Four Steps to Follow When Cleaning Your AC Unit

Is your family breathing in all this dust dirt and grease from your air conditioner? Today HanDIYMan 007 will show you the proper way to clean and maintain your air conditioner, specifically the indoor unit of a split type like this matrix 1.5 horsepower in C. 
 
The steps I'm gonna show you throughout this video, pretty much apply to any AC brand type or model.

Both split type and window type models all have air filters inside which trap dust and particles from the air. A common misconception is that by just cleaning the air filters, you're already good. There are other parts of the unit you should also clean regularly to ensure you and your family are breathing in cool and clean air.


Let's cut the AC power source and begin. I have learned from experience and from welders, a symptom of dirty air filters is water condensing around the indoor unit and eventually dropping or leaking down on the floor. We are gonna focus on not just cleaning the air filters but also the entire indoor unit.




Step one
Opening the front panel or cover to gain access to the air filters, next we remove the air filters either by sliding them out or snapping them off. I do clean them every two to three months, I've seen neglected filters turn literally black with so much dust and grease. Be very careful in handling the filters, you do not want to disturb the dust that's clinging on to them or else the dust particles will fall and spread in the room, leaving you with more cleaning to do later. For now place them outside or in the sink and we'll come back to them later.


Step two
Use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of cobwebs, dust and loose dirt all around in the unit. I highly discourage using a blower because while it will blow the dust away from the unit, it will just spread the dust all over the room. Remember, you are cleaning indoors, a blower is more effective and less disruptive for cleaning the outdoor unit. What you really need to vacuum is the air intake vents on the top part of the unit, this is where all the dirt and dust accumulate even before reaching the air filters.


Step three
Wipe the unit with a damp cloth, just damp not soaking wet because too much water might find its way to the electrical components and cause damage. Mix water with liquid detergent such as dishwashing soap, do not use powdered detergent because sometimes it doesn't dissolve completely and just adds to unwanted solid particles that turn into gunk when it dries off. Focus on the air intake vents on top, because as you saw earlier, it's the dirtiest part of the housing failing to clean that area now would mean dust just ending back to your clean filters later.


You might be wondering, why do we need to use a damp cloth? It's because if we use a dry cloth or even a brush we'll just be agitating the dust particles and cause them flying around the room. If your damp cloth gets too dirty you can always clean it by rinsing and dry, soaking in a fresh batch of water and liquid detergent.


Step four
Clean the air filters themselves under running water, just rub them with your fingers and avoid using scouring pads or brushes where you might fray the filters. I highly recommend using antibacterial dishwashing liquid because not only is it effective in dissolving and washing grease away but can also kill bacteria and leave a clean fresh smell. Don't forget to also wash the antibacterial pads that come with the air filters, some will have just one pad while others might have two or even three.


Rinse until you hear your fingers making a squeaking sound against the filters, and that's what squeaky clean means. Lightly tap the filters against the rim of the same car top to shake off excess water. Set them out door to air-dry, I also recommend drying them under the Sun to kill off harmful bacteria that might still be lurking once completely dry. It's time to return the filters slide them back in or snap them back on then pull down the front panel and snap it back onto the main housing with light taps.
After switching the AC circuit breaker back on it's time to enjoy cleaner and cooler air.


AC Not Blowing Cold Air? Here's Why! | How to Clean Air Conditioner Filters
By: HanDIYman 007

Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKiqvCKM-eI