You will often come across people talking of using vinegar in their humidifiers, and you may wonder if this is okay.
Where your humidifier is clean and well-maintained, it will work towards moistening the air in your home. You can thus breathe well and will be free of symptoms related to allergies. However, where it is not clean, that is a whole other story. It could get so bad that you could end up inhaling mold and suffering from respiratory problems.
Now, this is where the vinegar comes into the picture. You use it to get rid of dirt and microorganisms in the humidifier. In this way, you can look forward to clean mist circulating through your home. Here is how you can use this readily available ingredient:
Cleaning the Humidifier
This process is quite simple and can be easier where you do it often. Where you can, aim to wash the humidifier at least once each week, daily if you can. As for the water, the changes should take place every day to disrupt any microbial growth that may have started.
When cleaning the humidifier, you start by removing the filter. You then hold it under running water where you can rinse off any impurities that may be on it. Once this is over, you can then lay the filter on a towel where it can dry as you work on the other parts.
It is important to note that water by itself is sufficient to clean the filter. You may feel that there is a need to be more intensive in this, but you should not use any chemicals on it. Else, you could damage the filter, and it would not work as efficiently as it should.
Also on this note, you should check how often you should change the filter. This information will be available in the instructions from your manufacturer, and you should adhere to them. A filter whose time has lapsed will not be of much use to you.
The next step is to clean the water tank. You start by removing it from the humidifier and emptying the water in it. This frequent change of water ensures that mold and other microorganisms do not get the chance to thrive.
Fill the container with three cups of vinegar and shake it such that the solution covers the sides and the base.
You can now go about other duties as you let the container sit for an hour. If you wish, you can allow the vinegar to sit in the tank for more than this.
The essence of using vinegar is that it acts as a natural cleanser. In so doing, it inhibits the growth of microorganisms.
It also loosens any residue at the base of the tank. When you feel satisfied with the time the vinegar has spent in the tank, you can now proceed with a rinse. Where you think that the grime at the bottom of the tank needs some work to come out, scrub it away.
You can use a brush for this, but only if necessary as there is no need to be harsh in the cleaning process. Where a brush cannot access the interior, you can add some rice and some water. In so doing, you will create a slurry that you can shake to loosen the dirt. Follow through with a rinse.
Another benefit of using vinegar is that there is no danger if some of it remains in the container. If the humidifier pumps out mist with some vinegar, your loved ones will not suffer adverse effects. The same does not hold for other cleaners, which could have dire consequences on your health.
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