Inside: When was the last time you cleaned the humidifier? Check out these simple tips for the best way to clean a humidifier. It gets rid of any bacteria and germs quickly and easily.
It's that time of year again. Spring weather is here and it seems like it's always raining.
It's time for me to put up the humidifier until next winter. Since we have hard water here at our house the humidifier gets gross after a long winter.
Before I put it away I always clean it. If you don't regularly clean your humidifier check out these tips on the best way to clean humidifiers. It works great and is easy to do.
Why It's Important To Clean Your Humidifier
There are a few reasons why it is so important to clean your humidifier. Cleaning the humidifier helps it last longer. Mineral deposits can build up on the humidifier's parts and cause them to break or stop working.
Humidifiers help moisturize the air. But with the constant moisture in the machines, they can very quickly become a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Bacteria can grow out of control in humidifiers quickly too.
The Best Way To Clean Humidifiers
To start, if you have cleaning instructions from your brand of humidifier I always recommend following that instead of my instructions. If you are like me and threw out the instructions just follow along.
Items needed to clean a humidifier:
- Vinegar (just plain white vinegar)
- Water
- Drying Mat (or old towel)
You can see below my humidifier had a lot of build up in it. Because of the way it is made it's impossible to access that area to clean. Over the course of a winter, the buildup becomes really bad. There are big chunks of build up that are in the small hole and they won't come out.
Steps To Clean A Humidifier
To start, make sure you dump out any old water that is still left in your humidifier.
Step 1: Add a couple of cups of fresh water to the humidifier. You won't want to fill it up all the way, just add enough so it can run. Around 2-3 cups of water should do it.
Step 2: Add 1 cup of vinegar to the tank with the water.
The vinegar does two things. It breaks up any of the deposits that are stuck in your humidifier. The vinegar also kills off any bacteria or germs that are in the humidifier.
This is why it is the best way to clean a humidifier. It gets rid of the buildup and the germs.
Step 3: Let the humidifier run for about one hour with the vinegar and water mixture.
Note
It may have a slight vinegar smell as it runs but it shouldn't be overwhelming.
Step 4: After an hour unplug the humidifier and let it cool.
Step 5: Once it is cooled check it to see if all of the build-up has disappeared. If it hasn't let it run for another hour or until all of the build up disappears.
Step 6: Rinse out all of the parts and scrub the tank if needed. You can see below all of the build-up has completely disappeared.
Step 7: Then, let it air dry overnight so all the parts and inside are completely dry.
Step 8: Once the humidifier is completely dry you can put it back together and put it away for the season.
I love knowing that my humidifier is clean and clear of any bacteria. If you have really hard water like I do you may want to do this a couple of times during the winter to really keep your humidifier running smoothly.
Dealing with hard water elsewhere? Check out my favorite tips on getting rid of hard water stains on granite. It works great!
I recommend cleaning it once a week when you are using it regularly.
Adding a few drops of tea tree oil can help prevent mold and mildew from building up in your humidifier.
Yes, If there is visible mold growing in the humidifier I recommend throwing it out and starting with a new humidifier.
Vanessa says
This was a good read! Vinegar is helpful for cleaning these sorts of things!