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How to Clean an Antique Spotlight

Antiques develop a certain worn look over time that make them a valuable and sought-after commodity in contemporary society. For this reason, when cleaning antiques, you must use care and precision to ensure that the look and value of the piece is retained. Antique spotlights are most popularly comprised of wood, copper, brass and bronze and can be cleaned effectively with a gentle soap and water.

Things You'll Need

Gentle liquid soap
2 cotton cloths
Cereal bowl

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a cereal bowl with warm water. Place two drops of gentle liquid soap into the water and mix it around with your fingers.
- 2
  Remove the bulb from the spotlight. Remove any loose attachments from the spotlight.
- 3
  Soak one cotton cloth with soapy water and wring it out.
- 4
  Apply the cotton cloth carefully to each surface of the spotlight to remove any built-up dust or dirt residue. Resist scrubbing the item vigorously, as this might damage the integrity of the antique.
- 5
  Apply the cotton cloth to the bulb of the spotlight to remove dust or dirt.
- 6
  Wipe each surface of the spotlight and the bulb dry with a the second cotton cloth.
- 7
  Insert the bulb carefully back into the spotlight and reattach any loose attachments.

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