If you have had your ceiling fan for a while, the numerous blades may have accumulated considerable amounts of dust over time. This can be quite unsightly and can lead to the lower air quality inside your home if not cleaned up right away.
The good news is that this process doesn’t have to be too difficult or take too much of your time. Cleaning the blades is relatively easy and can be done in just a few minutes if you follow these simple steps below.
*We earn a commission for products purchased through affiliate links on our site.
What You Need
Before you start cleaning your ceiling fan, you will need to make sure that you have the right tools for the job. Here is a list of what you will need before getting to work:
- Cleaning Vacuum and Attachments. If you want to make sure that you get the job done right, invest in either a handle-mounted cleaning vacuum or even an electric broom. These help to get into some of those smaller spaces between the blades and will allow you to suck up any dust accumulated on top of the blades.
- Glass Cleaner. If you want to make sure that every speck of dust is gone, grab some glass cleaner or even some soap water. You can use either of these cleaners with a rag or paper towel to wipe down the entire surface of your ceiling fan’s blades after you are done vacuuming.
- Rags or Paper Towels. Depending on the surfaces of your ceiling fan blades, you may want to make sure you have some rags or paper towels handy. This is particularly important if your ceiling fan blades are shiny, as they will show any dust that hasn’t been removed.
- Broom. If you don’t have a handle-mounted electric broom or another cleaning vacuum, a regular broom is the next best thing to use. The bristles on the broom are short enough to work their way between each fan blade and will help collect any remaining dust that falls once you start moving it around.
How to Dust a Ceiling Fan
Now that you have all the materials you need, it is time to get started with actually dusting your ceiling fan. Here are the general steps that should allow for an easy cleaning process:
Step 1: Check Each Blade for Dust
Make sure to spend at least five minutes checking each blade for any dust particles, cobwebs, or other debris that may have accumulated over time. If the blade is particularly dusty, you may want to vacuum it first and wipe it with a damp cloth.
Step 2: Wipe Down Each Blade
After you check out all of the blades on your ceiling fan, start wiping down each one individually. Use either a wet cloth or paper towel, and make sure to wipe along the entire length of each blade.
Step 3: Vacuum Around Each Blade
After all the visible dust has been removed from your ceiling fan blades, the final step is to go back over it with your vacuum cleaner. Make sure that you move your vacuum around each of your ceiling fan blades and even get in some of the smaller gaps between each blade.
Step 4: Wipe the Blades One More Time
Once your ceiling fan blades have been thoroughly vacuumed, you can grab a clean damp rag or paper towel and go over all of the surfaces again. This will help to ensure that all dust has been removed from your ceiling fan blades so they aren’t flying around your room anymore.
How to Clean a Ceiling Fan on a High Ceiling
If you have an exceptionally high ceiling fan, there are a couple of extra steps you can take to ensure that you get the job done right. Here are some additional tips that should help if your ceiling fan is on a high ceiling:
Use a Ladder or Scaffolding
If you don’t want to risk any accidents while cleaning your ceiling fan, you might consider using a ladder or some scaffolding. This can help reach the blades or make sure that you don’t have an accident where you are standing on the ground floor.
Loop a Long Rope Around Fan Blades
If you want an easier way to clean your ceiling fan while standing on the ground floor, consider looping a long piece of rope around each of the blades. Once this is done, use some smaller pieces of string to tie the ends of each blade together so that they can’t spin. This makes it a lot easier to clean your ceiling fan without the blades flying up and hitting you in the face.
How to Clean a Greasy Ceiling Fan
A greasy ceiling fan can be one of the most challenging things to clean since it is likely that the dust and dirt have been stuck there for a lengthy amount of time. If you have a grease stain on your ceiling fan, make sure that you don’t use a wet rag or paper towel, as this will spread out the grease even more.
Instead, try rubbing alcohol or dish soap on your cloth and go over the grease again. If you still cannot get rid of it, you will likely need to scrub it by hand instead.
How to Clean Ceiling Fans Without Making a Mess
Even though you are trying to clean your ceiling fan, you probably don’t want your entire room filled with dust or dirt that has been kicked up into the air. Make sure that you use a small duster or vacuum cleaner to remove the debris before cleaning any of the blades on your ceiling fan.
The key to avoiding any messes is to take your time and clean one blade at a time before moving on to the next. This will also help you avoid accidentally breaking any of the parts of your ceiling fan while cleaning it.
Your ceiling fan is an integral part of your home, so make sure you take care of it by taking a few minutes to clean it every couple of months. With these tips, you should be able to clean your ceiling fan in no time.
Comments are closed.