How to Clean Floor Vents
Determine the composition of your vents., Turn off your heat, air conditioning, or vent fan., Clear loose dust and grime from the vent., Remove your floor vents., Insert the vents and start your dishwasher., Replace your vents after washing.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine the composition of your vents.
In most cases, vents made of metal can be cleaned in your dishwasher.
Avoid washing vents with paint, as the heat from your dishwasher can cause it to peel.
You should not use your dishwasher to clean:
Wooden vents, which are especially susceptible to intense heat.
Never clean wooden floor vents in a dishwasher, unless otherwise indicated by the product's care instructions.
Plastic vents, because the heat of the dishwasher can cause these to deform, ruining them.
Manually cleaning these instead is safest. -
Step 2: Turn off your heat
If you leave your home ventilation system on while cleaning vents, the blower might turn on and kick dust and grime into the air.
This will only cause the dirtiness on your vents to spread around your home.Dust and grime that have become airborne can irritate your eyes and lungs when cleaning.
If you have sensitive eyes or lungs, or if you suffer from allergies, you may want to wear protective eye wear and a dust mask. , Clearing loose dust and grime will prevent it from falling on your floor when transporting your vents to the dishwasher.
This can be done easily with a vacuum equipped with a crevice tool, or by wiping down vents with a clean, water damp rag.
You don't have to be especially thorough when cleaning loose dirt on your vents.
A few passes with a vacuum or water damp rag should be sufficient., Most floor vents are fastened in place with standard screws.
Use a standard screwdriver to loosen the screws and remove the vents you'd like to clean.
Have a vacuum or water damp rag handy, as additional dirt and grime may be built up behind the vent.
You'll likely find more loose dust and dirt behind your vents.
In most cases, a quick pass with the crevice tool of your vacuum will clean this away.
You may want to lay something, like a drop cloth newspaper, under wall floor vents or next to vents positioned flat in the floor.
This way, you'll catch extra dirtiness and have a place to set removed vents., Arrange your vents in your dishwasher without stacking them on top of each other.
Avoid using dishwasher detergents.
These are formulated for dishware and cutlery, and aren't suitable for your vents.The shortest cycle of your dishwasher should be enough to completely clean your floor vents, and will be less harsh on them. , Be careful when removing your vents from the dishwasher.
Immediately after the dishwasher cycle, they may be hot.
Inspect your vents to ensure they are clean, and if they are, use a screwdriver to fasten each back in place.
If your vents are not yet clean, you may want to run them through the dishwasher on another short cycle, or target trouble spots with a cotton swab and dish soap. -
Step 3: air conditioning
-
Step 4: or vent fan.
-
Step 5: Clear loose dust and grime from the vent.
-
Step 6: Remove your floor vents.
-
Step 7: Insert the vents and start your dishwasher.
-
Step 8: Replace your vents after washing.
Detailed Guide
In most cases, vents made of metal can be cleaned in your dishwasher.
Avoid washing vents with paint, as the heat from your dishwasher can cause it to peel.
You should not use your dishwasher to clean:
Wooden vents, which are especially susceptible to intense heat.
Never clean wooden floor vents in a dishwasher, unless otherwise indicated by the product's care instructions.
Plastic vents, because the heat of the dishwasher can cause these to deform, ruining them.
Manually cleaning these instead is safest.
If you leave your home ventilation system on while cleaning vents, the blower might turn on and kick dust and grime into the air.
This will only cause the dirtiness on your vents to spread around your home.Dust and grime that have become airborne can irritate your eyes and lungs when cleaning.
If you have sensitive eyes or lungs, or if you suffer from allergies, you may want to wear protective eye wear and a dust mask. , Clearing loose dust and grime will prevent it from falling on your floor when transporting your vents to the dishwasher.
This can be done easily with a vacuum equipped with a crevice tool, or by wiping down vents with a clean, water damp rag.
You don't have to be especially thorough when cleaning loose dirt on your vents.
A few passes with a vacuum or water damp rag should be sufficient., Most floor vents are fastened in place with standard screws.
Use a standard screwdriver to loosen the screws and remove the vents you'd like to clean.
Have a vacuum or water damp rag handy, as additional dirt and grime may be built up behind the vent.
You'll likely find more loose dust and dirt behind your vents.
In most cases, a quick pass with the crevice tool of your vacuum will clean this away.
You may want to lay something, like a drop cloth newspaper, under wall floor vents or next to vents positioned flat in the floor.
This way, you'll catch extra dirtiness and have a place to set removed vents., Arrange your vents in your dishwasher without stacking them on top of each other.
Avoid using dishwasher detergents.
These are formulated for dishware and cutlery, and aren't suitable for your vents.The shortest cycle of your dishwasher should be enough to completely clean your floor vents, and will be less harsh on them. , Be careful when removing your vents from the dishwasher.
Immediately after the dishwasher cycle, they may be hot.
Inspect your vents to ensure they are clean, and if they are, use a screwdriver to fasten each back in place.
If your vents are not yet clean, you may want to run them through the dishwasher on another short cycle, or target trouble spots with a cotton swab and dish soap.
About the Author
Paul Hughes
Writer and educator with a focus on practical crafts knowledge.
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