Before You Use An Oscillating Fan, You Need To Do This

An oscillating fan comes in handy during hot weather. People also like to use them for white noise during sleep. Yet, as wonderful as these fans are, they are also major dust, dirt, and pet hair magnets. They should be cleaned at least once a month, or more often if needed. Here's how.

Step 1

Unplug the fan from the wall.

Step 2

Remove the front front grill grate of the fan.

Depending on the fan you have, you will either have to push open the fan latches or use a Phillips-head screwdriver to remove the front fan grill from the back fan grill.

Step 3

Unscrew the fan blade cap and remove the fan blade.

The fan blade is held on by a plastic or metal blade cap that easily unscrews, allowing you to remove the fan blade.

Step 4

Unscrew back fan grill nut and remove the back grill.

Step 5

Use a clean brush or paint brush to remove any buildup. An old paint brush works great to help remove any caked on dust, dirt, and hair that may be sticking to your fan's grill, blade, and other pieces.

Tip: Place all of the fan pieces on an old bed sheet before dusting with a brush to keep debris contained. When you're done, simply take the sheet outside, shake it out, and wash it.

Step 6

Make a cleaning solution to clean the fan. Mix one teaspoon of dish liquid and four cups of warm water to make a cleaning solution.

Step 7

Use a microfiber cloth to wash each piece of the fan. Clean the fan grates, nut, screw, blade, and fan base.

Step 8

Use a clean towel to dry each piece of the fan. Note: Be sure that each fan piece is thoroughly dry before reassembling the fan.

Step 9

Reassemble the fan using the reverse directions from above.

1. Add the back fan grill to the base of the fan and screw on the grill nut.
2. Place the blade back on, then screw the blade screw on.
3. Reattach the front fan grill to the back fan grill.

Step 10

Plug the fan back into the wall.