5 Easy Ways to Clean Your Air Ducts

Dust, dirt, and debris can make its way into the ductwork. It’s important to clean your ducts to keep them healthy and free of pests. Cleaning your ducts can help with allergies. Allergens like pet dander, hair, and dust can cause irritation when you’re at home. This can cause dry eyes, a runny nose, and itchy skin.

1. Use a Drill with a Brush

A clean air duct system is essential for good indoor air quality. Dirty ducts circulate dust, mildew, mold and other contaminants that can lead to respiratory problems. If you notice that the air in your home is dusty, or if you’ve noticed a musty odor, it may be time to call a professional for an inspection.

A simple drill with a brush can be used to clean the dust from a duct. Cover any vents you’re not cleaning to prevent the dust you dislodge from one vent from being sucked into other areas of your home.

Ideally, you’ll want to use a brush that resembles a new toilet brush or a stiff bristled paint brush. Some vacuum cleaners have a brush attachment that works well for this, but you can also use something a little more rigid like a new toothbrush to get in the tight spaces between the grilles on your vents.

2. Use a Flexible Lint Brush

Even in the cleanest homes, air ducts collect a buildup of dust and allergens. These contaminants circulate throughout your home when your heating and cooling system runs, and if they aren’t cleaned regularly, can trigger respiratory problems and allergies.

Cleaning your air ducts isn’t a simple DIY project, but with a little elbow grease, it can be done at home. Before you begin, make sure to wear a mask and safety goggles to protect yourself from dust particles.

Professional companies like Stanley Steemer use negative air to blow the dirt and debris from the ducts, which is then sucked up into a vacuum by high-powered rotary brushes. Some systems also have compressor-fed air whips that scrub the sides of the duct walls, pushing contaminants toward the vacuum.

3. Use a Vacuum with a Dust Brush Attachment

Many professional commercial dryer vent cleaning services involve brushes and other agitation devices, but you can also clean the vents and registers yourself. This will improve airflow through the house, and it may help with allergies and odors.

Start by shutting off your HVAC system and removing the outer covering of each vent. You’ll also need a vacuum cleaner with a long attachment for reaching the dusty inside of your vents. A step ladder or stool will come in handy for working on the ceiling.

Use the brush to loosen the dust and debris, then use the vacuum hose to suction it up. Repeat the process on all of your vents and wall or floor registers. Be sure to wash the outer covers of your floor and wall registers in warm, soapy water afterward.

4. Use a Long Scrub Brush

While studies are inconclusive on whether cleaning air ducts actually improves indoor air quality, it’s definitely worth the elbow grease and time to clean them thoroughly. When air ducts blow out hot or cold air, anything hanging in them (like dust, pollen, pet hair, mold) is also blown into the room, making it necessary to keep them clean.

A long scrub brush with stiff bristles is perfect for loosening dirt along vent walls and getting to the nooks and crannies. Once the dirt and debris are loosened, vacuum it up with a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner.

Once all of the debris is vacuumed up, return the vent covers and replace the air filter. Replace the filters regularly and your ducts will stay clean. Just make sure that the conditions that led to the clogging are also corrected or your ducts will become dirty again.

5. Use a Heavy-Duty Vacuum

A heavy duty vacuum cleaner with a long hose is the best for sucking up dust and dirt that has accumulated on your vent walls. A long scrub brush also helps with this process, loosing dirt that your vacuum can’t pick up.

You can remove the screws that keep your air duct registers and grill plates in place temporarily, covering supply vents with paper or cloth to prevent dust from blowing into rooms as you clean. A microfiber cloth is also helpful in wiping down the walls of your vents and any visible areas.

The SpinVax 1000XT separates its brush from the vacuum hose, which makes it easier to maneuver the brush through twists and turns in ductwork. This feature is similar to the way plumbers use flexible cable systems when unclogging drains.