How to Clean an Air Humidifer
While air humidifiers help soften skin, reduce dry eyes and nose bleeds, even preserve furniture, they also spread bacteria or mold spores if they're not kept clean. Cleaning an air humidifier entails disinfecting its water reservoir and changing the filter just as much as it means removing dirt from the outside. Make sure not to mix vinegar or other ammonia chemicals with bleach as toxic, possibly fatal, gases will result. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Unplug the air humidifier.
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2
Remove the water tank from the humidifier. Empty and rinse it out to remove any residue or debris.
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3
Wipe the tank out, if you're able to reach in, with a damp rag.
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4
Fill the water tank with white vinegar and let it sit for about half an hour.
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Wipe the outside of the humidifier down with a damp rag while the tank is soaking. You may need to dig the rag in vinegar for tough stains or hard water spots.
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Scrub any especially stubborn soil by applying a little baking soda to the spot. Then wipe the area with a vinegar-soaked cloth. The baking soda will bubble when in contact with the vinegar. Wipe away any remaining baking soda once you're done.
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Empty the vinegar out of the water tank. Rinse the tank several times with water and fill the tank as usual. Replace it in the machine.
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Remove the old filter from your air humidifier and replace it with a new one. Make sure to use the filter that is specific to your make and model of air humidifier.
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Plug the humidifier back in.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use a bleach solution to disinfect your humidifier and wipe it down instead of vinegar. But make sure not to use both bleach and vinegar, because the two cleaning chemicals produce toxic gas when combined.
