I’m Your Biggest Fan

When summer is approaching, we need to prepare our homes for the increase of temperature. In my home I use a combination of air conditioning, passive ventilation (thank you sea breeze) and pedestal fans. In regard to fans, consider the blades, after a few weeks they naturally start to gather dust and dirt from within the home, therefore, it is important to clean them regularly. By simply using a damp microfibre cloth with basic detergent and warm water and drying with a clean towel you can effectively remove the debris from the blades..

As dust is a food source for mould, this is going to help prevent microbial growth on your fan and stop the dust and potential mould spores being blown around your home. If mould spores are air-born they can get into your air pathways, on to your skin and into your eyes. They can also travel into clothes, carpets and soft furniture.

Monitor the dust levels and clean as often as required. This can also prolong the life of your fan as dust can build up in the motor and interfere with its operation.  

For ceiling fans, carefully wipe the blades, take care as you may need a ladder or step stool, most plug-in fans can be disassembled to give them a deep clean, refer to your manual if it is not straight forward. Always turn off and unplug from the wall before you attempt any cleaning or maintenance. Do not pour water on to the fan, just a damp cloth, the important step is to remove the debris and allow to dry completely.

At the end of the warmer months, clean fans and pack them away with plastic covering, I use 2 basic garbage bags over the top and bottom, tide in the centre so the next summer I can give it a little clean before first use and know that I am not adding allergens into my home.

Happy Summer!