Creative Ways to Clean Your Air Vents with a Vacuum

When we clean our homes, we do what we can to get rid of accumulated dust. Savvy homeowners know that to reduce dust in their homes, they have to change or clean their furnace filters at least once a month. However, you can also clean your air vents to get your air even cleaner. Air vents and the ductwork behind them trap dust, dirt and other debris, so they need to be included in your cleaning regimen.

Living in Wilmington and the surrounding area means we’re constantly heating our homes during the winter. This means air is consistently being forced through your home’s ducts and vents. For optimal health and air quality, you should have your ducts cleaned professionally once a year. For added quality, the following tips can help you clean your air vents with a vacuum cleaner every month or so to keep your air cleaner.

Use empty cardboard tubes as an extension for your vacuum’s crevice tool. Under the vent cover, there’s often an elbow not far from the duct opening that can catch small items, like candies, small toys and plenty of dust and dirt. Taping one of these tubes to your crevice tool gives you a flexible extension that can reach these spots.

If you need to use a duster to reach a particularly tough spot, use the vacuum to clean it, so you don’t transfer the dust elsewhere.

Cover the end of your hose or your attachment with a piece of screen with a rubber band to capture items, such as jewelry that may have fallen into a vent.

Lastly, vacuum the vent covers with an upholstery brush and wipe clean.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues- especially HVAC and plumbing, so that you can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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