How to Clean Floor Vents

How to clean the floor ventilation ducts

No matter how clean you keep your home, the floor ventilation ducts will accumulate dirt and dust which becomes difficult to remove over time. This accumulation may be hard to clean, especially when dirt or dust has built up in the crevices and spaces of your ducts. If your floor ventilation ducts are ready for you to clean, you can do it effectively using a dishwasher or manual methods.

Use a dishwasher

Determine the composition of your ventilation ducts. In most cases, metal ventilation ducts can be cleaned in the dishwasher. Avoid washing the vents that are painted since the heat of the dishwasher can cause the paint to come off. You should not use your dishwasher to clean:

  • Wood ventilation ducts that are especially susceptible to intense heat. Never clean wooden floor ventilation ducts in a dishwasher, unless otherwise stated in the product care instructions.
  • Plastic ventilation ducts since the heat of the dishwasher can cause them to become deformed and ruined. Cleaning them by hand is safer.

Turn off the duct fan, heat, or air conditioner. If you leave your home ventilation system on while cleaning the ventilation ducts, the blower could ignite and expel dust and dirt in the air. This will only cause dirt in the pipes to spread throughout your home.

  • Dust and dirt that gets back into the air can irritate your eyes and lungs when you clean.
  • If you have sensitive eyes or lungs or if you suffer from allergies, you may need to wear protective glasses and a dust mask.

Clean the dust and dirt that comes out of the duct. Cleaning the dust and dirt that comes out of the duct will prevent it from falling on the floor when transporting your ducts to the dishwasher. You can do this easily with a vacuum equipped with a tool to check for cracks or by cleaning the ventilation ducts with a clean, damp cloth with water.

  • You do not have to be especially careful when cleaning the dirt that comes out of your ducts. Passing a damp cloth or vacuum a few times should be enough.

Remove the floor ventilation ducts. Most floor ventilation ducts are secured with standard screws. Use a standard screwdriver to loosen the screws and remove the ducts you wish to clean. Keep a damp cloth or vacuum cleaner on hand as dirt and additional dirt may have accumulated behind the duct.

  • You are likely to find more dirt and loose dust behind your ducts. In most cases, swiftly passing the vacuum cleaner can clean them.
  • You may want to put something, such as a newspaper or old fabric, on the floor or under the wall vents and next to the ducts on the floor. In this way, you will remove additional dirt and you will have a place to put the ducts that you removed.

 

Insert the ducts and turn on the dishwasher. Organize your ducts in the dishwasher without stacking them one on top of the other. Avoid using dishwashing detergent. These products are made for tableware and cutlery and are not suitable for ducts.

  • The shortest cycle of your dishwasher should be enough to completely clean the floor ducts and it will not be too strong for them.

Replace the ducts after washing them. Be careful when removing the ducts from the dishwasher. Immediately after the dishwasher cycle, they may be hot. Check your ducts to make sure they are clean and, if so, use a screwdriver to secure each one back in place.

  • If your ducts are still not clean, you may want to run them through the dishwasher for another short cycle or clean areas that are hard to reach with a cotton swab and kitchen soap.

Clean the floor ventilation ducts by hand

Turn off the ventilation system in your house. Every time you clean the ventilation ducts, you must turn off the heat, air conditioning or fan in order to prevent the ventilation system from starting and throwing dust and dirt into the air. This will cause the dirt in your pipes to spread throughout your home.

  • Even with your ventilation system turned off, your home’s natural airflow and your efforts to clean can cause dust to permeate the air. For this reason, you may want to wear protective glasses and a dust mask.

Clean the dirt and dust that comes out. Using the vacuum tool which can reach cracks can help you remove dirt from corners and spaces in your duct. If you see lumps that seem to be loose, but you cannot suck them up, take a damp and clean rag and clean them out.

  • If your ducts are not very dirty, doing a superficial cleaning can be enough to restore your ducts and make them good as new.
  • You do not have to be very careful with this superficial cleaning. Ducts that are very dirty will need a deep cleaning with soap and water. When you vacuum and clean, the objective will be to remove the dust that is loose.

Take out your pipes. To prevent the dirt behind your ducts from spreading or rising to your floor, put something, such as a tarp or newspaper, to catch the dust. More often, the ventilation ducts are installed using standard screws. Take a standard screwdriver, loosen the screws and remove the ventilation ducts.

  • Dirt and dust often accumulate behind the ventilation ducts. Use the tool to clean cracks on your vacuum in order to clean any type of undesirable accumulation.
  • When you finish removing each duct, place it on the floor covering. This will help you to contain the dirt that remains on the ventilation ducts.

Clean your ducts with warm water and dish soap. Use a dishwashing tool, such as a scrubbing brush or sponge, to clean the duct strips and other narrow crevices. Moisten the tool with water, apply soap and clean each duct. After the metal or plastic ventilation ducts are cleaned, you can dry them in the air or with a clean and dry cloth or a paper towel.

  • If the dirt in your vents is resistant to the soap scrubbing treatment, you may first need to soak them in warm water with soap for a few hours or overnight.
  • Wood ducts are easily deformed by excess water or by soaking them too much. Use a clean, damp cloth to clean it of the dirt and then dry the wood quickly and completely.

Put the ducts back into the corresponding openings. Now that everything is clean and dry, your ducts will be ready to return to their associated spaces. Place each duct in its place, one at a time, then use your screwdriver to secure all ducts.