Summer is almost here, and you know what that means: it’s time to turn off the boxing fans and wonder how on earth they’ve gotten dirtier since you last saw them. Hair, dirt, lint and all sorts of other things that are in the air build up on the fans over time – and if you don’t remove them, it all blows back on your face.
The good news is that most household fans are very easy to disassemble and clean, even if you’re not a great handyman. All you need is a Phillips screwdriver, a small bowl or bowl for the screws, two rags and some vinegar or detergent. An old toothbrush or small bottle brush can help you get into the nooks and crannies, but if you don’t have one, rags will do just fine.
You will be dealing with a lot of dust so I highly recommend cleaning your fans outside. (Seriously, stand on your stairs if you have to – it won’t take long.) Find the screws holding the screens in place, loosen them, and set the screens aside. Store the screws in a small bowl or bowl so they don’t roll off on you. Use a rag to wipe any dust and hair off the screens, blades, and other dirty-looking parts, shaking the excess in the breeze as you go. Once you’ve removed the solids, apply some vinegar to the other rag and attack what’s left. A few drops of washing-up liquid will dissolve the particularly stubborn grease. However, remove any soap residue thoroughly so it doesn’t attract more dust.
When everything has been scrubbed to your satisfaction, let the disassembled fan dry in the sun. If you don’t have an outdoor space to do this, dry everything off as best you can with a clean, dry towel. Now all you have to do is swap out the screens and screws and enjoy a fresh, clean breeze.
Depending on the type of trash in your home regularly, you may need to repeat this process once or twice during fan season – especially if it intersects with wildfires and forest fires DIY air purifier Season like here in Portland. But once you’ve seen how easy it is to clean a fan, you’ll never let your fan get hopelessly grody again.
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