How to Clean HPS Bulb?

Here's an easy one...I have been working in my little tiny cabinet and doing some retrofitting. I want to clean the bulb that is in the reflector in case dirt or oil (from hair and/or fingers) inadvertently got on the bulb. Should I use a cleaning agent like windex (or something else) or should I just thoroughly wipe it down with a soft cloth? Thanks!!

Alcohol wipe down after screwing in.

I've seen many warnings on RIU re:wiping oily prints off HPS bulbs, but zero from any manufacturers (haven't really looked that much)
Seems sellers would benefit from this being mentioned on the packaging if it were a huge thing, but it only takes a sec, so yetta hey.

Then again, perhaps it's a sales tactic used to get me back "in the store" as I inquire about my piece-of-shit 600W "default" 8-year bulb that blew in 65 hours? Just gotta let 'em know that when I say 'No, thanks" I mean "LEAVE ME THE F ALONE AND GET THOSE BULBS IN THE MAIL YESTERDAY!!!!

Why any company would stock bulbs they know are prone to constantly blow is beyond me?

Just get a soft cloth and wipe it smoothly and gently.

Make sure it is clean and thin.

Thanks, MrFishy and whulkamania. Will do! Maybe one of those glasses cleaning cloths.

yeah do what whulkamania said i wouldnt add any cleaning agent

just clean it with a dry cloth, shirt or something. no chemicals dude. cant even figure out how to clean a damn light bulb. youre making things hard for yourself.

Using rubbing alcohol is the best to make sure all grease is off the lamp.. this includes the oils from your fingers. Do NOT touch the bulb. The oils on the glass heat up, cause the glass to bubble and then the lamp goes. dry cloths do not remove these oils. Dust.. will not cause your lamp to blow.. it will just lose intensity as that and your reflector get more debris on them.

Uhhhh . . . never wipe a hot bulb.

Just don't use any cleaning agents, Vinegar, Oil, Alcohol.

Any of those could fuck up the light bulb just use the cold old cleaning rag.

MrFishy said:

Uhhhh . . . never wipe a hot bulb.

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Especially with rubbing alcohol!

Another alternative is to use vinegar, again, when the bulb is COLD, and make sure it's completely dry before starting it up again.

I use clean towels sometimes with rubbing alcohol.

Sound like their should be some type of survey? Lots of members say cloth only and a lot say alcohol and now vinegar. I would think that you clean with the alcohol and then wipe with a clean dry cloth?

smutpeddler said:

just clean it with a dry cloth, shirt or something. no chemicals dude. cant even figure out how to clean a damn light bulb. youre making things hard for yourself.

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thats priceless.

Are Metal halide bulbs the same as HPS in the fact the oils can make them burn out?

Well...hey! Thanks all. Seems to be two camps. Ah well, cool bulb was wiped down with a Wipe and Clean and then with a clean cloth. Thoroughly. I'm sure there won't be any problems. I'm just sure that some oil from my hair or fingers may have inadvertently been transfered due to the close confinement of the cabinet. Now...it sparkles.

For any who doubt, Cleaning with Alcohol is standard practice. I do lighting professionally for concerts, Theatre etc... and we clean every bulb before it goes back in the instrument. Alcohol is one of the few chemicals you can safely use as it removes oils and evaporates very quickly. I would never recommend anything else for cleaning. I have seen more than one high out put lamp blow up. They sound like a gun going off when they explode.

OH.. and the others were absolutely correct, never clean a hot bulb, and always use a soft cloth but not one that leaves little fuzzies all over.

Sounds definitive, Someguy...Thanks!!

SomeGuy said:

For any who doubt, Cleaning with Alcohol is standard practice. I do lighting professionally for concerts, Theatre etc... and we clean every bulb before it goes back in the instrument. Alcohol is one of the few chemicals you can safely use as it removes oils and evaporates very quickly. I would never recommend anything else for cleaning. I have seen more than one high out put lamp blow up. They sound like a gun going off when they explode.

OH.. and the others were absolutely correct, never clean a hot bulb, and always use a soft cloth but not one that leaves little fuzzies all over.

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Agreed, except with MH over very expensive reef tanks, vinegar is all I will use, I won't risk the isopropyl over the corals. Vinegar is what I've used, mixed with a little H20 for all cleaning needs around aquariums. But I don't think the isopropyl will harm Mary as long as she's not watered with it. Of course, I don't know, I've never used it around her.

Seamaiden said:

Agreed, except with MH over very expensive reef tanks, vinegar is all I will use, I won't risk the isopropyl over the corals. Vinegar is what I've used, mixed with a little H20 for all cleaning needs around aquariums. But I don't think the isopropyl will harm Mary as long as she's not watered with it. Of course, I don't know, I've never used it around her.

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I remove my bulbs before cleaning so I do not risk dropping alcohol on the plants just make sure not to touch the glass with your fingers while putting it in. Vinegar worries me only because it evaps so slow. Rubbing Alcohol evaps almost instantly on a glass surface. However, if it has worked for you thus far it is probably an acceptable cleaning solution, just one in which you should make damn sure your bulb is dry before striking up.

SomeGuy said:

I remove my bulbs before cleaning so I do not risk dropping alcohol on the plants just make sure not to touch the glass with your fingers while putting it in. Vinegar worries me only because it evaps so slow. Rubbing Alcohol evaps almost instantly on a glass surface. However, if it has worked for you thus far it is probably an acceptable cleaning solution, just one in which you should make damn sure your bulb is dry before striking up.

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OH yeah. I've had LOTS of experience mixing water with electricity. I've even kinda gotten to liking the sensation. ZZZZaaPP!!

I also had an experience when I was younger.. ok, this is weird, but I was a pretty odd duck. I had, for some reason, refilled a mouthwash bottle with isopropyl and green food coloring, I honestly don't remember why I did it, but I kept it in my room. One day I was playing around with candles and had too much wax, so I decided to pour the wax from the lit candle into my trash can. I caught the fucker on fire. Not thinking, I desperately looked around for something to squelch the flames and saw the bottle of "mouthwash", opened it up and dashed it onto the flames. Imagine my dismay as this HUGE blue flame went WHOOSH up the wall! Boy was I gonna get my ass beat! Fortunately something clicked in my head and I smothered it with a towel. Didn't even melt the trashcan, just burned up some stuff.

What was the point of my wee tale? That was the first thing I thought of when I saw Mr. Fishy's post about not wiping down a hot bulb. Hot bulb + isopropyl = ???

How come I can never eat spaghetti with a red sauce withOUT making a mess? I can eat white sauces and don't get anything on me. Any red sauce, and BAMMO, I'm a mess.