How to Clean Humidifier Filter [With Images]
Humidifiers are life saviors in themselves. They give temporary relief in the dry and arid regions by stimulating and adding moisture to the air.
And it is not just beneficial to your health but also to the health of your house. Dry air often cracks the walls and wallpapers of your home, which can also cause potential accidents.
The water droplets released by the humidifier create a perfect balance of moisture in the air, which is essential for a peaceful environment of the house.
This balance would ensure that you remain safe in your place, with your health also not being compromised. Healthier and smoother skin, unclogged nose, and wet throat are just some of the benefits that it brings with itself.
And now imagine the humidifier’s filter becoming dirty. The consequences it would have would completely nullify the benefits that the humidifier gives. It won’t just have an effect on the structure of the device but also deteriorate your health.
Hence it is imperative to keep your filter clean. In this article, we have penned down the method of how to clean the humidifier filter.
How it Works
Now, humidifiers are almost a godsend device that has immense benefits for people suffering from the effects of dry air. But it would only work when taken care of nicely. And that in turn, would only happen if you keep and know how to clean the humidifier filter.
The majority of the humidifiers come with a filter attached to them that helps clear out the dust and other particles before the mist is released into the air. These can range from bacteria, allergens, or other household germs.
If you are not careful and do not clean it on a regular basis then, these particles would mix with the mist and enter your body. This can cause you major health issues that would probably last you for quite a while. And that is something that you certainly don’t want from an investment that is supposed to keep your health intact.
So to keep the mold and bacteria away and maintain the quality of the air, it is essential to ensure the cleanliness of the filter of your humidifier. And what exactly do you need to do to keep your filter clean? Look at our compiled list of different methods that you can take into action!
What You Will Need
You must be wondering about what things you would require to clean humidifier filter. There are some humidifiers that give you cleaning materials and maintenance tools when you buy the humidifier.
If you have them stored away, then this is the best time to take them out and match them with our list. If you don’t own them, then you can easily get them from any hardware store or the nearest departmental store.
A cleaning solution or extra strength soap. You can either buy the pre-made solution from the store or make it yourself at home. As for the brand of the cleaning solution, you can buy anything as per your preference unless it has been stated otherwise by the humidifier company.
You just need to ensure that it can remove stains, and can kill germs and bacteria. If you are prone to strong smells then take the fragrance into account as well.
For making the homemade solution you are required to mix water and undiluted vinegar in the same proportions. Additionally, you can add a teaspoon of bleach if you want to simultaneously want to disinfect it. Bleach can also be substituted with baking soda.
This hardly requires you to buy new ingredients from the market as this is everything that you get around the house. And you will find that this homemade solution is quite effective in doing its job.
- Sponge. A regular scrubbing sponge and nothing special.
- Hot water
- A sink, container, bucket, or basin.
3 Ways To Cleaning a Humidifier Filter
Now we have compiled three distinct methods so you can pick one that suits your time frame and availability of materials.
Method 1: Rinsing a Reusable Filter
Step 1: As for the first shut the power button and remove the plug from the socket. Since we would be using a lot of water, touching a piece of running equipment with wet hands can give you an electrical shock. Unplugging would ensure that you are not prone to it.
Step 2: After unplugging it is time to drain the unit. You are required to either remove the lid of the tank or detach the water tank and drain all the water. Since we would be using a lot of water it is definitely recommended to do it near a sink.
Step 3: Once the unit is completely empty, carefully and gently pluck the filter out. You can find it inside the motor housing of the humidifier. T
hen you need to check and assess the condition of the filter and determine how much cleaning would it possibly require.
If it is just mildly dirty with just some specks of dust and dirt without any distinct hard growth then you can just rinse it with tap water.
But if you notice the growth of mold and bacteria then you would require much more cleaning. You can use the listed solution, bleach, or water to clean the filter thoroughly.
Rinse it once with the water then let it soak inside the solution. Let it rest for a while until you are sure that the build-ups are loosened enough to be removed.
Although if your humidifier’s filter is made up of disposable paper then there is no way to clean it. You need to just dispose of it and buy another.
Step 4: Now place it under running water so that it washes away any residual bacteria and mold or any other impurities. After making sure that there isn’t even a speck of residue remaining let it rest to dry. And finally, just place it back to its proper place and you are good to go!
Method 2: Cleaning a Dirty Filter Using Vinegar
Step 1: Find a container and fill it with water. Place the filter inside it for soaking.
Step 2: Now bring out the solution that you had prepared before. The vinegar and water should be in the proportion of 1:2 respectively. This solution would responsible for removing the hard build-ups like mineral deposits from the filter.
Step 3: Now immerse your filter inside the solution. Let it soak thoroughly for around 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 4: After you are sure that the filter has been soaked properly remove it from the solution. Wash the filter nicely under running water.
Do this until all the residue is removed and you can no longer smell the strong scent of vinegar. Once it is clean, let it dry, and then put it back inside the humidifier.
Method 3: Cleaning a Filter Using Bleach
This is the method that is hundred percent effective in removing all the hard substances as well the health-compromising bacteria and germs while also sanitizing them. It will kill any sort of build-ups and ensure that your air remains pure.
Step 1: To start this method you would need a container, sink, or bucket. Fill it up with a high concentration of water. In comparison to when we cleaned the filter, cleaning the filter with bleach requires a higher concentration of water.
Step 2: For preparing the solution you need to add a teaspoon of bleach to a gallon of water. The proportion would come down to 1 part of bleach to 6 parts of water. Be extremely cautious when working with bleach as it can burn and scorch naked skin and even some surfaces.
Step 3: After preparing the solution you are supposed to soak the filter inside it. Let it be for around 10 minutes. You do not intervene in the process to scrub the filter as the bleach itself would automatically remove all the build-ups and sterilize it.
Step 4: After the last step is completed take the filter out of the solution. Rinse it using hot water and remove any residue that might be still sticking to it. Also, clean it enough that the smell of bleach goes away from it completely. And if you don’t do it the smell of bleach would mix with moisture once you start using the humidifier.
Conclusion
As you might have noticed that cleaning a humidifier is actually an easy task that requires minimal effort from your side.
You don’t even need to spend something extra on cleaning it so if cost is holding you back then cleaning the humidifier filter is right up your lane. It is something that will give your humidifier a long life and ensure that your health is in top condition!