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Your bathroom fan is nasty. Here are the steps to clean a dirty bathroom fan.

If you’ve never even considered cleaning your bathroom fan, you’re not alone. Because of their seemingly inaccessible location and complex mechanics, bathroom fans are either easily forgotten or purposely passed over during the weekly cleaning routine. Still, it’s so important to give your hard-working bathroom fan a deep clean once in a while, for reasons that stretch beyond aesthetics. Fans rid your bathroom of moisture, odors, and air-born contaminants, but if filled with dust, they don't function as well, which could lead to mold, mildew, or even worse, a fire. Luckily, cleaning your bathroom fan isn’t nearly as tricky as it may seem.

Watch the video above to learn how to clean your bathroom fan.

How to clean a bathroom fan

Supplies:

  • Microfiber cloths

  • Dish soap

  • Warm water

  • Scrub brush

  • Vacuum with handheld capabilities and crevice attachments.

  • Compressed air (optional)

Steps:

  1. Turn off the power to the fan at the switch, or for extra safety, cut power to the bathroom completely at the circuit breaker.

  2. If your fan includes a light, you can typically just pop the light cover or “lens” off by squeezing the clips on the sides and gently pulling down.

  3. Clean your light cover in the sink with a scrub brush, soap, and water. Let dry.

  4. Remove the lightbulb bulb from the socket and wipe the bulb down for maximum brightness.

  5. If your fan includes a light, it may also include a light reflector, which is where your light socket or holder sits. Typically this is attached to the fan’s housing with one or more bolts or screws and a plug. Simply unscrew the reflector to separate it and disconnect the plug to remove it from the housing. This may also separate the grill from the housing as well.

  6. Clean the grill in the sink with a scrub brush and soap and water, making sure to scrub inside all of the grill’s crevices. Let dry.

  7. Carefully wipe the light reflector down with a damp cloth to remove dust and debris, making sure not to get any water on the attached plug.

  8. Unplug the motor from your fan’s recessed housing and use a vacuum with the handheld crevice attachment to remove dust from inside the fan housing.

  9. Wipe out all remaining grime inside your housing with a warm, damp microfiber cloth

  10. If your fan motor and blades need a deep clean, remove the mounting screws that attach the fan to the housing, unplug the power supply, and lower the motor from the housing.

  11. Once the fan’s removed, you can vacuum those components with a brush attachment or take it outside and use compressed air to remove dust and debris.

  12. If all of your bathroom fan components are clean and dry, simply reassemble and turn the power back on.

How often to clean a bathroom fan

To prevent dust and grime buildup and keep your fan running smoothly, experts suggest giving your bathroom fan a thorough clean every six months. If your bathroom is smaller or poorly ventilated and prone to accumulating moisture, more frequent cleaning may be in order. If you have a larger bathroom with better ventilation, it may suffice to clean your bathroom fan jonce every year.

More problems, solved

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to clean a bathroom fan: 12 steps to keep it running smoothly