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An air humidifier creates an ideal indoor microclimate and protects mucous membranes from drying out due to high temperatures. The device is suitable for families with small children who suffer from a cold even in summer. The device helps older people easier to tolerate heat and stay in good shape. The equipment needs regular maintenance so that no mold or fungus appears in the tank, and the walls of the appliance are not covered with a layer of scale.
Bad water is the enemy of the humidifier
Ultrasonic, steam and traditional mechanical humidifiers are filled with water, the quality of which determines the lifetime of the device and its productivity. It is recommended to use only distilled or filtered liquid, in which a minimum of harmful impurities.
The water from the tap is saturated with salts of heavy metals, which settle on the walls of the humidifier.The raid should be cleaned every 8–10 days, otherwise it hardens and firmly sticks to the device. Salt crust affects the operation of heaters and fans, reduces the service life of the device and creates favorable conditions for the growth of bacteria.
Hygiene procedures
Unplug the device and wait until the humidifier cools down when it comes to the steam version. Tank designed for water, remove and pour the liquid that is inside.
The first stage is the cleaning of the apparatus from dirt and the upper layer of plaque. You will need a soft cloth, no hard brushes, scratching the surface of the humidifier. Prepare a solution from liquid or regular soap. Mix 100 g of chips with lukewarm water and bash until foam forms.
Important: Do not use detergent for dishes, cleaning baths or toilet. Aggressive substances are harmful to the device and can cause damage. If chemical components of the detergent get into the sprayed liquid, they will cause headache and nausea.
Rinse the moistened tank with a damp cloth, carefully scaling.A soft toothbrush, which makes it easier to handle hard-to-reach corners, is also suitable. Do not rub the walls strongly or try to clean the hardened plaque with a knife so as not to scratch the device from the inside.
Do not forget about the nozzle: it is wiped with a soft cloth moistened in acetic solution, and then rinsed with all other details under the tap. You can use distilled water in which there are no harmful impurities. The liquid is poured into a separate basin and immersed in it the tank and the nozzle. It remains to blot the parts with a dry towel and allow to dry, then proceed to remove the scale.
Getting rid of plaque
The layer of hardened salts can not be removed mechanically. You will need soda, citric acid or vinegar, which reacts with harmful impurities and softens plaque. The component is diluted with water until complete dissolution and pour the resulting mixture into the tank. Per liter of liquid will need 2 tablespoons of soda, or 100 g of citric acid or 150 ml of vinegar. Use only one of the listed ingredients. You can not combine soda with vinegar, because the substances neutralize each other, and the plaque remains on the walls of the humidifier.
Take the device to the balcony or turn the spout to an open window so that the sprayed liquid goes outside. Connect to the mains and turn on the solution for 30–60 minutes. Water with soda or citric acid as it is sprayed will corrode scale, therefore, at the end of the procedure, the deposit will independently fall off from the walls of the apparatus. It is necessary to carefully peel off the exfoliated pieces, and then rinse the tank under the tap. Rinse with clean water until the specific odor disappears.
Important: Ultrasonic and mechanical types do not include, but simply pour solution into the tank and forget about the device for 12 hours. Liquid with pieces of scale to pour into the sink, and the tank and nozzle rinse, and you can use a humidifier, as usual.
About natural products
Do not like the idea of vinegar and citric acid? Do you want to use only natural ingredients to combat plaque? You can try freshly squeezed lemon juice, which dissolves salt no worse than vinegar. But this tool removes only fresh pollution and is practically powerless in neglected cases.
One or one and a half lemons squeeze and mix the juice with 3-4 liters of water.Pour the agent into the tank and leave it for several hours or a day. In the morning, turn on the humidifier so that the solution gets into the nozzle, and then thoroughly wash it with clean water. It's okay if a little money remains on the walls of the device, because the lemon is completely harmless.
Useful tips
Membranes of ultrasonic humidifiers cannot be cleaned with rigid brushes or rags. Usually complete with the device are special accessories for care. If there are no brushes in the box or it is lost, it is recommended to use a fleece fabric or a soft sponge.
It is necessary to ensure that the liquid does not fall on the body and into the interior of the device, otherwise the humidifier may burn. Removable parts are carefully wiped and dried before installation.
Instead of soda and citric acid use special tools designed to combat scale in electric kettles. Such cleaning agents will remove even a very old and ingrained plaque, which other components could not cope with.
Citric acid at the same time softens the plaque and disinfects the device, but if a fungus or mold starts up in the humidifier, bleach is needed,hydrogen peroxide or bleach. Do not use abrasive substances that are too aggressive for such devices.
The humidifier will serve for a long time if the unit is cleaned in time and the scale is removed. The device should be cleaned when the first signs of plaque appear, and not wait until it hardens and sinks into the walls of the device. After the procedure, you should thoroughly rinse the humidifier so that soda or chemicals do not get into the air with the sprayed water.
Video: Boneco Air-O-Swiss U650 humidifier cleaning
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