The fastest way to clean a workshop

A gas blower is unusable in a closed garage. A corded one means dragging a cable past everything you just tidied. A cordless battery unit has no fumes and no lead, so you can walk from the bench to the saw to the car without unplugging anything.

• Sawdust off benches, jigs, clamps and finished work before assembly.
• Chips and dust out of table saw, mitre saw and router housings.
• Metal shavings from a drill press bed or lathe tray.
• Grit and cobwebs out of shelving, corners and window frames.
• Dust from PC cases, cooling fans, extractor filters and vents.
• Grill ash, garden tool blades and muddy boots before they come inside.

• Open the door first and work towards it.
• Start on low; full turbo puts fine dust into the air rather than on the floor.
• Cover or move anything with wet finish or open glue-up nearby.
• Blow from the top down — shelves, then bench, then floor.
• Wear eye protection; it is dust at speed.

Can I use a leaf blower indoors?

A battery blower, yes — there is no exhaust. Open a door first, wear eye protection and start on a low setting so you move dust rather than launch it around the room.

Is it better than compressed air?

For general cleanup it is faster and there is no tank to fill or hose to drag. Compressed air still wins for tiny precision jobs at very high pressure.

Will it damage tools or electronics?

Not on a sensible setting. Use low power for circuit boards, motor vents and control panels, and keep the nozzle a few inches back.

What about metal shavings?

It clears them off benches and out of corners well. Sweep the floor pile up afterwards rather than blowing shavings towards anything with an open motor.