Moisture that lingers in the bathroom can fuel mold growth, ruin paint, and cause hidden damage behind walls.
CHICAGO — Every home has a few cleaning tasks that are easy to forget, and the bathroom exhaust fan is one of the most commonly overlooked.
If the fan sounds louder than usual, looks dusty, or seems weak, it may not be ventilating the room the way it should.
DIY Playbook’s Casey Finn joined Tanja Babich to walk through this often-ignored but important household chore.
A bathroom exhaust fan has a simple but essential job: removing humid air from the room during and after a shower.
When dust clogs the fan, it cannot pull moisture out efficiently, which can eventually contribute to mildew, mold and peeling paint.
How to tell if your fan needs cleaning
Try the toilet paper test:
Turn on the fan and hold up a single square of toilet paper.
If the paper sticks to the fan, the suction is working.
If it drops, the fan likely needs a good cleaning.
