How to Clean an Ultrasonic Humidifier
Ultrasonic humidifiers are ideal because they are inexpensive, very quiet and create a cool fog instead of hot mist that can burn kids. However, there are two issues to consider with these types of humidifiers. First, stagnant water can produce bacteria that will spray into your home. Second, they can also spray minerals into your air quite easily. It is therefore important to keep them clean and use pure water. Cleaning them is simple but does take some effort and should be done even if you continuously run them. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Empty out your humidifier every day. Unplug the unit. Wipe all the surfaces dry. Use a disinfectant wipe on the surfaces to safely get rid of any bacteria. Fill with completely fresh water.
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Consider using distilled water. Use distilled or maybe purified or filtered water to keep out minerals that easily get sprayed into the air. The effects of the minerals in the air aren't fully known, but they can leave a white powdery dust on things in your home.
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Remove hard water stains. Fill the tank with white vinegar and let stand. If there is a lot of scale, you may have to leave it between 4 and 24 hours.
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Get rid of bacteria. If the water in the humidifier is slimy and/or has an odor, you may have bacteria. You can buy a product such as Bacteriostat. You can also use a very small amount of bleach, possibly a quarter of a teaspoon or less, to temporarily freshen the water and hopefully get rid of the bacteria. The Mayo Clinic suggests cleaning your humidifier every three days with a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution. Check your manual for specific cleaning instructions.
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Clean the base. If your unit has a base, fill it with one cup of white vinegar and let it stand for 20 minutes. Use a cloth or brush to help remove scale from the base. You can also use specially made humidifier cleaner and follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning. Rinse the base thoroughly to get rid of anything but water. You can also disinfect the base with a water and bleach mixture. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes and then rinse the base thoroughly.
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Tips & Warnings
Replace filters often.
