Clean a Bathroom Fan
The bathroom fan is the dustiest area of your bathroom. If it hasn't been cleaned in ages, it's just blowing dirty air around the bathroom. The main use of this feature is to circulate air, not blow it around. If a bathroom fan is dirty, there could be a possibility that it's the key problem to a smelly bathroom. Surprisingly, cleaning a bathroom fan can reduce odors up to 80 percent and when having multiple people using the same bathroom, it needs a fan that works properly.
If you're looking how to tackle that dusty, dirty mess, read on.
Steps
- Turn off the power before touching or cleaning. Test to make sure there is no power running to the fan.
- Spread 2-3 sheets of old newspaper underneath the fan, on the floor to catch dust when it comes down.
- Attain a large enough stepladder and place it underneath where your fan is. Make sure whatever you are standing on to reach your bathroom fan supports you well and is very sturdy.
- Cover your hair with a shower cap (or anything to cover your head) to prevent dust from getting in your hair. This stuff has been up in the fan for who knows how long. You definitely don't want it in your hair.
- Get a bucket of soapy water, a dish rag, a dish towel and a duster. Place these items where they are easily accessible for you to use while cleaning the fan.
- If your bathroom fan has a cover, remove it by either unscrewing it from the ceiling or sliding it off. Soak the cover in soapy water to clean and then dry well.
- Take the duster and swipe the fan vents and area well. Use the soapy rag (make sure to wring it out) to wipe the fan from side to side until the fan is clean. You may have to dip the rag multiple times in the water depending on how dirty your fan is.
- Use the dry dish towel to get any excess dust and also to dry the vents and fan area.
- Put the fan cover back on and make sure to tighten any screws well if your cover requires it.
- Turn the fan on and smell the difference! Now all that's left to do is clean up the dusty newspapers.
Tips
- It's best to clean the fan before you plan on cleaning the bathroom. It saves time, and you also don't want to clean your bathroom again.
Warnings
- Make sure the fan is off when you are cleaning it. You do not want to electrocute yourself.
- If it automatically turns on when you switch on the light, you can usually turn it off by removing the cover of the fan and unplugging a fuse cord, which will turn the fan off until you plug it back in.
Things You'll Need
- A stepladder
- Duster
- Old dish rag
- Bucket of soapy water
- A dry dish towel
- A few large pieces of newspaper (depending on the size of your bathroom)
- A shower cap (to protect hair from getting dusty)
