How To Clean An Apartment Ac Filter

During the winter months, the dry weather climate ways your humidifier might be working overtime, so it's important to give it a regular deep make clean. Water is a breeding footing for mold and microbes — if you wait too long in-between cleanings you may end up animate in some of that bacteria.

We consulted with experts hither at the Good Housekeeping Plant to assist go along your humidifier clean during the wintertime months (and across!). When y'all begin to clean your humidifier, basic steps will depend on the type you have. "It'southward ever best to follow the cleaning directions of your model," says Carolyn Forte, Executive Director of the Habitation Appliances and Cleaning Products Labs.

For specific maintenance instructions, Forte recommends belongings on to the owner'due south manual — or keep it effectually until yous become the hang of information technology. If you tin't seem to find your owners manual, you tin always contact the manufacturer or hop onto their website. But if neither is at your disposal, here are the basics to cleaning a humidifier.

First, how often should you clean a humidifier?

The respond might surprise yous. At least once a week, plough off your humidifier and get cleaning — but you can do information technology more ofttimes if yous or anyone in your family has respiratory bug.

"The key, whatsoever the blazon, is to clean and maintain information technology regularly. Stagnant h2o is a magnet for bacteria growth and you don't want bacteria spewing back into the air, especially if family members endure with asthma or allergies," says Forte.

What you lot'll need to clean a humidifier:

You lot don't need (and shouldn't utilize) detergents or abrasive brushes to clean a humidifier. Just gather upwardly the following:

Distilled white vinegar or liquid chlorine bleach (Note: never mix these ingredients)
A small, soft brush, like a toothbrush or nylon dish castor

How to make clean a humidifier with vinegar:

Note: Don't try to wash the wick filter as information technology can impairment the paper-like material and potentially remove an antimicrobial coating. You're better off replacing the filter with a new one.

Both cool mist and warm steam humidifiers utilize a similar procedure, but some of the parts may differ. Some brands may likewise have parts that are dishwasher prophylactic. Check the possessor'due south manual to exist sure.

Step 1: Unplug and empty the humidifier, and disassemble information technology completely.

Footstep 2: For the base and tank, pour i to two cups of undiluted white vinegar into the water tank and swish it around to completely moisture the interior of the tank. (Some brands recommend a mix of white vinegar and water.)

Footstep iii: Place the vinegar-filled tank on the base (or, if your humidifier allows, pour vinegar directly into the base), and allow the vinegar to drain into the reservoir to loosen mineral build-up. Let represent 15-xx minutes.

Footstep 4: Empty the vinegar from the tank and base and use a small castor to scrub crevices and remove any stuck-on mineral deposits. For pocket-size parts like the tank cap, wipe with a clean cloth or sponge dipped in full-strength white vinegar.

Stride v: Rinse all the parts thoroughly and air dry, then reassemble.

How to clean your humidifier with bleach:

If yous call back your humidifier'due south in need of a deeper clean, yous can also use a bleach solution to assist impale lingering bacteria.

Disassemble and clean your humidifier as outlined above.
Mix 1 gallon of h2o with i teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach. Pour ½ to ¾ of the bleach solution in the h2o tank and swish to wet the entire within. (Some brands may recommend a mix of three% hydrogen peroxide and water for this step.) If your humidifier has a second tank, do the same with the remaining solution.
Identify tank in the base of operations and allow the bleach solution to drain into the water reservoir. Allow it to stand for fifteen-xx minutes.
Empty the bleach solution from the tank(s) and base. Rinse with clear h2o until the odor of bleach is gone.
Wipe dry out and reassemble.

Humidifier maintenance tips:

Now that your machine's in expert working order, have these steps to continue it running smoothly:

Levoit

Always empty the tank and reservoir when the humidifier's not in use. Leaner tin can grow in as footling as one to two days.
To prolong the life of your wick filter, turn it over each time you fill up the tank to keep the top from drying out and to help the filter age more than evenly.
Supercede the filter every thirty-sixty days depending on condition and apply, especially if it gets hard and crusty from water minerals, gives off an scent, or the wet output of the humidifier decreases.
Remove and discard the filter and ensure all parts are clean and dry before you put the humidifier into storage, per the manufacturer'southward directions.