How to Dust Your Ceiling Fan Without Making a Mess

There are so many places in your home where dust can hide; your ceiling fan is one of them. Not only is it difficult to see all the dust that builds up on the blades of your ceiling fan, but it’s also difficult to clean a fan that’s a few feet above you. Below we asked Sara San Angelo, a professional house cleaner and founder of Confessions of a Cleaning Lady in Charleston, South Carolina, for her top tips on cleaning a ceiling fan.

Considerations before you get started

Before cleaning your ceiling fan, consider how high your fan is and what method you will use to clean it. You can use a ladder or a duster on an extension. “You should also consider whether it is safe for you to clean your ceiling fan if you plan to use a ladder,” San Angelo explains. ‘Is your ladder sturdy? Is it high enough? Do you feel comfortable on a ladder?”

Additionally, you should consider whether to just dust the fan or clean it thoroughly. This requires the ladder method, a microfiber cloth and a cleaning solution. According to San Angelo, a deep cleaning would involve physically wiping the blades with a cleaning solution (perhaps a bleach solution for whitening) and a microfiber cloth. “Magic erasers also work wonders on grungy fan blades to make them white again,” she explains.

How often to clean ceiling fans

The frequency with which you clean your ceiling fans really depends on how dirty they are. According to San Angelo, you should clean your ceiling fans as soon as you see dust on the blades. The blades should be dusted about once a week. If there is more buildup on the blades, you may want to deep clean your ceiling fan about once a month.

What you need

If you use the ladder method:

• Ladder
• Dust cloth or microfiber cloth

If you use the extension pole method:

• Duster with extension

When you deep clean:

• Ladder
• Microfiber cloth
• Cleaning solution
• Magic eraser (optional)

How to clean a ceiling fan

If you use the ladder method:

1. Place a ladder under the ceiling fan. Make sure the ladder is safe and sturdy.
2. Grab your microfiber cloth and climb the ladder.
3. Wipe each blade with a microfiber cloth. Do the top and bottom of the blade and around the engine.

If you use the extension pole method:

1. Extend the pole to reach the fan blades.
2. Wipe each fan blade with a dust cloth.

When you deep clean:

1. Place a ladder under the ceiling fan. Make sure the ladder is safe and sturdy.
2. Spray the cleaning solution directly onto the cloth.
3. Climb ladder.
4. Wipe each blade with a microfiber cloth. Do the top and bottom of the blade and around the engine. If so, do the same using a magic eraser.

Tips for cleaning ceiling fans

There are some safety precautions you should take when cleaning your ceiling fan, especially if it is hanging from a high ceiling. San Angelo recommends always making sure your fan is completely turned off before cleaning it. “Also, always use a safe ladder and never use a swivel chair to climb on and clean your ceiling fan,” she warns.