Cleaning your ceiling fan is as easy as you make it. Don’t let their lofty location be a deterrent to giving your ceiling fans a thorough clean when they are dirty, ideally they should be cleaned every two months. To keep dust to a minimum, a weekly dusting is recommended. You can do your weekly dusting by using a long duster to get rid of everyday build up. Some modern vacuums come with attachments that can be used to clean ceiling fans, but to do a really thorough job nothing beats getting up close and personal.
A dirty fan does not work as well as a clean one, as the dirt restrict airflow and makes the fan less effective. Plus they add allergens to the air as the dust they collect will be re-circulated.
Collect all the tools you will need:
• A tall stepladder suitable to work from safely
• Paper towel
• All-purpose cleaner
• Newspaper
Follow these steps to keep you ceiling fan clean:
• Turn off the ceiling fan
• Spread sheets of newspaper on the ground directly under the fan. This will catch most of the dirt that is sure to fall off when the blades are being cleaned.
• Climb up to reach the fan, and use a piece of hand towel that was dampened with the all-purpose cleaner to clean the blade. Do this for each blade, using a fresh piece of hand towel for blade (If you are using a ladder with a base, you can pour the cleaning liquid into a container and use a cotton glove or socks on your hand to clean the blades. Rinse out the glove or sock after each blade has been cleaned)
• (If there are light fixtures attached to the fan, you will need to remove these. Clean them before replacing)
It will take approximately thirty minutes to one hour to clean depending and how dirty the fan is. If your ceiling fan is in your kitchen you may need to use a cleaner that can easily remove grease.
When cleaning the fan make sure not to saturate the blades with water or other cleaning fluid. Too much moisture can result in warping if the blades are made of wood. Be sure to read the manual that comes with the fan because some material, such as iron should not be cleaned with water. A dab of polish can add a nice sheen to wooden blades, but be careful not to use too much as it may attract even more dust.
Since your ceiling fan has a motor and runs off electrical power, it is important to keep these parts dry while cleaning the fan. Failure to do so can result in electrical shocks and damaged motors.
Note: If you do not have any all-purpose cleaner or you rather to make your own, you can do so by combining warm water, a little dishwashing liquid and white vinegar and mix well.
