of dust and god-knows-what coated the metal parts like concrete. I snapped a few pics for my “before” shots – looked downright shameful.
Gear I Actually Used (Hint: Nothing Fancy)
Before that tho, I dug through my kitchen and bathroom. No special tools bought, just what I had:
- Cheap white vinegar from last Thanksgiving
- Half a lemon I forgot about in the fridge
- My kid’s old soft toothbrush
- Microfiber cloths I use on my car
- A plastic spatula? Yeah, you read that right.
- Bought dollar store gloves specifically for this
Didn’t wanna use harsh stuff and ruin the finish. Vinegar and lemon sounded gentle enough. Big gamble.
The Scraping Battle
Put on those gloves – smelled bad already. Grabbed my plastic spatula and started scraping the surface gunk gently. Like… really gently. Felt like trying to scrape frozen jam off glass. Some bits flew off easily, but other spots? Stubborn. Harder than chewing tough steak. Had to stop multiple times just to readjust my grip.
After most of the thick stuff came off, I dumped white vinegar directly onto a cloth and wiped everything down. Made the metal parts shine a bit more already! Felt like a tiny win.
Citrus Power To The Rescue
Now for the detailed bits. Took that mushy half lemon, squeezed juice right onto the stubborn leftover spots. Started scrubbing with the toothbrush – little circles. Saw the gunk slowly bubbling up like soda fizz! Kept rubbing until my fingers cramped.
Rinsed it using water from my garden hose. Gentle spray! Didn’t wanna blast water into anything electrical. Saw parts of the metal gleaming properly for the first time.
Almost Gave Up Here
Thought I was done till I flipped it over. Underneath was pure horror – hardened black stuff stuck in every groove. Felt like giving up. Seriously considered hiding it again.
Mixed vinegar and lemon juice 50-50 in a spray bottle I stole from cleaning the windows. Spritzed it heavily underneath, let it sit for maybe 15 minutes while I sulked. Came back, scrubbed HARD with the toothbrush again. Watched the grunge finally lift. Victory dance? Maybe.
The Final Touch & What I Learned
Dried everything super carefully with a dry microfiber cloth. Every nook and cranny. Didn’t want any moisture left hiding.
Spent maybe… 3 hours total? Back hurt, knees sore, but wow. That lamp now sits proudly in my living room. Friends thought I paid some fancy service $20 for it. Felt pretty proud telling ’em I did it myself using junk I found at home.
Big takeaways if yours looks like crap too:
- Seriously, plastic kitchen tools are secret weapons for scraping.
- Vinegar + lemon juice = magical against sticky nastiness.
- An old toothbrush saves the day for tiny spaces.
- Patience. Lots of stopping and deep breaths.
