How To Clean A Fan With A Plastic Bag

In order to complete the final stage, you will need a sizable plastic bag to use as a cover for the fan. You will need a bag that completely encases the fan, allowing no room for it to move about in any way. In addition to this, use a rope to knot the ends of the plastic together so that it cannot be removed from its lock. When you have completed the task of wrapping the plastic around the fan, turn on the fan and position it so that it blows into the plastic. The fan should be left in that position for at least five minutes before being turned off.

Take care not to open it or remove the plastic while the fan is running. Take off the plastic to examine the full extent of the dust that has accumulated on it as a result of the transfer from the fan’s blades.

Is It Possible That A Dusty Fan Could Make You Ill?

Pollen and dust can float in the air, which might bring on allergic reactions in some people. The fan blades themselves are a second source of dust that should be avoided. If you inhale some allergens, you may experience symptoms such as a runny nose, itchy throat, sneezing, watery eyes, or difficulty breathing. You may also have an allergic reaction.

The Easiest Way to Clean a Fan Without Disassembling It

We wanted to know how our thrifty readers maintain their window and oscillating fans so that they last longer and require less frequent replacement. Check to see if the following suggestions for cleaning the fans in your home might help you extend their useful lives:

Put Some Fresh Air Into Your Fan.

Standing your fan upright in your garage, carport, or driveway and using your leaf blower to blow the dust out of it is a method that, in my experience, works very well indeed, provided that you use this method regularly at the conclusion of each fan season and at the beginning of the following one. In other words, if you do this approach at the beginning and the end of each fan season.

If you let the dust to build up to the point where it begins to sort of solidify on the fan, the leaf blower will be unable to perform as effectively as it could otherwise. Even in that case, though, it will still achieve some of its goals.

Next year, make sure not to clean the fans again.

I’ve tried using the nozzle from my vacuum cleaner to clean the fans in our building, and it actually works pretty well. However, your best bet is to take preventative measures against the issue for the following year.

When you put the fan away for the winter, protect it from the elements by wrapping it in a plastic bag designed for contractors if you haven’t kept the box it came in (I don’t tend to save boxes). A contractor bag is significantly more substantial than a standard plastic trash bag, and a box’s worth of these bags can easily last a lifetime.
Johnson City, Tennessee resident Rebecca

Two Ideas to Try for Cleaning Fans without Taking Them Apart

1. If you have a compressor, you should remove the fan outside and let some fresh air into the system.
2. If it doesn’t work, look for a paintbrush with a long, thin handle, like a crafts brush, and give that a shot instead. That is helpful the majority of the time.

My four indoor cats just adore dozing out in front of the fan, and as a result, their fur is always getting “pulled” into the blades of the fan. Both of these approaches seem to be very beneficial to me.

Clean Fans with a Degreaser

If it was made, it will eventually fall apart in some manner or another. The key is to exercise extreme caution. The majority of the plastic fans give the impression that they cannot be disassembled; however, the secret is to follow the seam on the edges of the fan where it comes together. Prying it apart with a thin knife or the tip of a screwdriver is the typical method I use. Welding can make it impossible to open the metal once it has been done. Examine the item for any tabs or other indicators that it can be disassembled. Those who are good with their hands could be helpful in this situation. If you do manage to break it, an easy way to fix it would be to use a twist tie or wire of a color that is similar to it and tie it back together.

The cleaning is not overly difficult. Obviously, you need to make sure that the plug is removed. Use a degreaser (ammonia water works well for this) and apply it to a rag; then, wring out the rag until it is almost completely dry in order to prevent moisture from entering into the mechanism. If you do make such an error, you should put the fan somewhere that gets direct sunlight for at least a day or two so that it can dry up. Wipe the fan carefully while periodically removing the dust from the rag. If you want to use ammonia, after you have finished rinsing, make sure to use water that is completely clear. Do not even try to operate the motor. Replace the protective casing. On the side of the fan that is facing outward, I like to tape a cotton ball that has been soaked in a little bit of fragrance.

Do not use dish detergent because, as it dries, it has a tendency to become somewhat sticky. For the same reason, I don’t use dish detergent when I’m cleaning the floors.

Clean Fans with Hot Steaming Water

Purchasing a compact handheld steam cleaner was one of the smartest purchases I made in terms of cleaning equipment. Even though I bought it up front for around $52 dollars, I’ve already made a significant amount of money.

To begin, it uses hot steamy water to clean all of those filthy, grimy spots (such as fans, screen windows, floor duct vents, around faucets in bathrooms, in the corners of bathroom floors, and even your gas grill), which can include: fans, screen windows, floor duct vents, around faucets in bathrooms, in the corners of bathroom floors, and even your gas grill.

Second, I no longer purchase cleaning goods because all I require to remove the grime and water residue is my steam cleaner and a towel. This allows me to save money. It has really made cleaning kind of enjoyable!

Cleaning Off the Loose Dust

My guess is that you have one of those oscillating box-type window fans or one of those round window fans.

You might try placing the fan down on a sheet with the blades pointed up or down and pouring some dry, clean sand or salt through the grills. This will cause the sand or salt to brush off the fan blades and then fall through to the sheet below. It ought to remove any stray particles of dust.

An Air Compressor Cleans Fan

When the fans need to be cleaned, my husband takes them into the garage and uses the air compressor to blow the dust off of them. It removes approximately ninety percent of the dirt, after which I can wipe the surfaces clean.

Clean and Dry Fan Outdoors

You might try moving the fan outside and placing it on the ground there while covering the area where the engine is with a dinner plate. The fan should then be sprayed with a disinfectant such as 409 or Clorox. Allow it to soak for a few minutes so that the filth can be broken up. The next step is to use the jet setting on your hose to give it a thorough cleaning. It should be alright if you just let it dry in the sun until it is completely dry and then store it normally.

It is recommended that you use a lightweight household oil, such as the kind you use for older sewing machines and door hinges, to lubricate the motor’s core, if doing so is possible. There will be less wear and tear on the fan.

uto Cleaner for Fans

On a bright and sunny day, you should take the fans outside. Spray the area well with GUNK®, which can be obtained in the car section of Walmart. After allowing it to sit for a few minutes, thoroughly rinse it with water. Just leave the fan out in the sun until it’s completely dry. Make sure it’s dry. Every season, we continue to do this.

Worth the Risk?

I used some dish soap and some water to clean the electric fans. I did not submerge them in water; rather, I sprayed soapy water on the grimy blades and grills and scrubbed them with a brush with a long handle. I have done this for the past three years in a row. After that, the fan stopped working, but I thought it was still worth taking the chance.

A Time-Consuming Option for Cleaning Fans that Works Well

In the past, I had a fan that required me to clean it with a butter knife and a damp rag. It took a while, but I managed to clean it up very well using that method. I, of course, began by turning off the power. If you just need to get rid of dust, a Swiffer should do the trick.