Cleaning equipment and open floor register with text overlay that reads Clean your Home's Air Ducts

These simple steps explain how to clean your home's air ducts yourself. You'll remove dust, pet hair, mold, and other allergens in minutes.

Equipment for cleaning your own air ducts to remove dust and mold

Why You Should Clean Your Home's Air Ducts

When forced air from your HVAC flows through ducts and vents filled with dust, dirt, and pet hair, that debris spreads throughout your home. Clean those ducts and you'll have cleaner indoor air — and that means you'll see less dust, too. Depending on what's been hiding in your system, you also might notice fewer odors and reduced allergy symptoms.

Do You Need to Hire Professionals to Clean Your Air Ducts?

Should you call a duct-cleaning company to do this task? In short: no. Companies claim you need a pro to use specialized equipment. What they're referring to involves sending pressurized water through your duct system to flush out the gunk. The problem is that in most homes, ducts develop gaps over time. So, that water winds up leaking into your walls which leads to mold and mildew.

Still not convinced you don't need to hire professionals to clean your air ducts? Then consider how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states "preventing water and dirt from entering the system is the most effective way to prevent contamination," not hiring air-duct cleaning companies.

Steps to Clean Your Home's Air Ducts and Vents

Safety tips:

  • Always turn your home's thermostat off before you begin to clean your air ducts.
  • Have a helper nearby if you need to climb a ladder or step-stool to reach high wall vents or ceiling registers.
  • You may also want to wear eye protection to shield your eyes from falling dust or debris when working with overhead air vents.

STEP 1: Gather Your Equipment and Materials

To clean your own air ducts, you need a manual dryer vent brush in addition to the standard cleaning equipment: warm soapy water, cleaning cloths, and a vacuum cleaner with a dust brush attachment. You will also need a screwdriver to open wall or ceiling vents, and a step-stool to reach them.

STEP 2: Remove and Clean Your Vent Covers

Floor registers are easy to remove. Usually, you can lift them. For wall registers, use a screwdriver. If your vent cover is extremely dusty, use your vacuum's dust attachment to clean the surface before removing it. Wash the vent cover in a sink of warm, soapy water. Scrub as needed, but take care not to damage the finish. If they're metal, you can save time by popping them into the top rack of your dishwasher for a quick cycle.

STEP 3: Clean Inside Your Duct

Insert the vent brush into the duct as far as you can. Rotate the brush and run it along the duct's walls. Use a light touch in crinkly Mylar flex ducts, which are easily damaged. If you have exposed ductwork, like in a basement, tapping it a few times before can help loosen debris, too. Finally, remove the brush and insert your vacuum cleaner's hose as far as you can to clean up the debris. If you have a shop vac, you can get even further in your duct system using an extension hose.

STEP 4: Wipe the Rest

After vacuuming, wipe the interior of the vent clean with a damp cloth. Rinse and change rags as needed. To clean stubborn dirt, spray an all-purpose cleaner on the cloth before wiping. Also be sure to clean the area around the duct, including the floor or wall.

STEP 5: Finish Up

Put the clean vent cover back on and turn on your thermostat. Run your system for 30 minutes to filter any hidden dust loosened during the cleaning process. After thirty minutes are up, change your system's air filter to eliminate all the extra dust it collected for you.

How Often Should You Clean Your Air Ducts?

Follow these steps to clean your home's air ducts at least twice a year. If someone in your home has indoor allergies, or if you have a lot of pets, do it each season. You can use this method to clean cold air returns, too. And always change your filter after you've cleaned your ducts.