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Regularly cleaning your ceiling fans is an important step to keeping the air in your home clean and dust-free. Dusty blades can also wobble, become loud, and damage the motor. Follow the steps below to clean and maintain dust-free blades for a safe and efficient ceiling fan.
What You’ll Need
- Ceiling fan duster
- All-purpose cleaner or white vinegar
- Ladder or step stool
- Soft cloth
- Vacuum with attachments (optional)
- Hard car wax (optional)
The Cleaning Process
- Turn your ceiling fan OFF.
- If you are performing a weekly dusting , use a commercial ceiling fun duster with a long or extendable handle. If you use a duster with a plastic tray underneath to catch dust, try placing a dusting cloth in the tray to help better trap debris. The Ultimate Accidental Housewife by Julie Edelman also suggests using an old sock on a golf club. Spray the sock with all-purpose cleaner and brush along the top of each blade. Vacuum up any dust that has fallen onto the floor and you’re done!
- Once a month, perform a more detailed cleaning (as recommended in Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook ). Find a ladder, step stool, or sturdy chair that you can stand on to reach the fan. If you end up looking up at the fan, be sure to wear protective eyewear since dust might fall into your face. Unscrew any light bulbs (use a cloth if they are still hot) and remove lighting fixtures.
- Wipe each blade with a soft cloth and cleaner (in her book, Cleaning Plain and Simple , Donna Smallin suggests using white vinegar to cut through grime). WARNING: Never spray cleaner directly onto the fan—you don’t want to get moisture near the motor. You may also choose to vacuum each blade, but only do this if you have an attachment that is long enough. Never carry a vacuum up a ladder! If your household has allergy sufferers, you might opt for a dusting cloth that traps dust instead of releasing it back into the air.
- Clean the motor casing and light fixtures. Slip the casing off and vacuum around the motor. Clean the lighting fixtures with warm, soapy water, rinse, and dry completely.
- Protect your ceiling fan from dust. Haley’s Cleaning Tips by Rosemary and Graham Haley suggests buffing each blade with hard car wax.
That was great information and very, very helpful. Thank you for making my life easier. 🙂