Light fitting
The only routine dusting job in a house carried out at a live mains connection — which is why the instruction that matters is not about a cleaning product.
Precautions
- Disconnect from the power supply first
- Do not apply to a hot surface
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
Start here
What this is, what tends to go wrong with it, and what to do about it.
What tends to go wrong
Mostly textile fibres and skin, held by static as much as by gravity — which is why a dry cloth on a plastic surface makes it worse.
Why it is difficult: Static and dust, Mechanical action and abrasion, Why different surfaces get different dirt, Surface roughness
In detail
Two authorities agree on the part most consumer articles treat as a preamble, and both state it as a requirement: THE POWER IS SWITCHED OFF BEFORE CLEANING. The manufacturer adds a reason that is not about shock — a luminaire disconnected while still powered risks damaging its LEDs. Both also require the fitting and its light source to have COOLED first, and neither publishes a waiting time. The manufacturer states cooling as a condition; the safety body, writing about a portable lamp you can unplug, says a few minutes. The half hour that circulates in consumer advice has no authority behind it at all. THE CLEANING RULES ARE COUNTER-INTUITIVE, AND THEY ARE THE USEFUL PART. Plastic, glass and painted housings take a soft MOIST cloth — and the manufacturer prohibits the obvious alternative, a dry duster, on plastic. The reason is stated rather than asserted: static already on the part attracts dust, so a dry cloth moves it and invites it back. On plastic, only antistatic detergents WITHOUT alcohol, and nothing abrasive or strong. What neither addresses is the shade as a textile. A fabric shade is a different problem, and the luminaire guidance does not cover it.
Related
- Light fitting is commonly affected by Dust
Sources for this page
Sources
Cleaning instructions for luminaires
ETAP Lighting International · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That the power must be switched off before cleaning a luminaire and it must not be disconnected with the power on, LED damage being a second reason; that the light source must be cooled first; that plastic, glass and painted parts take a soft moist cloth; that a dry cloth must NOT be used on plastic because static attracts dust; and that plastic takes only antistatic, alcohol-free detergents. (states this directly)
Electrical Safety Advice for Lamps
Electrical Safety First · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That a bulb is not changed while the lamp is on — it is turned off, unplugged, and left a few minutes for the bulb to cool first — and that scorching, discolouration, burn marks or a fitting too hot to touch are signs to stop using it and have it checked. (states this directly)