Everything You Need to Know About How to Clean a Ceiling Fan

cleaning tips

image of a dusty ceiling fan To many homeowners across the St. Louis area, ceiling fans are an integral component of their home. Not only do these oscillating accessories help keep the air in a room from going stale, fans can also lower energy costs by keeping rooms cooler during the spring and summer months.

Unfortunately, ceiling fans do come with an inevitable caveat: like a side table, entertainment center or television, they also collect dust over time. And since ceiling fans are suspended overhead and out of reasonable sight, dust particles can build up on the blades and cause undesirable health issues. Not only that, but as you use your ceiling fan each day, these particles can be strewn throughout your home again and again.

The good news is that you can do something about it! Today, we’re discussing everything you need to know about how to clean a ceiling fan.

Why is it important to clean ceiling fans regularly?

For the same reason any other piece of your home deserves a good scrub, ceiling fans are prone to accumulating dirt, dust and grime. If enough of these particles gather together in one place or get circulated around your living space, dust can have some alarming effects on the home’s occupants, causing sneezing, coughing, wheezing and even chest pain.

How often should you clean your ceiling fans?

Not only can it be difficult to eyeball the amount of dust on a ceiling fan, the individual blades can also be difficult to reach, depending on how high your ceiling reaches. Nevertheless, ensuring all dust is removed from each ceiling fan is just as important as cleaning any other piece of your home. To keep dust at bay, we recommend that you have your ceiling fans cleaned every one to two months.

How to Clean a Ceiling Fan

Again, depending on the height of your ceiling, cleaning your fan can either be a simple job or a tricky one. Whatever your situation, these instructions will help…

Make sure the ceiling fan is turned off and has no chance of being turned on during the cleaning process.

Ensure you are able to reach the top side of each ceiling fan comfortably and safely by investing in a stable step stool or ladder.

If you are especially allergic to dust, wear a medical mask to prevent unwanted particles from entering your lungs.

Take a damp cloth and carefully wipe the top side of each fan blade. If your fan blades are made of wood, you may want to consider using a wood cleaning product, like Pledge.