How to Clean and Care for Alabaster Lighting

To clean alabaster lighting, switch it off and let it cool, then wipe it with a soft, dry or lightly damp cloth. Avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners, never soak the stone, and follow the care guide supplied with your Teeshaa piece. Alabaster is soft gypsum, so gentle, infrequent cleaning protects the surface.

key facts.

• Use a soft, dry or lightly damp cloth, and avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners.
• Alabaster is soft gypsum, about 2 on the Mohs scale, so it scratches and dulls easily.
• Gypsum is slightly soluble in water, so the stone should never be soaked or sprayed.
• Switch the light off at the wall and let it cool before you touch it.
• Follow the care guide supplied with the piece, because metal finishes and construction vary.

how do I clean an alabaster lamp or chandelier step by step?

Dust first, then wipe only if needed. Most days a dry cloth is all the stone requires.

1. Switch the light off at the wall and wait until the piece has cooled.
2. Dust the stone with a clean, soft, dry cloth, using light strokes. For carved or recessed areas, use a clean, soft, dry brush.
3. If a mark remains, wring a soft cloth until it is only lightly damp and wipe the spot. Do not press hard or rub in circles.
4. Dry the area straight away with a second soft, dry cloth.
5. Wipe the metal parts separately with a soft, dry cloth, and check the supplied care guide for your finish.
6. Switch the light on only when the surface is completely dry.

what should I never use on alabaster?

Do not use harsh chemicals, abrasive cleaners or large amounts of water. A soft stone loses its polish quickly, and a dull patch is difficult to reverse.

Washing polished alabaster with dishwashing liquid can leave it rough and dull, and the stone loses some translucency and shine. Professional conservators clean alabaster with mild solvent mixtures that are tested first on a small area. That is work for a trained person, not a routine for a household shelf.

do and avoid at a glance.

Do	Avoid
Switch off and let the piece cool first	Cleaning a warm or switched-on light
Dust with a soft, dry cloth	Paper towels and rough fabrics that can scratch
Use a lightly damp, well wrung cloth for a mark	Soaking, spraying or running water over the stone
Dry the surface straight away	Leaving damp patches to dry on the stone
Follow the care guide supplied	Harsh chemicals, glass cleaners, bleach, vinegar or lemon
Support the piece from the body or base	Lifting by the rod, wire, ring edge or a thin stone lip
Ask the studio about stubborn marks	Scrubbing, sanding or abrasive pads and powders

how often should I clean it?

Light dusting every week or two is enough in most homes, and more often in dusty cities or near open windows. Wipe with a damp cloth only when you can see a mark.

Frequent wet cleaning does more harm than dust. Soft stone is better served by a regular dry cloth than by an occasional deep clean.

how do I handle and move an alabaster piece safely?

Switch the power off, support the full weight from the body or base, and never pull on thin edges. Multi-part pieces are made of matched sections, so handle each section gently and ask the studio how a piece comes apart before you try to move it.

For anything that involves the wiring, the canopy or the ceiling fixing, use a licensed electrician. If a chandelier hangs from a high ceiling, do not climb to it on an unsteady ladder: ask for help or contact the studio. The warranty does not cover damage caused by an installation done by anyone other than Teeshaa's team, so ask the studio before any work begins.

can heat and damp damage alabaster?

Yes, to varying degrees. Gypsum loses water when heated, and heating alabaster makes it lose translucency, so keep the stone away from heaters, hot lamps and stoves. Water is the main everyday risk, and alabaster is not suited to splash zones or open balconies.

The warranty states that water or humidity damage is not covered. For monsoon and coastal homes, read alabaster lighting in humid and coastal homes, and for bathrooms see can you use alabaster lighting in a bathroom.

how Teeshaa fits.

Teeshaa's care guidance is simple: clean with a soft, dry or lightly damp cloth, avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners, and follow the care guide supplied with the piece. Every light carries a one-year warranty against manufacturing defects. It does not cover physical damage, water or humidity damage, or damage from an installation done by anyone other than Teeshaa's team.

The full wording is on the care page, and the material page explains the stone. Natural variation in clouding and veining is part of alabaster and not a fault. Pieces such as the Alabaster Aura Suspension and the Totem Table Lamp follow the same care routine. For questions, see the frequently asked questions or the wider alabaster lighting range.

frequently asked questions.

How do I clean an alabaster lamp or chandelier?

Switch it off at the wall and let it cool, then dust with a soft, dry cloth. For a mark, use a soft cloth that is only lightly damp and dry the area straight away. Avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners, and follow the care guide supplied with your piece.

Can I use water or soap on alabaster?

Use water sparingly. Alabaster is slightly soluble in water, so a lightly damp cloth is the limit, followed by drying. Soaking or spraying the stone is unsafe, and washing polished alabaster with dishwashing liquid can leave it rough and dull. Avoid soap and cleaners on the stone.

How often should alabaster lighting be dusted?

Dust lightly every week or two in most homes, and more often in dusty cities or near open windows. A regular dry cloth does less harm than occasional wet cleaning, because soft stone loses its polish when it is scrubbed or repeatedly dampened.

Can I remove a stain from an alabaster shade?

Try a lightly damp, soft cloth first and dry the spot immediately. Do not scrub, sand or use abrasive pads, as they dull the polish and cannot be reversed. For a stubborn mark, send the studio a photograph and ask before attempting anything stronger.

Does the Teeshaa warranty cover damage from cleaning?

The one-year warranty covers manufacturing defects across the whole light. It does not cover physical damage, water or humidity damage, or damage from an installation by anyone other than Teeshaa's team. Damage from harsh cleaning or soaking would fall outside it, so follow the care guide.

Reviewed by the Teeshaa studio, 19 October 2026.

sources.

• Conservation Wiki: Alabaster
• Building Conservation: The Conservation of Alabaster
• Wikipedia: Alabaster