As air conditioners deal with moisture, it can lead to the buildup of mould and mildew which in itself, is a health hazard when air passes through vents filled with these. This will spread a putrid odour around your house and also may aggravate allergies. Therefore, it is important to clean your air conditioning unit to not only optimize air flow but also for hygiene reasons. Here are a few simple steps to get a pristine air conditioner.
Step 1: Prepare Yourself
While cleaning an air conditioner, you will be dealing with a lot of mould and dust. Make sure you are prepared with cloves and a surgical mask.
Step 2: Remove Your Air Conditioner
Move your air conditioner outside and place it on a flat and level surface so that it does not move around. Make sure that you can reach the air conditioner easily.
Step 3: Disassemble the Air Conditioner
You should remove the air filter and clean it separately. You can clean it by simply using water or a hydrogen peroxide solution. Make sure whatever solution you use to clean it with is safe to use because solutions such as bleach can damage the components.
Furthermore, remove the front panel and store the panel along with the screws in a safe place. Lastly, remove the bar which secures the accordion panels and then remove the case cover. Make sure to store the screws and other parts in a safe place or else reassembling it will be a hassle.
Step 4: Start Cleaning
You can now use your garden hose and start spraying down your air conditioning unit. If you see any black sludge or mould present then use the hydrogen peroxide solution or a weak detergent and spray it on the area and let it soak. Make sure to get into the crevices and wash the external fans. After you are done, spray down the unit. If there is any residual mould then you can scrub it off.
Step 5: Dry it down
This is an important step because if the unit is not properly dried before reassembling then it can cause the components to rust. You may wipe down the disassembled parts. If you did not previously wash the parts then now would be a good time to wash them. Additionally, you should get into the crevices and go through the unit to make sure that you have not missed any spot. Let the rest of the unit air dry.
Step 6: Reassemble
Once you are sure that the unit has properly dried, put it back together.
Final Thoughts
As previously mentioned, if your air conditioning unit is not cleaned properly, it will make your house stink and will also become a risk to your health. In order to maximize the period between cleaning times then you can avoid turning your air conditioner on and off too frequently, this will minimize the buildup of bacteria. Overall, it is important to clean your air conditioner regularly.
