It is important to have your grandfather clock professionally cleaned and oiled at least once every five years. It needs to be cleaned to remove the old, sticky oil, and fresh oil needs to be added to lubricate the bearing surfaces. Without regularly scheduled cleaning, bushing holes begin to wear and, in time, they malfunction.
Repairs can then be very costly.
It is easy to dust even the most ornate clock cabinetry by using a four-inch wide, natural bristle paint brush. You can even apply furniture polish with it. Getting the glass on your grandfather clock really clean is easier when you use a small, natural bristle paint brush to agitate the glass cleaner in the corners and edges. Then use clean paper towel to wipe the dirt away. For heavily soiled glass, a second treatment may be called for.