While getting the dining room ready for Christmas, I knew it was time to clean our ceiling fan, which is located directly above the dining room table. The key to a clean, dust free ceiling fan, is to use an old pillowcase to wipe it off and encase the dust inside it.
With Winter returning, it becomes necessary to change the direction the fan turns, so that the blades will send the warm air from the ceiling back down into the room.
“During winter heating,
to help move warm air that is trapped on the ceiling,
blades should turn ‘forward’ in a clockwise motion.
This movement will push up the air
and pull the warm trapped air down the sides of the room
improving heat distribution.”
The edges of our fan blades were covered with dust. If not dusted well, changing the direction of the fan will likely result in dust and dirt from the fan blades being flung throughout the room. We live on a dusty dirt road, and believe me, I forgot to clean it once when changing the fan’s direction, resulting in tufts of dust and dirt flying everywhere. It felt a bit like it was snowing inside.
In order to clean the fan, use a sturdy ladder and an old pillowslip that you might be willing to toss.
TURN THE FAN OFF 😀 This seems pretty obvious, but I thought I’d better mention it.
Climb the ladder and stretch the pillow case over a single fan blade, completely covering it. Â Holding it tightly against the blade, slowly pull it backward to completely wipe the dust and dirt off, and into the pillowcase.
Do this for each blade of the fan, encasing the dirt and dust inside the case.
While up there,change the switch on the base of the fan so that the blades will turn forward in a clockwise motion.
Then, using the outside of the pillowcase, wipe down the chain pull and gently wipe down the base of the fan and any underside parts you might have missed.
Before turning the fan on, for the winter, you will also need to lower the speed of the fan, so that it gently sends the warm air down. Once you are finished, you will be able to turn the fan on and have clean warm heat descend from above. Â NOTE:When we were done, our pillow slip was so full of dust, that I ended up throwing it away. If the weather had been nicer, we would have taken it outside and shaken all the dust out of it, then washed it.
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Ceiling fans can be so pesky. Thanks for the tips, this will make it much easier!
I know! Now I just need an amazing ladder for safety’s sake.
Great idea! I have ceiling fans in my home but do not switch the direction as we are pretty much in warm weather all year round. LOVE the use of a pillowcase!
Nice to have the warmth all year! Wish we didn’t have to switch ours, but it is good to clean it a couple of times a year.
I’ve been looking at my fan for the last couple of weeks and really thinking it needs a cleaning, but it seems so hard! This will make it a lot easier. Wish me luck as I try this weekend!
Good luck, Kayla! Be sure to have something sturdy to stand on! I’m wishing I had a super sturdy step stool for mine. We’ve even stood on the table in order to read it, a time or two.
Thank you SO much for this!! We have a ceiling fan in our bedroom and I kept looking up at it like “Ahhh that looks so bad, I can see the dust!!!” – I mean, I’m just about tall enough to reach it, but trying to wipe it with a dust cloth doesn’t really work that well, I love that you used a pillowcase, I’m doing this next time!
So glad I could be a help. It can be such a messy job, but this definitely makes it easier!
I had no idea you could 1.) change the direction of a fan and 2.) use it to create a warmer room. That is so cool! Thank you for sharing this!
Awwww! Glad I could be a help. We are still warm enough here to keep the summer setting, but it won’t be long now before we have to clean and change it.
I’m amazed at the amount of dust on them. Grrr. Great tips my friend.
I know! Mine is definitely ready to clean – and most definitely BEFORE I change directions. Don’t want a dust storm!!