How to Clean Dehumidifier: A Complete Guide

Dehumidifiers are a praiseworthy home appliance, but some people do not take care of them nicely. This can cause pink mold build-ups, which are not good, as it can cause allergies and other related problems.

We know dehumidifiers as a mold-killer, but it would be surprising to see molds inside dehumidifiers, but it is very common. This is because dehumidifiers extract moisture from the air, and store it inside the bucket/water tank.

Therefore, the dehumidifier itself has a lot of humidity and requires regular cleaning and maintenance. In simpler words, a dehumidifier is like a matchstick, who itself remains humidified while dehumidifying its surrounding (sorry for the bad proverb lol :p).

Coming to the topic, we will help you to clean dehumidifier at home with images, and some humor. So let’s get started.

How to Clean Dehumidifier [QUICK GUIDE]

Cleaning a dehumidifier is not as difficult as you think, but yeah, you will have to have a little knowledge of how to dismantle the model of dehumidifier you own, and for that, please refer to the manual that you received inside the box at the time of purchase.

1. Dismantle your dehumidifier

The very first step is to unplug the appliance so you don’t get electrocuted. If you know to dismantle your dehumidifier, it’s great, but if you don’t know how to dismantle your dehumidifier, download its manual from amazon.com.

Just enter your dehumidifier’s model number. If it is available on Amazon, you can download the manual from the product page.

The manual has all the basic information you need. In the care and cleaning section, you will find the method to dismantle the appliance.

2. Cleaning the dehumidifier’s body

Take a clean piece of cloth, and clean the surface of the dehumidifier. You can also use a damp cloth to clean the surfaces with spots and marks, but make sure to clean it again with a dry cloth to remove the water marks from the body.

3. Cleaning the filters

The next step is to clean the filters. Almost every HVAC appliance has filters and requires regular cleaning for the proper functioning of the appliance. You can remove the filter from the grille and clean it.

To clean the filter:

1. Take a thin-bristle cleaning brush, and clean the dust trapped in the filter.
2. If the filter is extremely dirty, take a damp cloth, and clean the filter with it.  In some cases, you can wash the filter by dipping it inside a water bucket, but we don’t recommend it.
3. Once done, you can dry the filter by keeping it in direct sunlight.
4. Now place the filter back inside the grille.

4. Clean Dehumidifier Bucket

The most important part of a dehumidifier that should stay cleaned is the bucket where the water is stored. Due to bacteria present in the atmosphere, the water bucket can get contaminated and even develop molds in some areas.

This mold should be cleaned with a disinfectant solution, so mold growth stops completely and the dehumidifier stays in top-notch condition. To clean the water tank:

1. Take a cleaning brush
2. A solution (Water + detergent)
3. A cloth

Rinse the cloth in water and detergent solution, and squeeze to remove excess solution from the cloth. Clean the inside of the water tank nicely, and for stubborn spots, use the cleaning brush to remove them.

Some corners are hard to clean, and for that, we recommend using a used toothbrush, because it is long and can clean the corners easily.

How to Clean Dehumidifier With Vinegar?

Vinegar is a natural ingredient that can help you clean a lot of things around your home, including the dehumidifier. However, there are a few important things to keep in mind, which we’ve outlined below:

Ensure that your vinegar solution doesn’t contain ingredients other than distilled white vinegar. If it does, this can cause damage to your unit’s rubber components over time, forcing you to buy a new one.

1. Pour about ½ cup of distilled white vinegar into a cup of water and mix well. You can use more or less of this solution depending on the size and model of your dehumidifier, so make sure to do some trial and error before you get started just to be on the safe side.
2. Fill up the reservoir with your vinegar solution, then run the unit for about 30 minutes.
3. Now turn off the dehumidifier and unplug it, then let it air dry overnight at room temperature before you plug it in again.
4. This process will help clean your machine from any mildew or debris, which can significantly reduce its performance over time despite its size.

Note: If you’re using vinegar to clean your dehumidifier, then make sure that the unit is turned off before you do so. Vinegar alone can cause damage to rubber components that are sensitive to chemicals, so it’s best not to risk anything at all.

How to Clean Dehumidifier Bucket?

Many models of dehumidifiers operate using a bucket instead of the reservoir design. These buckets usually need to be removed to empty them, but you can clean them by simply following these steps:

First, remove the bucket from the dehumidifier, then put it into your sink or bathtub. Make sure that you use chemical-free soap or dishwashing liquid. Pour warm water into the bucket and let it sit for 1 hour to loosen up any dirt or debris that might be stuck on its walls.

Now take a soft brush like a toothbrush and scrub the inside of the dehumidifier’s bucket as well as its lid. You can also use a wooden or plastic spoon if you don’t want to dirty your hands.

Make sure you rinse the bucket with warm water and let it air dry in a well-ventilated area, preferably outside.

You can even put a few drops of essential oil into the bucket before running it through the cleaning process so that your dehumidifier’s bucket smells like lavender or mint.

How to Clean Dehumidifier Bottoms?

If your unit has a base tray, then it needs to be cleaned regularly, just as you would clean the filter screen and the reservoir tank.

This is where water usually accumulates after being processed by your appliance so you must clean it regularly.

Even though this process is simple, it’s usually placed last since the other parts of your dehumidifier are more significant in terms of overall functionality.

You can use any cleaning solution that’s safe to be used with your machine’s components but make sure not to use vinegar because this can cause damage to rubber components over time which will force you to buy a new unit.

Remove the base tray from your dehumidifier, then take it outdoors or near your bathtub so that you can clean it with ease.

Make sure to wear protective gloves if chemicals are involved when cleaning this part of your machine. Pour a small amount of cleaning solution into the base tray, then use a sponge or soft brush to scrub away any dirt and debris that can affect how your unit works.

It’s best to let the base tray air dry for an hour before you put it back inside so that mold will never be able to grow on it again.

How often should you clean your dehumidifier?

Seems like you are too lazy to clean your dehumidifier for months…Now what? If you won’t clean your dehumidifier, then it will cause damage to the dehumidifier and can even damage your health due to the high quantity of dust. We recommend cleaning dehumidifiers at least once a week.

Wrapping Up

If you clean the dehumidifier regularly, it can work properly for a longer time. So, to protect your dehumidifier and yourself, make sure that you follow what we said in this article.

If you have any suggestions to help our readers contact us, and we will feature you in this article. 🙂