How to Spring Clean Light Fixtures and Ceiling Fans

Lighting fixtures and ceiling fans are often overlooked when it comes time to spring clean the house. Yet these common home accents accumulate large amounts of dust that can cause sniffling and sneezing throughout the year if neglected. Make your lighting fixtures and ceiling fans sparkle, and give your home a breath of fresh air by learning how to clean these things properly each spring.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Compact, florescent light bulbs

1. Grab a damp cloth to begin spring cleaning your light fixtures and ceiling fans. These are best for dusting. Damp cloths actually pick up dust and remove it from surfaces rather than just moving it around as a feather duster would.
2. Turn off all of your lights before getting started. If the lights have been on for a while, let them cool off for at least 1 hour before attempting to clean them. You don't want to get burned.
3. Unplug all lamps before you clean them.
4. Turn off all of your ceiling fans.
5. Bring out a ladder if you think you'll need one to reach the ceiling lights and fans.
6. Use your damp cloth to wipe down all parts of your lights, including the light bulbs and all associated hardware. Make sure you remove all the accumulated dust from the lights.
7. Replace any light bulbs that may have burned out. If any get broken during the cleaning, replace those too.
8. Wipe off all the blades on the ceiling fans with a damp cloth, taking care to clean both sides of each blade. If a ceiling fan has lights on it, make sure you wipe down the bulbs and associated fixtures. Also, be sure to wipe off the hardware on the fans.
9. Get rid of any stubborn stains or really thick, dusty spots on ceiling fans by adding a bit of mild soap to your damp cloth. Make sure to wipe vigorously to get everything shiny.

Tips & Warnings

• If you've been considering making the switch to environmentally friendly, compact, florescent bulbs, now is a good time to do so. Buy enough of these bulbs for each of your lighting fixtures, and then install them once you're done cleaning the hardware on the lights.
• Never attempt to clean the interior of a light-bulb socket on a lamp. Even if the lamp is unplugged or the electricity is turned off, any lingering dampness could cause sparks to fly, or worse, once the power is restored.

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