How to Clean Your Tower Fan (and Why You Need To)

Your tower fan deserves a little TLC to keep it functioning properly. Here's how to clean yours.

Published May 22, 2023
Person Use Blower Cleaning A Tower Fan

We name our cars, we say sorry to our Roombas when they bump into our furniture, we thank Alexa and Siri, and we put our fans through the ringer. If you have a tower fan that has the nightly duty of lulling you to sleep, ask yourself when the last time you actually cleaned it was. Mmhmm, that's what we thought. For how easy it is to clean a tower fan, we just don't do it often enough. So, brush up on your cleaning knowledge and learn how to clean a tower fan in just a few minutes.

How to Clean a Tower Fan Using a Vacuum Cleaner

If you have a shop vac or standard vacuum, you can clean up your tower fan in just a few minutes.

Materials You'll Need

  • Tower fan
  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Brush hose attachment

Instructions

  1. Unplug your tower fan before trying to clean it.
  2. Secure the brush attachment to your vacuum's hose.
  3. Turn the vacuum on and run the brush back and forth over the slats.
  4. Continue the process until you can't see anymore debris.
Fast Fact

Check your manual before cleaning because not every tower fan can be taken apart for a super deep clean. For example, the Lasko T48335 Tower Fan's manual explicitly states that you shouldn't take the fan apart in any circumstance.

Clean a Tower Fan Using a Compressed Air Duster

We all have those days when we don't have the time or energy to do some deep cleaning, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for dirty appliances. Instead of taking your tower fan apart, which can be hassle, shoot the debris and dust out with a compressed air duster. Simply turn the duster on, spray in between the slats until dust stops blowing back at you, and pick up the dusty chunks.

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Manually Clean Your Tower Fan With Dust Cloths

If it works for cleaning one thing, what's stopping it from cleaning another? Swiffer dust cloths (or any other brand) are made to be used on your floor, but they also work like a champ when cleaning up fan dust. Take a cloth out of the box and wipe down in-between the blades/slats. You should see the debris sticking to the material.

You can also use this method to get into any nooks and crannies that your vacuum's brush can't reach.

How to Deep Clean a Tower Fan

If you want to get rid of every speck of dust that's made its way into your tower fan, then follow this deep cleaning method.

Materials You'll Need

  • Compressed air duster
  • Microfiber cloth
  • Screwdriver

Instructions

Always consult your owner's manual before unscrewing anything, but if it gives the okay to take panels off, follow these deep cleaning instructions.

  1. Unplug the fan and lay it on its back.
  2. Take the screwdriver and unscrew the front panel (usually looks grated).
  3. Remove the front panel and lay it flat.
  4. Spray the compressed air duster into the back of the panel, blowing out all the debris.
  5. Use a microfiber cloth to reach any missed areas.
  6. Line the panel back up and screw it in.

How Often Should You Clean Your Tower Fan?

With something like a tower fan where all the parts are hidden by the sleek design, it can be an out of sight, out of mind situation. So when you get around to cleaning it, you're probably shocked by the dust and debris that's packed itself into open slats. To keep your fan running optimally, make sure you clean the blades out once or twice a month.

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What's the Fuss About, Anyway?

Cleaning your fan every month might feel like a trivial thing to do, but not doing it can have serious consequences. You need to keep your fan clean for a few reasons:

  • A clean fan blows more air out. The point of a fan is to blow gusts of air, and when debris blocks the vents, it blows out less cool air, which is the exact opposite of what you want.
  • Fans full of debris are a fire hazard. There's a reason people use lint as a fire starter - because it's highly flammable. If you've accumulated a ton of debris in your fan, and it's sitting near your motor, there's a chance it could catch on fire.
  • A clean fan lasts longer than a dirty one. All appliances last longer when they're being taken care of on a schedule.

Bless Yourself With Cool Days and Nights

During the hot months, your fan works hard to keep you cool. Keep it in perfect working order with regular cleaning. so it helps you chill out for years to come.

How to Clean Your Tower Fan (and Why You Need To)