Cleaning Your Air Ducts

Written by April Reinhardt (last updated January 18, 2021)

I'd wager that the majority of homeowners overlook the importance of cleaning their home air ducts, even if they have household members susceptible to allergies, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses. Even the United States Environmental Protection Agency says that duct cleaning alone has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Even so, cleaning your air ducts on a regular schedule can do more good than simply ignoring them year after year.

So, how do you decide when to clean your air ducts? As with any other home preventative maintenance program, you should inspect and clean your air ducts annually. Gather everything necessary to clean before you begin the task. Typically, you'll need a vacuum with a hose and soft brush attachments, a screw driver, old rags, spray cleaner, vacuum cleaner bags, duct tape, paper towels, and possibly a dust mask.

Follow these easy steps for cleaning your air ducts, and greatly improve the air quality within your home:

  1. Locate the air return and vent covers within your home. Remove the covers with a screwdriver.
  2. Wash the vent covers completely and allow them to air dry.
  3. Remove the air filters if they are installed. If they are reusable filters, wash them with a strong stream of water, and then allow them to air dry while you clean the ductwork.
  4. Fit your vacuum hose with a soft brush attachment, and tape it in place with duct tape. It would be unfortunate to have the brush attachment become loose and fall into the ductwork while vacuuming. Vacuum into the air ducts as far as you can reach.
  5. Using a spray cleaner and old rags, clean around the mouth of the vent and ducts. Wash the inside of the ducts as far as you can reach, and don't forget to clean around the walls of the vent and ductwork.
  6. Replace the air filters, and then reattach the clean vent covers.

If, while you are cleaning, you see signs of mold growth, call a professional for an assessment of your ductwork and vents. If you choose to hire a professional, ask them to use a commercial disinfectant after cleaning your air ducts.

Author Bio

April Reinhardt

An admin­istrator for a mutual fund man­age­ment firm, April deals with the writ­ten word daily. She loves to write and plans to author a memoir in the near future. April attend­ed More­head State Uni­ver­sity to pursue a BA degree in Ele­men­tary Edu­ca­tion. ...

MORE FROM APRIL

Cleaning Throw Rugs

You can clean your washable throw rugs at home by vacuuming, shaking, and then throwing them into your clothes washer. ...

Discover More

Planting a Southwest Garden

Planting a southwest garden can be more than growing cacti. It is quite possible to successfully grow flowers and ...

Discover More

Preventing Ants from Killing a Lemon Tree

To prevent ants from climbing your lemon tree, use a few common substances you probably already have on hand. Ants hate ...

Discover More

Find the Right Tool Right Away Finally, a homeowner's set that includes all the tools needed to complete basic DIY projects at an affordable price! The tools are stored in a molded case for security and portability. Check out Stanley 65-Piece Homeowner's Tool Kit today!

More Home Improvement Tips

Installing Auxiliary Gas Heaters

No one really likes the excessive cold of the winter months, at least they don't like living in it all the time. One way ...

Discover More

Installing an Evaporative Cooler

One of the best ways to cool your home during the hotter months is by using an evaporative cooler. If you don't already ...

Discover More

Cleaning Blackened Air Vents

When cleaning blackened air vents, it's nice to think that all you need to do is do a little dusting and your finished. ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is seven more than 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)