How to Clean a Humidifier, According to a Cleaning Guru

Hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar for the win

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Published Jun 21, 2024

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how-to-clean-a-humidifier: a woman sleeping with a humidifier on the nightstand.

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A humidifier is one of those appliances that’s not really on your radar until you need it. Say, when the temperature turns frosty and your skin’s so dry it’s scaly. Or when you—or your kids—come down with a cold, and you’re desperate for something that can fight congestion and help you sleep through the night. Suddenly, it becomes a godsend, and you wonder how you’ve gotten by for so long without it...and why you left it in such a state of neglect. Here, a thorough guide on how to clean a humidifier—according to experts on cleaning and public health—which includes information on how to clean a humidifier with hydrogen peroxide and how to disinfect a humidifier, too.

It’s important to be equipped with all this knowledge—namely because the thing is sending water vapor into the air and the quality of said vapor will determine whether or not your air humidifier is helping or hurting. Fortunately, we got the full scoop from a cleaning guru and the process is not nearly as labor-intensive as you might think. Here’s the most effective, efficient way to go about it.

Meet the Expert

Beth McGee is a cleaning guru and author of Get Your House Clean Now: The Home Cleaning Method Anyone Can Master. She has over 20 years of experience as owner and operator of a professional residential cleaning service and maintains a popular DIY website called MyMobileHomeMakeover.

How to Clean a Humidifier

Cleaning a humidifier isn’t as daunting as it sounds, and typically just involves disassembling it so that you can clean each of the essential parts individually. That said, you can pay a pretty penny for air quality maintenance (psst: find our top humidifier picks here) so if you’re wondering how to clean a humidifier and feeling a little nervous about taking it apart, we get it. That’s why we spoke to Beth McGee to have her take us through it step-by-step.

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What You Need to Clean a Humidifier

Hydrogen peroxide
White vinegar
Microfiber Cloth
Glass cleaning brush (for certain styles of humidifier)

Yep, that’s it! Without further ado, here’s a straightforward guide on how to clean a humidifier the right way.

Step 1: Unplug the Humidifier

Stagnant water might need to be emptied from the humidifier and there’s water involved in the cleaning process. As we all know, water and electricity should never meet, so it’s important to unplug the humidifier before you begin.

Step 2: Empty and Clean the Tank

First, separate the tank from the base and pour out any remaining water. Now you’re ready to clean the tank—a good idea even if it looks clean because, per McGee, “the tank can collect a slimy residue that is not visible to the eye.” To do this, McGee recommends filling the tank with a solution of one part hydrogen peroxide to three parts water and letting it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Then, wipe down the sides of the tank with a cloth before dumping out the cleaning solution. (Note: McGee suggests using a glass cleaning brush to do this if your humidifier has a small filling hole that limits your access to the inside of the tank.) Finally, give the tank two thorough rinses to remove all traces of the cleaning solution and let it air dry.

Step 3: Clean the Base Reservoir

Hydrogen peroxide can be used to clean the base reservoir, but McGee says white vinegar will work just as well. Pour either liquid (not both) into the base of the humidifier and let it sit for 15 minutes. Once the base has soaked for a little while, empty it out and wipe it clean (McGee says a clean, damp microfiber cloth is best). Rinse and wipe clean, then rinse again before allowing the base to air-dry.

Step 4: Rinse (or Replace) the Wick

Wait, this thing has a wick? Per McGee, it’s a “flat or cylindrical material that facilitates the evaporation of the water in the unit,” and it does need to be cleaned, because this part of the humidifier is prone to mineral buildup. (The experts at Aircare explain that the wick is actually designed specifically to remove minerals and other impurities from the water in the tank.) To clean the wick, simply rinse it under cold running water to remove the mineral buildup and let it dry before returning it to the humidifier. If the buildup doesn’t wash away with water alone, it’s time to buy a new wick. Don’t apply cleaning products to it, McGee advises.

How to Disinfect Your Humidifier

What you need:

Water
Chlorine bleach

Step 1: Disassemble and Clean

As stated before, you want to make sure there isn’t any transparent, slimy goo clinging to your humidifier.

Step 2: Create a Water and Bleach Solution

Our friends at Allergy and Air recommend mixing one gallon of water with one teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach.

Step 3: Place Tank in the Base

Then allow the bleach solution to drain into the water reservoir. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 4: Empty the Bleach Solution

Rinse as needed, then wipe, dry and reassemble.

But First: What are the Benefits of Using a Humidifier, Anyway?

Humidifiers aren’t magic, but according to Berkeley Wellness (an academic blog run by the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health) they can be helpful to those who suffer from dryness of the skin, eyes or nasal passages. Feeling sick? The experts at Berkeley Wellness say that a humidifier can also “ease symptoms of a cold, sore throat or cough.”

What’s the Big Deal if I Don’t Clean it…Like, Ever?

So why do I even need to know how to clean a humidifier, you ask? “If not kept very clean, humidifiers can be a source of indoor air pollution, microbes and allergens,” Berkeley Wellness cautions. In other words, if the mist that your humidifier releases is dirty, it won’t be doing your lungs or your nasal passages any favors, which is kind of the whole point of the thing in the first place. (I can personally attest to the fact that my humidifier has done more harm than good to my sinuses when I was too lazy to maintain it properly.)

How Often Should You Clean a Humidifier?

Real talk: Humidifiers are kind of high maintenance, but nowhere near as bad as your laundry heap or sink full of dishes. You should change the water daily and sanitize it weekly.

3 Humidifier Maintenance Tips

Always empty the tank and reservoir. Don’t leave water just sitting in the humidifier when it’s not in use. I started following this sage advice (and wiping it out every time I emptied it) and found that my humidifier didn’t get grimey quite as quick.
Stay on top of filter replacement. Always refer to your manual, but the pros at Water Filters Fast say generally, you should replace your filter at least once every three months.
Dry your humidifier thoroughly. Remove and discard the filter and ensure all parts are clean and dry before you put the humidifier into storage.

Emma Singer

Freelance PureWow Editor

Has 5+ years of experience writing family, travel and wellness content for PureWow
Previously worked as a copy editor, proofreader and research assistant for two prominent authors
Studied Sociology, Political Science and Philosophy in the CUNY Baccalaureate independent study program.

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Stephanie Sengwe

Resident Hufflepuff, Beyonce historian, self-proclaimed tea sommelier

Steph is a native of Zimbabwe who is both enamored and genuinely baffled by the concept of silent letters. From 2020 to 2022, she served as Associate Editor at PureWow covering SEO content. That includes anything from finding the best lightweight foundations and compiling an expansive list of the best dog costumes to giving you a thorough breakdown on how to clean your sponge.

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