Tips for Maintaining and Cleaning Your Custom Neon Signs (2024)

Custom neon signs are the shining stars of any business or event, drawing attention and creating an inviting atmosphere. Their vibrant glow can spell success, making them an indispensable asset for small business owners and event organizers alike. But like any investment, neon signs require regular care to keep them in top condition. This blog will guide you through understanding, maintaining, and cleaning your custom neon signs, ensuring they remain a brilliant centerpiece.

Introduction: The Impact of Custom Neon Signs on Businesses and Events

Custom neon signs aren’t just lighting; they are a powerful marketing tool. Whether it’s a trendy café or a high-energy event, a glowing sign can attract customers, create an ambiance, and even become a social media sensation. However, to maintain their charm and functionality, consistent care is essential. In this post, we will explore the basics of custom neon signs, the importance of maintenance, cleaning techniques, and troubleshooting tips.

Understanding the Basics of Custom Neon Signs

What are custom neon signs?

Neon gas-filled tubes bent into various shapes and designs create illuminated displays known as custom neon signs. People often use these signs for branding, advertising, and decorative purposes. The neon gas inside the tubes produces a bright, colorful glow when electrified, making these signs highly visible both day and night. The variety of colors and designs available make custom neon signs versatile enough to fit any business or event theme.

The Process of Making Them: A Synopsis

Creating a custom neon sign is an art that involves several intricate steps. First, the artist conceptualizes and sketches the design on paper. Glass tubes are then carefully heated and bent to match the design. Once shaped, the tubes are filled with neon gas or other gases, such as argon or krypton, depending on the desired color. We attach electrodes to the ends of each tube, seal them, and connect them to a power source to generate light. The finished product is a dazzling custom neon sign, ready to light up any space.

The Importance of Regular Maintenance

Why is maintenance important for longevity and safety?

Regular maintenance of your custom neon signs is crucial for several reasons. First, it ensures the sign’s longevity, providing you with a long-term return on investment. Neglecting maintenance can lead to deterioration, reducing the sign’s brightness and overall effectiveness. Additionally, proper maintenance prevents potential safety hazards, such as electrical issues or gas leaks, which could pose risks to your business or event attendees.

Signs Your Neon Needs Maintenance

It’s important to recognize when your neon sign requires maintenance. Some common indicators include flickering lights, dimming brightness, unusual buzzing sounds, or visible damage to the glass tubes. If you notice any of these signs, it’s time to take action. Addressing these issues promptly can prevent further damage and ensure your sign remains in optimal condition.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Your Custom Neon Signs

Precautions to Take Before Cleaning

Before you begin cleaning your custom neon signs, there are some important precautions to take. Firstly, make sure to turn off and unplug the sign to prevent any potential electric shock. If possible, remove the sign from its mounting to make cleaning easier and prevent damage to the surrounding area. Always handle the sign gently, as the glass tubes are fragile and can break if mishandled.

You will need materials.

Gather the following materials to clean your neon sign effectively:

  • A soft, lint-free cloth
  • Mild soap or detergent
  • Consider using a tiny brush, like a toothbrush.
  • A vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment
  • Distilled water (optional)

Having these materials on hand will ensure that you can clean your sign thoroughly without causing any damage.

Cleaning techniques and best practices

  1. Dusting:

Start by using a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove any surface dust from the sign. This will prevent dust particles from scratching the glass during the cleaning process. You can also gently dust the surface with a soft, lint-free cloth if you don’t have a vacuum cleaner.

  1. Washing:

Mix a small amount of mild soap or detergent with water to create a gentle cleaning solution. Dampen the cloth with the solution and gently wipe down the glass tubes, being careful not to apply too much pressure. For hard-to-reach areas, use a small brush, such as a toothbrush, to clean between the tubes.

  1. Rinsing and drying:

After washing, use a separate cloth dampened with distilled water to remove any soap residue. We recommend using distilled water to avoid mineral deposits on the glass. Finally, dry the sign with a clean, lint-free cloth, ensuring that no moisture remains on the surface.

Troubleshooting and When to Seek Professional Help

Common issues and strategies for addressing them

Even with regular maintenance, custom neon signs can encounter issues that require troubleshooting. For example, loose connections or faulty transformers may cause flickering lights. Checking and tightening connections can often resolve this issue. Dimming brightness may indicate that the sign’s gas levels are low, in which case a professional recharge might be necessary.

Signs Your Neon Needs Professional Attention

Basic troubleshooting can address many minor issues, but some problems require professional intervention. If you notice a persistent buzzing sound, broken glass tubes, or signs of gas leakage, it’s time to call in a professional. Attempting to fix these issues yourself can be dangerous and may result in further damage to the sign.

Tips for Maintaining and Cleaning Your Custom Neon Signs (2024)

FAQs

Tips for Maintaining and Cleaning Your Custom Neon Signs? ›

Use a feather duster to remove loose dust. Then, use a soft cloth or a nylon brush with soft bristles to get rid of any remaining dust. Make sure you unplug the sign before you clean it. If you've left the sign on for a long time, it may be faintly warm to touch.

How to care for a neon sign? ›

Tips for Looking After Your Neon Sign
  1. Handle them with care. Real neon signs are made using glass tubes filled with gas, so it's important you treat them with respect. ...
  2. Keep it clean. ...
  3. Don't unplug your neon sign unnecessarily.
Apr 29, 2018

How to preserve neon signs? ›

Keep Your Sign Plugged in All The Time. While it may seem counter-intuitive, the truth is that it's best for your neon sign if you leave it plugged in all the time. Why? The sign's power transformation will wear out much sooner if your sign is continually turned on and off every day.

How long do custom neon signs last? ›

Generally, neon light signs can easily last about eight to fifteen years when taken appropriate care of. However, the longevity of neon signs depends on several factors, such as usage, quality of the materials, external damages, and more.

What to do with neon signs after wedding? ›

Hanging wedding neon signs in the bedroom is also a fun way to repurpose them. It will create an intimate atmosphere that helps you to de-stress and recharge your energy. Furthermore, a neon sign contains neither toxic elements nor buzzing noise that cause damage to your home as well as the environment.

How to properly clean a neon sign? ›

You'll have to wet clean it, so it's best to unplug it first. Then, mix half a cup of water with a half cup of household ammonia in a container. Dampen an absorbent cloth with this mixture and gently clear any dirt clinging to your sign.

What is the life expectancy of a neon sign? ›

Most neon signs are expected to last between eight and 15 years, although many continue to function for much longer than that. Leaving a sign switched on for prolonged periods can shorten its lifespan, and leave it at risk of overheating or sustaining damage from electrical surges.

Why neon signs are no longer popular? ›

Due to the safety concerns, inefficiency, and expense, the popularity of neon signage has waned over the years in favor of incandescent and LED signs. LED is now the primary source of lighting in illuminated signage as it is the most efficient. Manufacturers also use LED in faux-neon signs and design elements.

What are the disadvantages of neon signs? ›

Cons to Neon lighting for signs:
  • They output very little light for amount of power required.
  • Limited colors available based on gas and glass color configurations.
  • The glass tubes can be fragile.
  • Generally only one color can be used at a time.
  • Very high maintenance costs.
  • One small crack and the entire piece is broken.

Do neon signs need to be recharged? ›

About Neon Signs

Neon signs are excellent options for both indoor and outdoor applications since they make eye-catching displays. Neon signs do require some basic maintenance and recharging to keep them from malfunctioning. They also need to be made of quality materials to last the standard 8 to 15 years.

Why are custom neon signs so expensive? ›

Neon customizable sign with distinctive forms, colors, and other artistic components takes more time. Therefore, they will cost more money to buy and require more labor. Plus, it's less expensive to build if you choose an easy-to-manufacture or pre-made design.

What neon signs are worth money? ›

Vintage neon signs generally fetch around $200 per sign but mid-century neon signs, dependent upon their condition, may be worth thousands of dollars. Neon signs from the 1950s and earlier are said to be more valuable than newer versions. Find a variety of vintage neon signs on 1stDibs.

Are neon signs a good investment? ›

Not only does neon offer limitless design possibilities, but the signs are also low on consumption, so it won't cost you a fortune to install and maintain them. In fact, neon signs will use approximately 50% less electricity than modern signs. 5. They have long life spans.

What are neon signs being replaced with? ›

LED signs offer a multitude of advantages, including a diverse spectrum of colors, dynamic animations, and the ability to easily program messages for dynamic content delivery. One of the most compelling features of LED signage is its adaptability to different environments and applications.

Do neon signs go bad? ›

Luminous neon glass tubes in the neon signs typically last about 8 to 15 years. If put in the right environment and well-maintained, then you could get your money's worth. Coatings last for up to 7 to 10 years, depending on the sign's brightness and usage.

Do neon signs work in daylight? ›

Day and Night Visibility:

Neon signs are effective both during the day and at night. In daylight, their vibrant colors and unique designs draw attention, and at night, they provide excellent illumination, ensuring that the message is still visible.

What happens if a neon sign gets wet? ›

Effects of water on neon signs

Additionally, water can seep into the glass tube and mix with the gas, affecting the ionization process and reducing the brightness and overall performance of the neon sign. Over time, water damage can lead to irreparable damage and require costly repairs or replacements.

Should I leave my neon sign on 24 7? ›

Avoid unplugging it: While it may seem counter-intuitive, continuously unplugging your neon sign can cause more wear and tear on the transformer. It is advisable to switch it off when not in use or during cleaning to extend the lifespan of the neon gas. However, keep it plugged in to minimize stress on the transformer.

Can neon signs be left outside? ›

If they are used outdoors, they have to be protected from rain, snow and ice to ensure they will remain functional for a long time. LED neon signs are a better choice for outdoor use as they aren't made from glass, so won't shatter if they're damaged. Instead, they are made from acrylic, which is sturdy and waterproof.

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