One of the most overlooked items in a house to clean is ceiling fans. Day by day goes by and you’re feeling good about how clean your house is. Then one day you turn off your ceiling fan, look up and notice all the dust built up on the fan blades and maybe cobwebs!
If your fan has lights chances are there is dust coating them and inside them if they point up or have a bowl shape. It’s amazing how much dust and dirt accumulates on the leading edges of the fan blades and tops of them.
If there are smokers or vapers in your house the fan can get discolored and have a strong odor that you may not notice where it is coming from. Since ceiling fans are high up and often over beds and tables they can be hard to clean without leaving a mess.
In this article I’m going to explain how Covenant Cleaning Services cleans ceiling fans using cleaning tools we use. Then give you several do it yourself tips and tricks to clean your own ceiling fans. At the end of the page is a cool video showing how you can clean ceiling fans too!
How Covenant Cleaning Services cleans ceiling fans
The biggest problem with cleaning a ceiling fan that has a lot of built up dust on it is trying not to make it fly all over everything else! Covenant Cleaning Services has our own step stools and short ladders to reach fans and other hard to get to places.
Depending on where the ceiling fan is located and how the fan is shaped one way we clean them is to use the extension hose on our vacuum with a brush on the end. Or we will use a backpack vacuum with a brush end.
We carefully suck all the excess dust off the fan blades, housing and outside the lights. If it has light fixtures that point upward we will try to suck out the dust and bugs inside the light fixtures.
Damp cloth wipe down and clean
Once we have vacuumed the most of the dust off, or if a vacuum is just not right to use on a fan due to location, the next step is a good wipe down with a damp microfiber rag. We will spray a general cleaning mixture onto the microfiber rag until it is damp.
That way the rag will pick up and hold the dust together on the rag instead of pushing it off into the air. We will use as many rags as required. We will wipe down the tops, sides and ends of the fan blades, housing and lights.
If it is feasible we will unscrew the light fixtures and clean out the dust and bugs inside them. Once all the dust is gone we will wipe everything clean and dry with a disinfectant. This will help get rid of odors too.
Swiffer dusting for ongoing scheduled cleaning
Once we have cleaned up a neglected ceiling fan, we will make sure to dust it every time we do a scheduled clean. Since it is now clean and dust free, a quick dusting each time with a Swiffer duster will maintain it.
Now you have a nice, clean ceiling fan that does not smell! A weekly or bi-weekly dusting and wipe down will keep it dust and odor free and looking great. The lights will be brighter too without dust and bugs coating the light housings.
If you want to clean your ceiling fans yourself below are some tips and tricks to get them clean. Each one has it’s pros and cons. You can always try them all and see what you prefer.
Ceiling fan duster
Most hardware stores and cleaning supply shops carry ceiling fan dusters. They have a long pole, sometimes adjustable. At the end is a doughnut shaped duster. You slide the duster over each fan blade and move it back and forth the full length of the blade.
It does get the dust off the blades and you don’t have to have a stool or ladder. However all the dust will fall off and down onto whatever is below the fan. It will not clean the light fixtures or fan housing. You can see one in action in the video at the bottom of this article.
Another trick to dusting your ceiling fan blades uses a normal pillowcase! It will trap and hold the dust, making everything less messy. Here is how it works.
Cleaning a ceiling fan with a pillowcase hack
If you have some old pillowcases you can use them to clean the ceiling fan blades without blowing the dust all over the place. You will have to use a stool, ladder or chair high enough to reach the fan blades comfortably.
Hold the pillowcase open and spray your favorite all purpose cleaner into it, making it slightly damp. Now carefully put the opening of the pillowcase over a fan blade all the way to the end. Close the pillowcase around the blade with one or two hands.
Now slide the pillowcase off the blade, using your hands to apply pressure around the blade so all the dust comes off inside the case. This way the dust stays inside the pillowcase and not all over your room!
Once done take the pillowcase outside and shake out all the dust. Then you can simply throw it in the wash. It’s a good way to dust your ceiling fan blades without getting everything else dusty. The housing and lights still need a wipe down with a rag however.
Ceiling fan cleaning maintenance
Whether you hire a cleaning company to clean your home and ceiling fans or do it yourself, the best way to keep it dust free is ongoing scheduled cleaning maintenance. A good all over dusting with a Swiffer duster once a week or two will keep it dust free.
Don’t forget to dust the tops of the blades and inside the lights if they point up with an open top. Keeping them dusted makes for an easier clean each time and you’ll feel better knowing your ceiling fans are super clean!
If you want to relax and let someone else do all that work plus clean your whole house, call Covenant Cleaning Services at (407) 282-2250 or visit our contact page and get a free quote!
Watch the video below for do it yourself ceiling fan dusting and cleaning tips!
