Cleaning With Compressed Air: 9 Of The Best Hacks (2024)

Cleaning With Compressed Air Has Its Benefits

Certain cleaning tasks require a specific tool to get the job done effectively, and sometimes there’s just no substitute for a can of compressed air. I usually do the bulk of my dusting with microfiber cleaning cloths, but when they’re too bulky for the task at hand, I reach for a can of compressed air.

Sometimes called “canned air” or “air duster”, what’s inside these aerosol cans isn’t actually air at all, but a gas compressed into a liquid form. When you pull the trigger on the can, the gas expands forcefully as it exits the can — forcefully enough to blast away whatever dirt and dust may lie in its path.

Not only does compressed air have no trouble fitting into small and hard-to-reach spaces, but you don’t have to worry about moisture, films, or residues like you do with wet cleaning methods. For both of those reasons, it’s a popular tool for dusting and cleaning computer hardware and accessories.

But compressed air can be used for cleaning around the house too. Today we’ll be exploring 9 spaces and items that are quick and easy to clean with the help of compressed air!

9 Ways That Compressed Air Can Be Used For Cleaning

1. Keyboards

As I mentioned, compressed air is ideal for cleaning computer keyboards, because you can remove dust and dirt from between the keys without taking anything apart. If you use a keyboard for work every day, this is one cleaning task you should be doing regularly (especially if you’re a desk snacker like I am!)

2. Device Ports/Jacks

As easy as it is to clean your phone’s screen, the little nooks and crannies like charging ports and headphone jacks are a totally different story. But with the help of my handy can of compressed air, I can blow dust, lint, sand, and other particles out of all the nooks and crannies in my phone and other devices!

3. Coffee Grinders

Are chunks of coffee beans jamming up your grinder? Blast them away with compressed air! No matter what type of grinder you use, compressed air is a great tool for cleaning it out to keep it running smoothly. After all, a clean grinder makes for better tasting coffee!

4. Delicate Keepsakes

If you decorate your home with trinkets, souvenirs, or nostalgic memorabilia, you may dread the painstaking and time-consuming dusting sessions required to keep them dust-free. Compressed air is gentle enough to use on all kinds of decor, and it tends to clean intricate objects more effectively than standard dusters.

5. Car Dashboard & Center Console

No more trying to jam a rag between the air vents in your car! Use compressed air to blast dust and dirt out of vents, displays, cupholders, and other areas of your car’s dashboard and center console.

Wipe away loosened dust with a microfiber cloth, or suck it up with a vacuum. You can check out more useful car cleaning hacks here.

6. Vacuum Cleaners

It should come as no surprise that your vacuum needs a good cleaning every now and then! While every few months I like to take mine completely apart and give it a thorough cleaning in the dishwasher, I use compressed air to keep it clean in between those deeper cleanings.

Compressed air makes short work of any loose dirt that may be trapped in the brush roll, canister, and filters. (I highly recommend doing this outside your house though, unless you’re willing to vacuum up another mess right after you’re done!) ;-)

7. Lampshades

If you’ve ever swiped your finger across a neglected lampshade, you know just how much dust those things can accumulate! Instead of rubbing the dirt in with a damp rag, give it a few spritzes of compressed air. Your lampshade will look as good as new!

8. Fans

It can be shocking to see how much dust and dirt accumulates on the blades of desk fans when they’re turned off. But instead of attempting to clean them, most of us just turn the fan back on and try to ignore the fact that a lot of that dust is getting pushed right back into the air!

But compressed air makes it easy to clean a dusty desk fan. Every couple of weeks, take your compressed air and your desk fan outside and spray air at the blades from all angles to remove dust.

9. Blinds

I used to dread dusting my blinds, because wiping down each individual slat was so time-consuming! But thanks to compressed air, this chore now takes a fraction of the time and effort it used to.

Compressed air works great on my horizontal blinds, and I’ve heard it’s great for mini blinds too. Find more tips for cleaning your window blinds here.

For more unconventional cleaning tools and tips for using them, check out:

• 9 Reasons Why Cooking Spray Is An Unusually Good Cleaner
• 9 Unexpected Things You Can Clean With A Clothes Steamer
• 11 Strange But Effective Cleaning Tips That Involve Food
• 11 Surprisingly Practical Ways To Use Kool-Aid

Do you use compressed air for cleaning at home?