I Just Discovered a Smart Technique for Keeping Ceiling Fans Clean
I had an unpleasant realization when I recently replaced a bulb in the ceiling fan light fixture in my office: I hadn’t dusted the darn thing in quite some time. When the blades are whirring full-time in the summer, I like to think they are going too fast for any dust to stay put. But now that it’s winter and they haven’t been in motion for a while, they were in need of some TLC.
I used to rely on — and, obviously, not frequently enough — a Swiffer duster on a long, bendable rod that could easily wipe the tops of the blades. But I’ve long run out of those dusters in favor of eco-friendly microfiber cloths, and my ceiling fan has suffered as a result. Rather than resort to my old ways and buy new dusters, I remembered I had seen on Apartment Therapy an ingenious hack for cleaning dusty ceiling blades with an old pillowcase. I decided to try it, so off I went in search of a step stool.
How to Use a Pillowcase to Dust a Ceiling Fan
This hack is surprisingly simple, but it comes with a warning: Do not attempt it haphazardly. Use a sturdy chair or step stool that’s high enough for you to reach the blades easily — and please be sure that the fan remains off while you work.
Slip a pillowcase over a fan blade so that it covers the entire length. Pro tip: If you don’t have an extra pillowcase on hand, do it on the day you wash your sheets.
Working slowly and gently, pull the pillowcase off the blade so that the inside touches the surface top and bottom to wipe off the dust.
Rotate the fan to the next blade and repeat the process.
When the blades are finished, use the pillowcase to wipe the rest of the fixture.
The process took less than five minutes, even with my having to readjust the stool because I had positioned it too directly underneath the fixture. I realized my error when I had to lean backward to remove the pillowcase from the first blade — a dumb and frankly unsafe move I would not repeat. But once I repositioned the stepstool correctly, I could safely and rather comfortably clean each blade as I rotated the fan.
The best part? I fully expected to let out a sneeze or two while I cleaned the fan, but the pillowcase kept all the dust on the inside. It’s an ideal way to do it if you’ve got a ceiling fan right over your bed — no worries about dust bunnies getting all over your bedding. I gave the pillowcase a quick shake over the garbage, then tossed it into the hamper. Done and dusted — literally!
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
