How to Clean Ceiling Fans and Keep Your Cool in the Heat

As warmer weather sets in, ceiling fan use is going into heavy rotation, turning cleaning them from a nicety to a necessity, especially if you’re a professional housekeeper. This seemingly simple task, however, has been muddied by unsafe cleaning hacks on social media, with influencers encouraging cleaners to balance precariously on ladders while trying to smother their ceiling fans with pillowcases.

As a professional cleaning expert with more than 18 years of experience managing the cleaning procedures of one of North America's largest residential cleaning franchises, I've seen my fair share of cleaning tips and tricks. Today, I want to set the record straight and share the professional's go-to process for quick, efficient, and safe ceiling fan cleaning, which is standing comfortably on the ground while dusting and deep cleaning with a Chenille Microfiber High Duster on an extension pole.

Microfiber Wholesale’s Chenille Microfiber High Duster, beloved by professional house cleaners and home consumers in the know, simplifies and speeds up ceiling fan cleaning while reducing the risk of workers comp injury and property damage. Join me as we explore this trusted method, debunk harmful cleaning myths, and prepare for the warm weather with the right cleaning tools and techniques. Welcome to a cleaner, safer, and quicker way of cleaning ceiling fans - no ladders required.

The Problem with Old Fashioned & Cleaning Hack Methods

Traditionally, cleaning ceiling fans involves hauling out a ladder, climbing up, and reaching out with a rag or feather duster to clean fan blades, which are often awkwardly positioned over beds and other large furniture. Besides the inconvenience, these traditional methods came with considerable damage risks and serious safety hazards. For professionals, the lost time hauling ladders from room to room lowered profits while raising risks, making it a double drag!

Cleaning Influencers tried to help, eliminating the inefficient rags and feather dusters that knocked dust onto the furniture below and replacing them with a pillowcase that caught the mess. The only problem is that due to their lack of professional cleaning and OSHA education, these well-meaning influencers unintentionally left the worst part in place, the ladder!

Ladders might seem like a practical solution for reaching high areas, but they also introduce unnecessary dangers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the U.S., more than 500,000 people are treated, and about 300 people die from ladder-related injuries. That's an average of 2,000 injuries per day, most of which happen at homes, falling from heights less than 10 feet off the ground! A shocking 81% of fall injuries treated in ERs in the United States involve a ladder. And remember, these are just the reported incidents.

These shocking statistics don't even account for the smaller accidents that don't end up in the emergency room but can still result in strains, bruises, and extensive property damage. You don’t even have to be standing on a ladder for it to cost you serious money! When moving a ladder around inside a house, it's all too easy to knock over expensive art, scratch floors, and ding walls. Worse yet, once you're finally up there cleaning, you risk losing balance and damaging the floor below and the fan above as you grasp and flail to regain control.

The Modern Professional's Choice: Microfiber Wholesale's Chenille Microfiber High Duster

For those in the professional cleaning industry, speed and safety are always the highest priority. Not only do we want to deliver the best results, but we also want to protect ourselves and the properties we're servicing from unnecessary risk. That's where Microfiber Wholesale’s Chenille Microfiber High Duster shines.

This tool is crafted with the needs of the professional house cleaner in mind, but frankly, even everyday consumers deserve to be able to clean without risking life and limb! The Chenille Microfiber High Duster is a true multitasker, deep cleaning high places such as cobwebs, crown moldings, light fixtures, and, of course, our subject for today: ceiling fans.

Its versatility eliminates the need for multiple tools, helping to cut down on time and clutter. By the time that CleanTok influencer has dragged their ladder up from the basement, real cleaning Pros have high-dusted the entire room, including the ceiling fan, without missing a beat!

One of the strongest arguments for Microfiber Wholesale’s Chenille Microfiber High Duster is how much better it cleans, especially when compared to an old pillowcase! The microfiber cover is durable enough to last hundreds of washes, unlike those disgusting old feather and lambswool dusters.

When dry, it's perfect for a quick yet thorough dusting, as the microscopic fibers lock on and keep dust from sprinkling below. When you need to deep-clean neglected blades coated in sticky dust and mold, you can just spray the chenille with your favorite all-purpose cleaner and scrub from the safety of the ground, leaving behind nothing but the shine.

There really isn’t a ceiling fan scenario that Microfiber Wholesale's Chenille Microfiber High Duster can’t handle. You can hold it by the handle and clean low ceiling fans just out of reach. You can screw that handle onto our heavy duty 6’ aluminum pole and easily reach fans 12’ high. If your ceiling fan is perched at the top of a vaulted ceiling, all you need is an extra long extension pole and an angle adapter and you're ready to show even second story fans who’s boss!

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Clean Ceiling Fans with a Microfiber High Duster

Now that we've established why Microfiber Wholesale’s Chenille Microfiber High Duster is the superior choice for cleaning ceiling fans let's dive into exactly how you can get the most out of this tool.

1. 1. Prepare Your High Duster: Tighten your duster onto the extension pole and bend the flexible duster stem into a flattened “C” shape to wrap around the top and bottom of the blades.
  2. Dampen for Deep Cleaning: If you're going to scrub off a lot of sticky dust, spray the inside of the microfiber cover with an all-purpose cleaner.
  3. Trash Tarp if There’s Trouble: Trash bags make a great quick tarp under really neglected fans for 1st time cleans. For all future maintenance cleans, use the duster dry and tarp-free!
  4. Extend the Pole: Release the collet grip and extend the pole to the necessary height. Remember, you must maintain a 2 handed grip on your pole, which should be extended overhead at an angle, to maintain firm control.
  5. Clean the Fan: Push each blade of the fan through the center of the “C” to clean both the top and bottom at once. Advanced cleaners can use the duster to flick the blades around and then catch the next blade in the “C” for even faster results!
  6. Complete Your Work: Use the duster to wipe off the body of the fan by hooking the outside of the duster “C” on top of the fan engine housing and walking it around. Gently tickle the fan lights, if present, with the tip of the duster.
  7. Clean Up: After finishing the ceiling fan, continue to use the duster until the entire home is high dusted. At the end of the clean, remove the microfiber cover and launder it in the washer and dryer to sanitize it for the next client.

Take Your Cleaning to the Next Level with the Chenille High Duster

Whether you’re cleaning your own home or your clients, in this modern age there’s no reason to sacrifice quality or safety when cleaning anything! Modern, high tech solutions ARE out there, you just have to believe you and your staff deserve better. Prime example, with Microfiber Wholesale’s Chenille Microfiber High Duster, you get an ultra deep cleaning tool designed for safety, speed, versatility and longevity ... .there literally is no downside. The reduced damage and workers comp claims alone pay for the duster, never mind the time savings of not dragging around a ladder.

By investing in this duster, you're not only ensuring a safer work environment for your cleaners, you're making their jobs easier and more fun! Using premium supplies to prove to your cleaners that you value them as a whole person, not just disposable labor, goes a long way in this tough recruitment market. From ceiling fans to crown molding, from speed to safety, from customer to employee satisfaction, the Chenille Microfiber High Duster has you covered from every angle. Elevate your ceiling fan cleaning, and so much more by making the switch today!

High Reach Microfiber Cleaning Kit

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Written by

Melissa Homer
Content Contributor at
Microfiber Wholesale

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Melissa Homer is a professional cleaning expert with over 20 years experience in the commercial and residential cleaning industry. She is a highly trained cleaning professional, business consultant, and educator that specializes in cleaning product testing and research, premium surface care, cleaning safety, cleaning procedure efficiency, training documentation, and cleaning damage repair. Melissa has worked for some of the biggest names in the professional residential cleaning industry, including P&G Professional and MaidPro. She has been interviewed and quoted in numerous leading publications such as Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple, Consumer Reports, Better Homes & Gardens, U.S. News & World Report, and The Washington Post.

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