# cleaning a room a/c filter



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Take it outside and spray it down with a garden hose. Winter, clean in our laundry sink. You are not going to catch anything when you clean out the filter, but using bleach will actually destroy it.


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

I just use the spray hose on my sink. I clean mine at least a few times a month. Once a month or so I will wash with a little mild detergent.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

I just wash mine with mild (dish) soap and warm water. If you are concerned you could mix a little liquid lysol in with the water. It's antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. A little pricier than bleach but not as caustic.


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

Also, for my kitchen AC window unit I use detergent every time 'cause it gets greasy.


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## me1900 (Jul 8, 2011)

Just soaking it for 5 or 10 minutes in hot bleach water, light scrubbing with a rag turned it back to its original color. smells better. More ideas, concerns, revelations would be nice. :thumbsup:


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Just spray out, and rinse. Soaking in Bleach as stated before is over kill.


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## me1900 (Jul 8, 2011)

I have a good reason why I used hot bleach water. Just rinsing the filter doesnt always remove that build up. Thru time it turns black and cant filter well. Cold water itself doesnt kill the germs. Doesnt remove them. My filter is not ruined. It looks like new now. If your using a foam filter best to replace it with a new one. 

Soak in hot bleach water for 10 minutes. While immersed use a clean rag and gently scrub the filter till its white as posible, then rinse under hot water. Allow to dry before insterting it into the window a/c unit. Do not use other cleaning detergents. 

Let's hear it from a Licensed A/C technician from DIY. What is their thoughts? :wink:


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## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

I have an Electrostatic AC filter on my central air, and I just pull it out every couple of months and spray it with 409 spray and let it sit for a few minutes, after which I hose it down. 409 loosens all the crud and also kills bacteria and germs.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

always best to follow manufacturers directions... clean filter with warm soapy water, rinse well and let dry. Bleach seems like over kill but I can not see why it would hurt anything


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

I stopped using bleach for cleaning most everything I used to use bleach for. I now use Hydrogen Peroxide found at almost any store, and cheaper than bleach. After I took some classes for an Environmental License years ago they taught us the difference between using bleach and HP. Many reasons to use HP, but the best one was that you can put HP in your mouth, swish it around, and spit it out. Do Not try this with bleach.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

Thurman said:


> I stopped using bleach for cleaning most everything I used to use bleach for. I now use Hydrogen Peroxide found at almost any store, and cheaper than bleach. After I took some classes for an Environmental License years ago they taught us the difference between using bleach and HP. Many reasons to use HP, but the best one was that you can put HP in your mouth, swish it around, and spit it out. Do Not try this with bleach.


Biggest problem with Hydrogen Peroxide is that it breaks down very easily and quickly. That's why it comes in brown bottles. I don't believe it is all that effictive on aerobic type bacteria and am certain it has no antifungal nor antiviral properties. It is an excellent product for wound cleaning as it really does a number on anaerobic bacteria which are a big cause of infections. Really tough to beat bleach for a cost effective disinfectant.


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

jschaben said:


> Biggest problem with Hydrogen Peroxide is that it breaks down very easily and quickly. That's why it comes in brown bottles. I don't believe it is all that effictive on aerobic type bacteria and am certain it has no antifungal nor antiviral properties. It is an excellent product for wound cleaning as it really does a number on anaerobic bacteria which are a big cause of infections. Really tough to beat bleach for a cost effective disinfectant.


Both are oxidizers. They both bleach the color out of things. 

Household bleach contains 3-6% hypochlorite (NaCLO) and it contains 0.01-0.05% NaOH (lye), is fairly basic (as in 12 pH). It is both a bactericide and kills some viruses. It is widely used in the US to treat water and is recommended by the EPA for emergency water disinfection at great dilution (2 drops/liter). The cost effectiveness of two drops of bleach? Pretty significant.

Household hydrogen peroxide is usually 3% H2O2 is a weak acid and decomposes spontaneously into H2O + O2 (as @Jschaben mentioned). It is more stable at cooler temps and can be stored in the fridge. And is used in some municipal water treatment in higher than available to consumer concentrations. It is used as a disinfectant at hospitals in the 35% concentrations. In the household concentrations is it not an effective agent for reducing bacterial infection in wounds - it acts primarily as a debrider (removes dead/sick/newly forming tissues). And doesn't equal sudden death to germs at household concentrations. But it IS less caustic than bleach. It should never be ingested. And is considered mildly irritating to skin and mucus membranes.

Holy Cow - Guess I did retain something with my Chemistry Minor!


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

Leah Frances said:


> Both are oxidizers. They both bleach the color out of things.
> 
> Household bleach contains 3-6% hypochlorite (NaCLO) and it contains 0.01-0.05% NaOH (lye), is fairly basic (as in 12 pH). It is both a bactericide and kills some viruses. It is widely used in the US to treat water and is recommended by the EPA for emergency water disinfection at great dilution (2 drops/liter). The cost effectiveness of two drops of bleach? Pretty significant.
> 
> ...


:thumbsup: Amazing isn't it... Thanks for the clarification.


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## hellengeek (Aug 30, 2019)

Using a common household cleaner (like bleach) can be one of the best ways to deal with small areas of mold on your walls. Use two parts water to one part bleach, lightly scrub the area and leave the bleach on for a few minutes (but don’t saturate the wall) so it kills the surface molds and penetrates the wall to get the roots. Blot dry with a clean cloth afterward. It works best on hard non- permeable surfaces.


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