Remember your ceiling fan, the one with all the dust built up on the blades? Well, not only does it look like it belongs in a haunted house, but it can effect the performance and throw things out of whack. With proper cleaning and preventative maintenance your ceiling fan will last a long time.

If you are worried about using the wrong cleaner and ruining that expensive fan, relax. Below are some cleaning tips to help you.

Caution: Always turn the power off to fan before cleaning.

Warning: Never use citrus type cleaners on plastic fan parts! Only use mild detergent for the motor housing.

Cleaning motor housing.

• When cleaning motor housing do not spray it. Instead, a moist rag should be used.
• Never use steel wool or scrubbing pads on surface finish. The fan’s finish can be damaged.

Cleaning fan blades.

• When cleaning fan blades, again, do not spray the blades. Instead, a moist rag should be used.
• In fact, if lots of built up, then a vacuum can suck up most of the dust before wiping.
• Dry blades as soon as possible to avoid blades warping. This is important for wooden blades.
• If cleaning bamboo type blades, a vacuum cleaner can be used along with a very soft brush.
• Silk blades can be spray cleaned with a light mist and a very mild detergent. But should only get wet if all other means will not work. -Once blades are wet you risk loosing the pattern form and shape.

Cleaning light kits.

• Glass globes should be removed from fixture and washed by hand with mild detergent.

Warning: If the light kit has halogen bulbs, do not touch the glass of the bulb. If contact is made, be sure to clean the glass with a paper towel only!

• Oil from your skin leaves a residue on the bulb and causes a weak spot in which it can break and shorten the life span.

Try using a swiffer on the fan once a week or as needed. This will keep the cleaning process quick and easy.

Regular cleaning will prevent balancing issues and help with noise control. Screws can be loosened by vibrations of the fan and a wobbly fan even loosens things faster and can lead to damage.