Safest way to get a broken light bulb out of a ceilin fixture
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Cindy on Aug 25, 2012USE A RAW POTATOE, PUSH IT INTO THE METAL PART AND TWIST.Helpful Reply
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LandlightS on Aug 25, 2012You can use a needle nose piler by spreading it open inside of the broken lamp base and turning it out....you can also use the plastic or rubber end of a screw driver that will just fit into the broken socket. Just make sure the light switch/power is disconnected. Gary Hint: When replacing the lamp (bulb), screw the lamp until it is tight, and then back it out about 1/8 of a turn.Helpful Reply
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Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com on Aug 26, 2012This is a very common condition in the ceramic bulb holders. Often the result of being to tight in the fixture combined with over wattage bulbs overheating them. In any case, the potato does work, but not always, and the needle nose pliers will work as well. Just be sure the power is off and that you wear gloves and eye protection as more glass will shatter as it is removed. Then follow Garys advice to back the bulb out just a bit once you tighten it in. Or choose CFL bulbs that will not overheat and last for many years so you do not have to fool with this again any time soon.Helpful Reply
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KMS Woodworks on Aug 30, 2012I'm a pliers guy...the potato is too hard in most cases and does not typically fit into a recessed opening....one step better than the CFL are LED's these can go 40,000 hours...which is a long long time.Helpful Reply
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Karen on Aug 15, 2015Electricity off of course. Use a dry washcloth or sponge. Mash it up into the socket and twist. The roughness of the item grabs the inside for easy removal.Helpful Reply
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