A dusty electric fan can make a room feel less fresh, reduce airflow, and send accumulated dust back into the air every time the blades spin. The good news is that you don’t always need to completely disassemble your fan to give it a thorough routine cleaning.
There is a popular cleaning trick online that involves placing a large plastic bag around the fan and using a cleaning solution to loosen the dirt. While the idea may look convenient, you should never spray liquid directly into an electric fan or run the fan while it is covered with a plastic bag. Water or cleaning solution can reach the motor and electrical components, creating a risk of damage, electric shock, or fire.
Instead, you can get many of the same benefits with a safer method that requires very little effort.
Before starting, switch the fan off and unplug it from the electrical outlet. This is the most important step. Never clean an electric fan while it is connected to power.
Place the fan somewhere where loose dust won’t create a mess. If possible, put an old towel or sheet underneath it.
Start by removing the loose dust from the front grille. A vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment works particularly well because it lifts dust instead of simply pushing it deeper into the fan.
Move slowly across the grille, paying attention to the areas around the edges and between the openings.
Next, use a soft cleaning brush to loosen dust that has become stuck between the grille openings. An old soft toothbrush can work well for small areas.
See more on the next page