How to clean a fan: a step-by-step guide

Get rid of dust, dirt and allergens with these fan cleaning tips

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(Image credit: John Lewis)

Meacofan 1056 Air Circulator

(Image credit: John Lewis)

A common misconception about fans is that they release cold air but this isn’t accurate. Fans circulate air around the room and draw hot air away from you, giving a cooling sensation. So, most of the time, a fan is blowing air around your house which can be full of dust particles, pollen, dirt and other allergens. Not only is that bad for your health, but it means the inside and outside of your fan can get pretty filthy.

How to clean a fan

Remove the guard and grates

To give your fan a deep clean, you’ll need to take the fan apart. This mainly consists of removing the front (guard) and the sides (grates) of the fan. When doing this, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions as not all fans are the same. For example, removing the guard from theMeacofan 1056 Air Circulator(which looks like most traditional fans that we all used to make robot voices into) will be different compared to removing parts of aDyson fan.

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Wash the guard with soapy water

Once the fan has been taken apart and it’s not connected to any electricals, wash the guard with soapy water. As always, check with the manufacturer which parts of the fan can be washed this way. Fill your sink with warm soapy water, give it a scrub with a sponge and leave it to soak for a few minutes if it’s particularly dirty. Wipe down the bars to remove any dirt and dust, and let it dry completely.

Wipe down the fan blades

Dust the outside of the fan

The outside of your fan easily collects dust and dirt so before you put the fan back together, give it a wipe with a damp cloth. Pay special attention to the back, buttons, grills, base and stand. Once you’re happy, put your fan back together before placing it on a clean surface.

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How often should you clean a fan?

Depending on how often you use your fan, you should clean it every week. If you’re using it everyday, especially during the summer, check the blades regularly and give the entire unit a wipe down to remove any dust. If you don’t use it as much, just clean it as and when you need to, but if you haven’t used it for a while and you’re getting it out of storage, give it a proper clean before starting it up.

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