A dehumidifier is an appliance that removes moisture from the humid air. This reduces the humidity in a room, which can help reduce colds and respiratory illnesses. They are also used as an air filter and to prevent mold and mildew growth as well as protect home furnishings like wooden floors and carpets. The best dehumidifiers for basements are particularly common these days as these are places where there is a lot of moisture. They also have other uses aside from eliminating the humidity in a room.
The coils and air filter on a dehumidifier must be cleaned every so often to help it work efficiently, restore cooling power, and prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your unit. Regular cleaning can prevent mold growth which means no more foul odors as well as protection for your household appliances. Read below to learn how to clean a dehumidifier step by step.
Unplug Your Dehumidifier
Turn off the humidifier’s electrical source before starting any cleaning process. If you are unsure whether or not the appliance has electricity running through it, turn it off just to play safe. It is not recommended to clean the dehumidifier when it is still plugged in.
Clean The Bucket Filter, Pans And Case
Take out any removable pans if your unit has them, then wipe them with a clean rag or sponge dipped with warm water mixed with vinegar [1]. Cleaning products like dishwashing liquid can be used as well but you have to mix it first with equal parts warm water before using it. Do not pour all the liquid directly onto the pan or case as this will cause more mess inside your unit instead of doing good. If there are no removable pans for you to clean, focus now on cleaning the plastic casing, the bucket filter, and metal grills with soapy water in a bucket filled halfway. Rinse each part thoroughly after cleaning then place them back inside your dehumidifier.
Examine The Diffuser And The Fan
Open the dehumidifier’s casing or lid and check if there is dust, dirt, grime, mildew, mold growth, or any other visible build-up on its metal diffuser and fan blades. If you see some of these materials which need to be removed go ahead and wipe them off using a clean rag dipped in water mixed with vinegar or cleaning products like dishwashing liquid. You can also use a toothbrush to remove tough stains that may not come off easily with just cotton swabs or sponges. You will also want to clean the bucket filter. Clean all parts well after removing excess materials then return them back to their respective positions inside the unit making sure each is secured tightly before proceeding to the next step.
Clean Drainage Pans And Port
Spray the drainage pan of your dehumidifier with a garden hose or faucet turned on to its maximum pressure setting. Make sure that you use cold water as it is more effective in removing dirt and grime from hard-to-reach places. Use a toothbrush or any other soft tool to scrape all dirt, debris, and mold so they will not remain inside your unit which can cause further damage besides making it smell bad. You can also make use of an old toothbrush if you don’t have a new one available for this purpose, just be gentle and cautious in using it as the bristles are generally very thin which may easily break into smaller particles that might get inside your unit.
If you have a portable dehumidifier, like some of today’s best dehumidifiers with pump functionality, avoid lifting it when cleaning so as not to damage the casing and cause injuries like back pains or muscle fatigue. You can ask someone for help if you don’t feel confident in moving the unit around.
Clean Dehumidifier’s Drainage Hose
Clean the drainage hose of your dehumidifying appliance using running water mixed with vinegar or dishwashing liquid as well. Rinse thoroughly after cleaning then return them to their original positions inside your unit to make sure they are secured tightly before you put everything back together again.
Reassemble Your Dehumidifier
Once you have cleaned all parts of the dehumidifier take hold now of each part and assemble them all back. Do not forget to place the drain hose in its proper position then secure it tightly with a screw if your unit has one. At this point, you can plug your dehumidifier back into the power source and turn it on to see if everything is working fine or not. Note that the manufacturer recommends You should not start using a dehumidifier again until you are sure that there are no leaks inside which could contaminate the ground outside or below where you have placed it. If the machine still smells bad even after cleaning, try changing its location and use non-carpeted surfaces instead of carpeting materials as they tend to retain more moisture due to their fibers’ superb absorbency.
Remove All Moisture From The Water Tank
Empty all the water that is present in the water tank. This can be done by tipping it over or catching the runoff with a clean cloth and container to capture the liquid. Once this amount of water has been taken out, you can proceed to clean away any dirt or contaminants left inside.
Don’t use soap and detergents on your dehumidifier’s reservoir because these substances will mix with the collected water and make it more difficult for you to drain later on. Also never put dirty or soapy water back into your humidifier if you want it to function properly.
Wipe Down All Surfaces
Use cotton swabs or lint-free cloths dipped in mild soapy water to thoroughly clean the reservoir, water tank, and other parts of your dehumidifier. You can use cotton swabs or cloths on the surface of your humidifier’s coils as well.
FAQ
How To Clean a Dehumidifier and Disinfect It?
Wipe each surface with a cotton swab dipped in non-white distilled vinegar then put this into a container filled with 1 cup of warm distilled water for every 2 tablespoons of vinegar used. This is an effective method when learning how to clean a dehumidifier. Shake the mixture vigorously until it becomes cloudy then set it aside to cool down before removing the cotton swabs or cloths. Let your appliances air dry before plugging them back in.
Make sure to disinfect every part of the dehumidifier that you cleaned earlier to prevent any mold growth and protect your household appliances.
How To Clean A Dehumidifier With Baking Soda?
Baking soda is an effective method for cleaning a dehumidifier. All you have to do is add 3 tablespoons of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of dishwasher soap or shampoo solution, and 3 cups of warm water into the reservoir. Shake the mixture vigorously then let it sit for 30 minutes so that it can neutralize any smells inside before draining and rinsing the container with cool water. This should be done once every week for the best results.
How Do I Clean Mold Out of My Dehumidifier?
Mold needs water and food to grow so it is important to keep the reservoir empty when you are storing your dehumidifier for several hours or overnight. You can also prevent mold growth by wiping down the coils every week using a cloth dampened with distilled white vinegar. Since most dehumidifiers also remove excess humidity, this helps lower the moisture inside which discourages mold spores from growing and becoming more visible in the appliance’s reservoir.
How Do I Clean a Desiccant Dehumidifier?
A desiccant dehumidifier uses silica beads or other materials that absorb ambient moisture from the air, turning it into a gas through a drying process. Cleaning these appliances is not necessary as they have desiccant materials that are meant to be replaced roughly every 6 months. You should also never let tap waterfall into the desiccant dehumidifier as this can damage it. Instead, use a damp cloth or paper towel for cleaning and make sure to always unplug the unit before handling its components.
How Do I Clean a Compressor Dehumidifier?
A compressor dehumidifier has colder coils that can build up dust and dirt over time so you should clean these every month using distilled white vinegar and an old toothbrush. Never use harsh chemicals on your appliances because they might cause corrosion or discoloration which may compromise their function afterward. If possible, have a professional service technician handle the job for you if you are unsure of how to properly clean the dehumidifier.
What is the Best Way To Clean Dehumidifier?
The best way to clean a dehumidifier is not to use any cleaning product at all because this can adversely affect its components and function. For example, distilled white vinegar can corrode metal parts, while soapy water creates a residue that will mix with collected water and make draining it more difficult later on. If your appliances are dirty or dusty, you should just wipe them down using a cloth dampened with lukewarm water only then unplug them before storing them in a cool dry place for an extended period of time.
How Do You Clean A Dehumidifier?
You should never use any harsh chemicals to thoroughly clean your dehumidifier. To fully clean these appliances, you should use distilled white vinegar instead of any household cleaner because it is non-toxic and works well when dissolving any residue or discoloration left behind by tap water. If your appliance still has an odor after using vinegar, then place a bowl filled with dry ice in the area where the smell is most noticeable for several hours or overnight then empty the bowl before plugging in your appliance again.
How Do You Clean A Dehumidifier With Vinegar?
All you have to do is add 3 tablespoons of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon dishwasher soap or shampoo solution, and 3 cups of warm water into the reservoir. Shake the mixture vigorously then let it sit for 30 minutes so that it can neutralize any smells inside before draining and rinsing with cool water. This should be done once every week for the best results.
Can You Put Vinegar in a Dehumidifier?
You can use vinegar to clean your dehumidifier although you should never put it inside as this can cause corrosion and discoloration so always use distilled white vinegar with baking soda instead. Wipe down the coils and other parts using a cloth dampened in vinegar then let it sit for several minutes before rinsing off with cool water. If possible, have an expert technician handle the job when cleaning your appliance for you.
How Do I Clean A Dehumidifier With Vinegar And Water?
You should mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda into 1/2 cup of warm water first then pour this solution into the reservoir along with 3 cups of vinegar. Shake the mixture vigorously then allow it to soak for 30 minutes so that it can dissipate any smells inside before draining and rinsing with cool water. This should be done once per week for optimal results.
