Extractor Fans and dust

The other week I had to clean the extractor fan in the bathroom.  I had noticed dust in the cover for quite some months and been annoyed because it looked bad, but as can be seen from this picture, I didn’t realise how bad until I took the fan apart.

For years I have been telling everyone about dust generated everytime we use a towel after a shower; but it must be doubly so with an extractor fan.  Not only does the condensation make the dust stick, but static electricity build up by the rotation of the blades attracts the dust. 

I had to use a ladder to reach the fan so I could remove the cover.  I took that into the laundry to soak in a tub of soapy water and scrubbed it with a dishwashing brush.  The colour of the water, once I’d finished, was black.  But that section of the fan was nothing compared to the dust sticking on the flaps which stop air being blown back into the room.  After some investigation I found out how to clip out the frame that held the flaps and took that section to the laundry. 

Removing the flaps revealed dust sticking to the fan blades and the tube in which it is housed.  The dust in the tube and on the blades was quite disgusting: at least three to four millimeters thick.  I couldn’t believe it.  I’ve been into many homes and seen dust but this was similar to the fluff that sits in the air vent of clothes driers. 

I couldn’t remove the fan so to clean the tube was difficult.  A damp cloth took the skin of dust away but left a dirty mark.  This meant I had to wash down the tube and fan with a sponge and some soapy water, than wipe over the affected areas with a dry cloth.   I must say when I had finished you could have eaten your dinner off the fan and the tube it was so clean. 

Wouldn’t you know it, I was washing the flaps as they came out of the frame which meant I had to re-assemble the whole thing before replacing it.  Thankfully the cover was easy to put back just a twist and it was sitting in its usual position.

When the job was finished I was proud of myself.  The extractor fan in my bathroom looked pristine and clean.  I must not leave it as long as I did before cleaning it again.