Removing Nicotine Stains from a Ceiling Fan Blade

If you have a smoker in your home, you'll find that it is difficult to remove tar and nicotine stains from your ceiling fan, especially the ceiling fan blade. Smoke from cigarettes usually rises, and when your ceiling fan is on, it attracts this smoke. Over time, a brownish-yellow stain will appear on the blades of your ceiling fan which may produce a foul odor if left unattended for long periods of time. Here is a handy guide on how to effectively remove tar and nicotine stains from your ceiling fan blades.

Step 1 - Remove the Ceiling Fan Blades

Use your screwdriver to remove the screws that hold the ceiling fan blades. Set the screws aside until you reinstall the blades.

Step 2 - Use the Oven Cleaner

Spread the old newspaper or large plastic trash bag on a flat surface outside of your house. You should always do this outside as the fumes from some heavy-duty oven cleaners can be dangerous to your health. Thoroughly saturate the dirty ceiling fan blades with the oven cleaner and leave it to break down the stains according to the manufacturer's directions.

Step 3 - Rinse the Blades

Once you've left the oven cleaner on the ceiling fan blades for the required length of time, rinse the blades off with a water hose.

Step 4 - Degrease the Ceiling Fan Blades

Fill your bucket with warm water and mix in a generous amount of the degreasing solution. Wet your green scouring pads in the solution, then thoroughly scrub the ceiling fan blades to remove any tar and nicotine residue that was not removed by the oven cleaner. Depending on the magnitude of the stains, this process may require a lot of elbow grease and some considerable effort.

Step 5 - Soak the Ceiling Fan Blades

After you finish scrubbing the ceiling fan blades, you should allow them to soak in the water and decreasing agent solution for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 6 - Rinse the Ceiling Fan Blades Again

Again, thoroughly rinse the ceiling fan blades with your water hose.

Step 7 - Final Cleaning

Use the sponge to lightly wash the ceiling fan blades again.

Step 8 - Final Rinse

Use the water hose to rinse the ceiling fan blades for the final time.

Step 9 - Dry the Ceiling Fan Blades

Use a dry towel to thoroughly dry the ceiling fan blades, then set them aside and allow them to completely air dry for about 30 minutes.

Step 10 - Reinstall the Blades

Finally, reinstall the blades by securing them with the screws you set aside earlier. Make sure to install the blades in the correct spot from where you removed them. If the blades wobble after you turn the fan on, rearrange the blades until the fan is again balanced.