Switch it off, let it cool, and dust with a dry soft brush. Never touch a glass tube while it is lit or warm, and never use liquid near the electrodes.
Real glass neon runs on high voltage and the tube is under vacuum. Both facts change how you handle it compared with LED neon.
The routine
- ✓ Switch off at the wall and give it fifteen minutes to cool. Glass neon gets genuinely warm.
- ✓ Dust with a soft brush, a clean paintbrush or a makeup brush, following the tube rather than pressing across it.
- ✓ Support the tube with your other hand if you must touch it. Never lever against an unsupported bend.
- ✓ Compressed air held well back for anything you cannot reach, keeping the can upright.
- ✗ No liquid anywhere near the electrodes or the wiring.
Handling and moving
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Taking it off the wall | Two people. Carry by the frame or backing, never the tube |
| Storing it | Upright, supported, in the original crate if you have it |
| Moving house | Crated, not boxed. Ask us about repacking |
| Somewhere it might get knocked | Move the sign, not your expectations |
Running it
Glass neon prefers being left on to being switched constantly, because the strike is the moment of most stress on the electrodes. If it lives in a bar or a shop, running it through opening hours is kinder than flicking it on and off through the day.
It gets warm in use, which is normal, so give it air. Do not box it in, do not hang fabric against it, and do not mount it where it is pressed against something soft.
When something is wrong
Switch it off at the wall and get it looked at if you see persistent flicker, a section staying dark, buzzing or crackling, or if it smells hot. Glass neon is high voltage equipment and none of those are conditions to keep running while you think about it.
Dust it twice a year with a brush and otherwise leave it alone. Almost every glass neon sign we are asked to repair was damaged by handling rather than by use, usually while being cleaned or moved. The tube is more robust than it looks and far less robust than a hand under pressure assumes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you clean a real glass neon sign?
Switch it off at the wall, let it cool for fifteen minutes, then dust with a soft dry brush following the tube. No liquid anywhere near the electrodes or wiring. If a run genuinely needs a wipe, use a barely damp cloth on the middle only, well away from the ends, and dry it immediately.
Can I touch a glass neon tube?
Not while it is lit or warm. Switched off and cooled, you can, but support the tube with your other hand and never put pressure on an unsupported bend. Almost all the damage we are asked to repair happened during cleaning or moving rather than during use.
Is it better to leave a glass neon sign on?
Broadly yes. The strike is the moment of most stress on the electrodes, so running it through opening hours is kinder than switching it repeatedly through the day. It gets warm in use, so give it air and do not press it against fabric or box it in.
What happens if a glass tube cracks?
It loses its gas and goes dark rather than shattering. It cannot be refilled, so a damaged section has to be remade and rejoined by a glass bender. That is a workshop job rather than a repair you can arrange around.
How should I move or store a glass neon sign?
Two people, carried by the frame or backing rather than the tube, stored upright and supported, ideally in its original crate. For a house move, crated rather than boxed. Ask us about repacking rather than improvising with blankets.
We have made neon since 1998, and we still make it ourselves. If something here does not answer your question, ask us.
