I posted over in beyond the manual asking if there was any official advice on cleaning the exhaust fan. A helpful member of staff said to post here and they would provide assistance.
Would really like to know what the official advice is on cleaning the exhaust fan. I do clean it but its not easy.
Thanks in advance GF team
I believe you will find this information if you search this category for “smoke coming out”!
The plus model is what I have, and it is also super easy to clean the fan because there is no heatsink in front of it, like on the Pro model. Every time I clean my Glowforge, which is about once a week right now (using around 3-4 hours per day during week, 8 hours per day on weekend) I also clean the fan off from the inside. I have been using some bleach wipes but recently switched to using some rubbing alcohol with a paper towel, and before that I use my shop vac to suck out the loose stuff. Takes all of 5 minutes and so far it seems to work really well. If you have a pro model, I feel your pain. I think Jules write up is the way to go.
Thanks for the replies folks. I have read alot of the stuff linked. I asked the question in beyond the manual and @jae on staff said to ask here and they would chime in with their official advice. Hence why ive posted when there are other posts.
I have a method you can use to clean your fan.
First, you’ll need to obtain a can of 3M Novec Electronic Degreaser, which you can purchase from Amazon or Digikey.
That page will walk you through the cleaning process. Brief summary:
Turn off and unplug your unit and move it outside. Make sure it’s in a location where it has power and Wi-Fi
Using the fan maintenance page, you’ll be able to turn the fan on
Following all manufacturer’s safety instructions from 3M, spray the degreaser into the fan while it’s running for approximately 5 - 10 seconds, or until the fan is clean.
When you’re done cleaning, turn off your unit to stop the fan, and return it to its usual home. You should now see considerably better performance from your exhaust fan!
Please let us know if you have any questions!
Apologies if I missed this, but what’s the recommendation on how often to do this degreaser cleaning method?
The fan will need cleaning only when it starts to accumulate gunk on the blades or the grill looks like it is becoming restricted. Cleaning with vaccum and maybe very small brushes is needed at that point. Cleaning with the degreaser might be necessary if the manual methods seem inadequate. At this point few of us have needed the degreaser. Heavy users are the exception. Had my GF for over a year and haven’t needed it yet. YMMV.
Very helpful, thank you - I am a low volume user.
Well…I’m doing mine again right now. Padauk causes a lot of resin buildup.(The gunk that’s coming off has a distinct reddish tint this time, and I’ve been 3D engraving, so a lot of buildup from that.)
Bleah! 
It’s been a little while since I’ve seen any replies on this thread so I’m going to close it. If you still need help with this please either start a new thread or email support@glowforge.com.