Whether you use your ceiling fan every day, only turn it on during the summer, or let it sit motionless year-round, the tops of the blades will accumulate dust over time. And unless you want that dust to go flying throughout your home, you’ll need to clean the fan regularly. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than…
That’s right — the humble pillowcase is an excellent mechanism for tackling the plethora of dust mites atop your ceiling fan. It’s even better than a duster or a rag, which could just scatter dust onto the floor, or worse, your soft furnishings. Pillowcases effectively trap the dust inside and prevent it from falling onto your freshly made bed and other furniture.
First, you’ll need to gather the proper supplies. Grab an old pillowcase with an opening at one end. (Don’t use a fresh one that you still sleep on.) You’ll also need a step stool or something else you can stand on so you can easily reach the fan.
Once you have everything ready, turn off the fan and wait until it comes to a complete stop. Carefully slide the pillowcase over the first blade. Once it’s fully covered, pull the fabric back toward you to capture all of the dust inside. Repeat the process with each blade at least once or as many times as necessary to ensure no speck of dust is left behind.
When you’re done, head straight for the trash can. Hold the open end of the pillowcase over the bin and dump out the dust. You can also take the pillowcase outside, turn it inside out, and shake out any remaining dust. Once you’ve gotten rid of most of the dust, wash the pillowcase as normal.
If you don’t have any old pillowcases lying around, consider purchasing an inexpensive new one, like this microfiber option. The material does a particularly good job of trapping dust, and it comes in a two-pack so you’ll always have a cleaning cloth in rotation. Just be sure to keep your dust-removing pillowcases separated from the ones you sleep on, or you might wake up with red, itchy eyes.
