With summer on the way, your household fans will soon be working overtime to keep you cool, so it’s crucial that they all be in top working condition. Cooling fans and their blades attract dust like moth to a flame, and you can be sure that having lain dormant over the long winter months they will have accumulated a nice thick layer. You don’t want to turn your fans on, only to have them blow a blizzard of dust and debris into your face! Here is how to properly clean your home cooling fans.
Things you will need to clean your cooling fans:
- Microfibre cloths
- Warm soapy water, or warm water with detergent
- Blow dryer
- Scrubbing brush
- Screwdriver
- Your fans’ instruction manual
First, unplug your fan from the wall in order to protect yourself, then remove the grill housing the blades. The grill may snap or clip off, or you may have to unscrew using a screwdriver. If you aren’t sure how to detach the grill or blades, look up the instruction manual that came with your fan. If you have one of those fans where the grill seems virtually impossible to remove – you’ve probably experienced at least one – then you will have to skip this step and all the following ones. In that case, you will need to get professional help.
Detach the blades from the rotor/hub. Again, refer to your instruction manual if you are unsure.
(Note: If your fan is a bladeless fan you won’t have to worry about either of these steps – with these fans you can proceed straight to the cleaning)
Next, give the grill and the blades a good wipe down using a cloth and warm soapy water. 
You may first want to blow dry them, or hose them down under the shower. Perhaps you may also need to scrub down the blades and grill using a brush in order remove any grime that has built up. Be careful not to bend or damage the blades when cleaning them! And be sure when cleaning not to get any water in the fan’s motor and electrical wiring! After thoroughly and carefully cleaning the grill and blades, dry down all the components.
Once all components are completely dry and dust-free, replace the blades and then the grill. Lastly, wipe down the outside face of the grill in order to remove any remaining dust/lint.
Before storing the fan away again, give it a final dust off using a blow-dryer to remove any residual dust or debris.
And there you have it! Cleaning your household cooling fans is a simple, straightforward task that anyone can do, no special tools are required. It’s a process you’ll want to repeat at least two or three times per year on all your fans, to ensure they remain fully functional, and to optimize their longevity.
