How To Clean Window Air Conditioner Filter

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The filter in your air conditioner can go pretty gross without regular cleanings, and a muddy filter doesn't do as skilful of a job keeping dust, dirt, and debris out the air you're animate. Fortunately, cleaning the filter in your air conditioner is elementary once yous know what to do. Check out the steps beneath to learn how to clean the filter, how often y'all should clean it, and how to make up one's mind if your AC filter even needs to be cleaned in the kickoff place.

1
Decide if you lot can clean your filter. Some air conditioners have filters that can be cleaned. But other types of air conditioners have filters that are meant to be disposed of subsequently a given amount of time. Consult your air conditioner's pedagogy manual to decide whether cleaning your air conditioner'southward filter is an selection.^[ane]
- If you take a replaceable filter on your air conditioner, supercede it at to the lowest degree every 3 months.^[ii]
two
Turn the air conditioner off. You should never clean your air conditioner's filter with the air conditioner on. This will crusade a rush of unfiltered air into your residence and cause your air conditioner'due south evaporator coils and other internal parts to collect clay and particulate matter.^[3]
- Exercise not employ your air conditioner until you've replaced the filter.
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iii
Admission your filter. On large central ac units, yous should be able to locate your filter by looking along the return duct'southward length. You might need to unscrew a few screws to access information technology. In small-scale window-mounted air workout units, yous'll have to pop the front face up of air conditioner off with a putty pocketknife.^[4] In wall-mounted air conditioners, y'all might accept to slide the front panel off in order to admission the filter.^[5]
- Consult manufacturer directions for more information on how to access your air conditioner'due south filter.
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i
Use a vacuum cleaner for routine cleaning. Just popular the filter out or unclip information technology (depending on the make and model of your air conditioner) and employ the tube extension on your vacuum cleaner to suck all the dust and grit out of the filter. Replace the filter when you've finished cleaning information technology.^[6]
- If y'all've taken good intendance of your air conditioner'southward filter, yous might not see a visible modify in the filter when cleaning it. Rest bodacious, it is getting make clean.
- On the other hand, y'all might not be able to get all the dust and dust out of the filter. Merely use the vacuum to suck upwardly every bit much as y'all can.^[7]
- This method is all-time for giving your filter its regular cleaning. Nevertheless, if yous're planning to launder your filter, you lot should still vacuum it outset to remove whatever large particles.^[8]
two
Rinse the filter for a deeper clean. If, after you've vacuumed your filter, it still has a skillful bargain of particulate attached, try washing information technology. To get started, remove your air conditioner filter. Mix ane part vinegar and one part water. For instance, yous might mix five cups of h2o and five cups of vinegar. Pour the mixture in a tub or a wide sink that tin accommodate your filter.
- Submerge your filter in the mixture for at least one hour. If it is exceptionally grimy, leave it in for two hours or more than.
- Drain the h2o and vinegar solution and dry the filter on a rack. Replace it when dry out.
- Instead of water and vinegar, you could mix a pocket-sized amount of detergent or liquid dish lather into a book of water that will encompass your filter when it is submerged.^[nine] You could as well soak the filter for virtually xv minutes in 1 50 (34 fl oz) of water mixed with 30g of citric acid.^[x]
three
Hose your filter down. If the conditions is overnice and your filter is too large to fit in your sink, accept your filter outside and lean it against a wall. Spray your hose on the filter. Practise non use a pressurized hose nozzle or you might chance vehement or damaging the flimsy filter.^[11]
- You could likewise hose your filter downwards in your shower. Merely prop the filter up in your shower and, using your shower'south detachable showerhead, spray the filter's entire surface, front and back, in a zig-zag move.
- Afterward hosing your filter downwardly, allow it to dry, so replace it.
- For added effect, you lot could sprinkle a few spoonfuls of baking soda over your filter before spraying it downwards.
iv

Use the automatic cleaning part. Some modernistic air conditioners might be equipped with a function that cleans the air filter for you. These air conditioners use an internal cassette and brush device to remove particles from the filter, then deposits the dust and particles in a small sleeping room from which they are blown outside. If your air conditioner has such a feature, set it to clean your filter regularly.^[12]

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Make clean your filter regularly. Different air conditioners have different filter cleaning requirements. Some filters need to exist cleaned once every two weeks.^[13] Some manufacturers recommend cleaning merely once every 30 days.^[14] Still others crave cleaning only one to four times per yr.^[15]
- Consult your manufacturer'southward directions for data about how often yous should clean your filter.
- You should clean your filter more than oftentimes if you have pets or allergies, or if you're using your air conditioner regularly.
2
Discard your filter if necessary. Despite your careful and regular cleaning, your filter volition eventually habiliment out. If you notice whatever tears, holes, or damage to your filter, supervene upon it with a new ane.^[16]
- You can buy an air conditioner filter at your local home appliances store or online.
3
Clean the condenser coils. Cleaning the condenser coils can make your air conditioner more than efficient and better its lifetime. If you have a window-mounted air conditioner, y'all'll demand to accident compressed air in brusque bursts at the back stop of the unit (the part of the air conditioner that sticks out the window).^[17]
- Alternately, employ a soft-bristled brush to scrub between the grating of the air conditioner's intake. Be conscientious not to bend any of the coil fins.
- If you want to make clean the condenser coils of your large central air conditioner unit outside, remove its outer case, then accident compressed air beyond its surface in short bursts. Y'all could as well choose to utilize an industrial-strength vacuum fitted with a soft-bristle brush attachment to suck the grime and dirt from where it has collected betwixt the coils.
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What's the best way to clean an AC filter?

Victor Belavus is an Ac Specialist and the Owner of 212 HVAC, an air condition repair and installation visitor based in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to HVAC and air conditioning units, Victor besides specializes in furnace repair and air duct cleaning. He has over 10 years of experience working with HVAC systems.

Air Conditioning Specialist

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I recommend using replaceable filters for your air conditioner—simply utilize a new one every 3 months or so. All the same, if you have a reusable filter, clean it by vacuuming it start to remove whatsoever large particles, and so soak the filter for 15 minutes in i liter of water mixed with 30g of citric acid. Afterward, launder it thoroughly with water.

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Cleaning or replacing your filter tin improve your air conditioner's efficiency past 5% to 15%.
Wear a disposable confront mask when cleaning air filters. This volition preclude you from breathing in harmful grit particles that may comport leaner.

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Things You lot'll Need

soft-bristled brush
compressed air
vacuum
vinegar

About This Article

Article Summary X

To clean the filter on your air conditioner, make sure the unit of measurement is turned off earlier you pop out the filter. For routine cleaning, use the tube extension on your vacuum cleaner to suck the clay and dust out of the filter until it looks clean, and and so put it back on the unit. If the filter nonetheless has a lot of clay afterward you vacuum it, endeavour soaking it in a mixture of 1 role vinegar and 5 parts water for 1 to ii hours. Then, permit it dry before putting it back on the air conditioner. For more tips on how to keep your air conditioner make clean, like how to know when your filter needs to exist replaced, keep reading!

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