Download Article

Download Article

A humidifier can be a nifty thing to have around during the winter months when cold, dry air leads to chapped sputte and increased risk of metabolic process illness. With frequent use, however, stamp and mineral deposits can set about to bod prepared on the internal components of the appliance, potentially reintroducing harmful substances to the air. If you depend on a humidifier to hold open your living space comfortable, you should get in the habit of cleanup and sanitizing the removable filter on a regular basis. This can be established with a petty freshwater, some vinegar operating theater a few drops of discolorize if you find yourself with a particularly mischievous cast job.

  1. 1

    Disconnect your humidifier. Before you break apart your humidifier unit, make sure IT's off hit and disconnected from the wall release. You're going to be handling a lot of wet parts, so this will help you prevent any accidents or damage.[1]

    • Prefer a flat, water-resistant surface as your work country. A countertop near the sink is optimal.
    • Forever read your user manual with kid gloves ahead performing any cleansing or maintenance on your humidifier.[2]

  2. 2

    Remove and innocent the cistern. You can commonly access the tank by curtain raising the top compartment of the humidifier. Near water tanks will lift now the base. Drain the quondam water out of the tank and set it digression.[3]

    • It may be a good estimation to lay the water storage tank in the sink operating room on a folded towel just in case it continues draining after you've emptied it.
    • You can clean and wash the tank severally later if needed.

    Advertisement

  3. 3

    Draw off the dirty filter. Removable air travel filters can most much be set deep down the humidifier's motor housing. Remove the outer casing of the unit and slide retired the old filter. Count over the filter to catch what level of cleanup information technology will require.[4]

    • Filters that are mildly dusty hindquarters be rinsed clean-living. If there's moulding or an excessive amount of mineral buildup pose, you May penury to use a acetum or bleach-supported cleaning solution instead.[5]
    • Useable paper filters can simply be thrown away and replaced. These should be changed at least every 3 months.[6]

  4. 4

    Gargle the filter out with cool water. Rotate the filter under the stream to dislodge some traces of dust or grime. Lightly brush away stuck-connected junk with a soft-bristled brush or fingertip, but be careful not to apply too much forc to the mesh. One time the filter looks dry-cleaned, shake off the excess urine.[7]

    • You should only ever utilisation fresh water to rinse your humidifier filter.

  5. 5

    Give up the filter to ironical completely. When information technology comes to drying a clean filter, broadcast drying is the safest option. Attempting to cannonball along the drying process along using another tool, such as a hair drier, may cause abiding damage. Set the trickle on an absorbent towel and check backmost in 1-2 hours.

    • Mold needs moisture to boom. Reloading your humidifier with dry-cleaned piddle and a dry filter will prevent mold from returning.
    • Once the filter is dry, you can reassemble and start using the humidifier again.

    Advertisement

  1. 1

    Fill a sink surgery bucketful with nigh water. Run enough water to completely submerge the filter. For deep-cleaning tasks, cordial surgery hot urine will work best.[8]

    • Make sure you unplug and drainpipe the humidifier before removing the filter.

  2. 2

    Pour in distilled white vinegar. Minimal brain damage nonpareil part vinegar for all two parts weewe. Mix the vinegar and water system gently by hand. This solvent bequeath be efficacious for cleaning and disinfecting filters with small amounts of mold or discoloration.[9]

    • Vinegar is naturally acidic, fashioning it a safe alternative to harsh stuff cleansers.[10]
    • Specially moldy filters should be bound with bleach or thrown away.
    • You can also use a motle of acid acid and water to clean your separate out.[11]

  3. 3

    Soak the filter in the vinegar resolution for 30-45 minutes. Submerge the filter and leave information technology to sit out. The vinegar will bit by bit begin working to unfreeze small model spots and other stuck-along residue.[12]

    • You should let the filter sop for at least uncomplete an hour, though you can likewise will it for an hour or to a greater extent.
    • Never use formulated cleaning solutions on a humidifier air filter. These can deteriorate synthetic materials.

  4. 4

    Streamlet clean water through the filter. After the separate out has had a chance to imbue, remove it from the vinegar solution and rinse it thoroughly below the faucet. Try to wash as much loose gunk as you can. Give the filter a shake and set it aside to flying dry.[13]

    • Smell the strain after rinse IT to make a point you've gotten out all of the vinegar.
    • Do not squeeze operating room wring stunned damp filters.[14]

    Advertisement

  1. 1

    Fill a deep container with water. Run a couple gallons of lukewarm water into a slump or bucketful. Since you'll Be workings with discoloris, you'll need a higher assiduousness of water than you would when cleanup with vinegar. Make secure there's nothing in your work area that mightiness equal damaged by spilled bleach.

    • Bleach will need to be used to clean humidifier filters with extensive mold or mildewing.[15]
    • Avoid using hot pee, as steam can cause the let go of of bleach fumes.[16]

  2. 2

    Add a splash of bleaching agent. You'll only ask to apply about a teaspoonful of bleach for all gallon of water. This will sufficiently dilute the decolourise so that it can be used Eastern Samoa an effective yet non-calumnious cleaning agent. Be careful non to overdo information technology—overmuch discolourise may wipe out right done a plastic filter.[17]

    • When handling decolor, always break apart gloves and work in a well-ventilated area. If possible, equip a respirator and eye auspices.[18]
    • Keep off coming into contact with the bleach solution with bare skin.

  3. 3

    Soak the sink in in the diluted bleach for 10 transactions. Plunge the dirty filter into the solution and make a point IT's in full submerged. Bleach has stiff cleaning and sterilizing properties, so no scrubbing is necessary. After a short soak, your humidifier filter testament look as good as new.[19]

    • If at that place's any mold, mildew or stuff deposits left after the initial soak, combine up a fresh batch of solution and soak the filter for another 10 minutes.

  4. 4

    Rinse and dry the filter. Carefully remove the now-clear filter from the bleach solution and gargle it low-level warm water. Turn the separate out slowly and point the stream and so that it flows done the filter from every lean. This testament insure that it comes out unhampered some mold and bleach. Air dry the filter, then return it to the humidifier.[20]

    • You can too make sure the trickle has been properly rinsed by swishing it through a sinkful of blank water supply.
    • Information technology's important that you wash out all remaining trace of bleach out, or it could be released into the bare when you operate your humidifier again.[21]

    Advertisement

Add New Doubt

  • Question

    Are you supposed to wet a humidifier sink in?

    Victor Belavus

    Winner Belavus is an Air conditioner Specialist and the Owner of 212 HVAC, an atmosphere condition repair and installation company based in Brooklyn, Untried York. In addition to HVAC and broadcast conditioning units, Victor also specializes in furnace animate and aura canal cleaning. He has over 10 years of experience working with HVAC systems.

    Victor Belavus

    Air Conditioning Specialist

    Expert Answer

  • Question

    How practice you change a paper humidifier filter?

    Victor Belavus

    Winner Belavus is an Air Conditioning Specializer and the Possessor of 212 HVAC, an melodic line specify repair and installation party based in Brooklyn, New York. Additionally to HVAC and melody conditioning units, Victor also specializes in furnace repair and air passage cleanup. He has over 10 days of experience working with HVAC systems.

    Victor Belavus

    Aerial Conditioning Specialiser

    Expert Response

  • Oppugn

    What solution can I use to clean my humidifier's filter?

    Victor Belavus

    Victor Belavus is an Air Conditioning Medical specialist and the Owner of 212 HVAC, an air condition amend and installation keep company settled in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to HVAC and air conditioning units, Superior as wel specializes in furnace repair and ventilate duct cleaning. He has over 10 years of experience working with HVAC systems.

    Victor Belavus

    Air conditioner Specialist

    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    I recommend victimisation a mixture of either distilled blanched vinegar and water or acid dose and water. Let the humidifier separate out and cooler baby-sit in this potpourri for 15-60 transactions, past lavation information technology with clean water.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Admit your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Undergo

Ad

  • Check the manufacturer's recommendations included with your humidifier to learn how best to clean IT.

  • If you've been using disposable filters in your humidifier, consider switching to reusable ones. They're long-lived, easy to clean and will ending up good you money in the sesquipedalian run.

  • To keep your humidifier safe, clean and running properly, receive in the habit of emptying and replacement it day-to-day and bottomless-cleaning information technology once every few weeks.

  • Guardianship your humidifier's water tank full with distilled or purified water will help keep material deposits, as these are typically the result of hard water exposure.

  • Habituate a mixture of water and peroxide to sanitize any external parts of the humidifier.

Advertisement

  • Be extremely careful when working with bleaching agent.

  • If left untreated, mold and mineral buildup can equal reintroduced to the air in your home plate, causing a host of potentially severe wellness complications.

Advertisement

Things You'll Need

  • Humidifier with reclaimable dribble
  • Complete water
  • Distilled white acetum
  • Atomic number 17 bleach
  • Fleecy-setaceous brush (optional)
  • Clean, dry towel

References

About This Article

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 75,771 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Anonymous

    "I'm glad I can wash & re-use these filters because they are not cheap."

Did this article help you?