*Cleaning An Electric Pedestal Fan*
By: John1lt
29 September 2015

Cleaning your electric fan is actually really easy. Lots of people already do. I'm writing this article for those that don't know how. Cleaning your gear makes it last longer and look better. The models of fans I buy are easy to take apart and just as easy to clean, I've had to put several together because they are packaged and sold disassembled. Putting the fans back together is just as easy.

Cleaning your gear makes it last longer and look better. Several years ago my boss at the time left a desk fan running in the office 24/7. This amount of use had the fan literally covered with an inch thick coat of dust on the fan blades and grill. I suggested that he clean the fan and he replied that I should take the fan outside and just hose it off for him. I told him I could show him how to disassemble the fan and wash it with soap and water in the rest room and get the fan much cleaner.

Be sure to unplug the fan before attempting the following procedure.

We took the fan to the restroom (at home I do this in the yard or in the bathtub) and I showed him how to un-clip the front of the grill, a hinged latch on metal grills or squeeze a plastic grill to release the plastic clips, I've had the plastic break at the clip but zip ties work wonders ;).

Then I showed him that the nut that holds the fan on the shaft is a reverse thread so you turn the nut clockwise to loosen and counter clockwise to tighten. The reason is so that the nut does not loosen while the fan is spinning.

After the fan is off the shaft you can see the large nut that holds the back grill onto the motor housing, this nut has a standard thread so it is clockwise to tighten counter clockwise to loosen (righty tighty lefty loosy).

After we had all of the pieces off we rinsed the bulk of the dirt off and then scrubbed the parts with paper towels (at home I use a small hand broom with stiff bristles) and soapy water then rinsed and dried the parts. We used damp paper towels to clean the base of the fan and the motor housing. At home I also use a vacuum cleaner to clean off the vents to the fan motor.

In a very short time we had the fan cleaned and reassembled. I do this whenever my desk fans or pedestal fans are dirty.

www.alpharubicon.com
All materials at this site not otherwise credited are Copyright © 1996 - 2015 Trip Williams. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for personal use only. Use of any material contained herein is subject to stated terms or written permission.