This TikTok Hack Makes Cleaning Your Ceiling Fan So Much Easier

Once the weather finally starts to warm up again, you might rely on your ceiling fan more often. Or maybe you use your fan religiously every single day, no matter the outside temperature. Either way, the blades easily collect dust and eventually they’ll need to get cleaned. As annoying as cleaning them might be, it’s well worth the effort: Your fan will not only look a whole lot better, but more importantly, you won’t have to worry about dust and other irritating debris flying around your room.

The real issue, of course, isn’t whether or not you should clean your fan, but how you should clean it. Theoretically, you could use pretty much any cloth or duster to clean the blades, but these methods can cause the same problem as running a dirty fan. To avoid dust falling onto your bed (or whatever’s below your ceiling fan), you’ll need something to catch it.

This viral TikTok hack, originally suggested by the geniuses at Clean That Up!, offers a perfect solution — and the best part is, you don’t need to buy any special cleaners or tools. All you need is an old pillow case.

Here’s how to do it:

Turn off your ceiling fan and grab an old pillowcase. Standing on a step stool (or your bed if your fan is directly over the bed), slide the blade completely inside the case, then pull the fabric over the blade to remove any dust and debris, making sure it all ends up inside the pillow case. Repeat with each blade.

If you want to be extra cautious, lay a sheet over your bed (or on the floor) to catch any rogue dust particles. If the blades need more than a dry wipe, you can get the pillowcase wet and repeat the steps.

When you’re finished, empty out the pillow case by shaking it over the trash can, being careful not to spread the dust around your kitchen. Once most of the dust is in the garbage, wash the pillowcase with your other laundry and repeat the hack as needed!