How to Clean Neon Signs

Is your neon sign in need of a deep clean?

Over time and with extended use, neon signs attract and collect dust, mould, grease, bugs, and spider webs. For your neon lights to maintain their bright, colourful, and appealing quality, regular cleaning is a must.

While neon signs are a great way to add an artsy fun twist to your business setting, it’s important you maintain the cleanliness of your signs. In most cases, neon signs are used as a way to draw customers when placed outside. Or when used indoors, neon lights are used as decorative pieces to illuminate your space with colour, while adding some extra personality to it.

The last thing you want is for these people to notice how poorly maintained your signage is.

Modern neon signs that use LEDs are wrapped in a protective polymer, while traditional neon signs use a neon glass tubing that is more fragile. Furthermore, traditional lights are hot to the touch when lit, however, LED neon lights do not get hot when lit.

Because of this, cleaning modern neon signs have become much easier.

Cleaning Off Dust

Modern neon signs are safe to handle, as there are no dangerous gases within, unlike traditional neon signs which contain noble gases.

However, it is crucial that you switch off and unplug the neon sign before proceeding with any handling. After this is done, allow the sign to cool down over several minutes as they can become hot after long hours of operation.

To remove dust, start off with a feather duster to remove any loose dust. Then, use a nylon brush with long soft bristles and brush off remaining dust with light pressure.

Remove as much dust as possible before deciding if it is necessary to go for a deeper clean to remove stains and grime with a wet clean.

Removing Stains and Grime

For stains and grime, mix ½ cup of household ammonia with ½ cup of water in a plastic container. Next, dampen a cloth with the mixture and wring out any excess. Gently rub out any stains or grime from the surface of your signs.

The polymer coating makes it easier to clean LED. However, you must still switch off your sign and unplug it from the power source when wet cleaning.

Don’t want to use ammonia? Alternatively, you can replace the ammonia with a baking soda and vinegar mix.

Avoid This At All Costs

Do NOT soak the sign in the solution or water during the cleaning. Furthermore, special care is required if there is block out paint used on the sign. Confirm that the cleaning solution doesn’t crack or peel the paint by testing a small section on a corner before proceeding to clean the whole sign.

Are you ready to purchase a safe, modern LED neon sign?

Check out our range of ready-made neon signs here.

Or contact us today for a custom neon sign designed by a team of talented experts.

Author: Little Pineapple