How humidifiers residue can make you sick
Contents
How humidifiers cause health problems
Health problems with humidifiers almost always occur because they contain bacteria or mold. It is easy to understand how this happened. The essence of the humidifier is to keep still water, evaporate it through the moist wick, and then blow out moist air.
It is good if the water to be evaporated is sterile. But the reservoir is just a humid environment, which will promote the growth of mold and bacteria. Once your humidifier is infected, your device becomes a distribution system for pathogens. When bacteria and mold spores are blown into the air, they will find a new, humid and warm place to live in-usually your lungs or sinus cavity.
Fortunately, preventing the humidifier from turning into a petri dish is easy: just clean it regularly. If you use a humidifier every day, you should repeat the cleaning procedure every three days to keep the air healthy.
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Clean the humidifier base
You should always follow the specific cleaning instructions for the humidifier. However, some general guidelines apply to many standard machines. To clean the humidifier deeply, first disinfect the humidifier with 3% hydrogen peroxide or white distilled vinegar. What does this do:
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Unplug the humidifier
- Remove the water tank and filter of the device.
- Pour a large amount of hydrogen peroxide or white distilled vinegar into the bottom of the humidifier.
- Use a clean toothbrush to scrub the film and minerals.
- Let the liquid sit on the bottom of the humidifier for at least 10 to 30 minutes, then pour out the liquid.
- Add clean water to the base and rinse it off to rinse. If any minerals remain, repeat the whole process.
- After cleaning the base, let it air dry.
Clean the wick
Mist humidifiers do not have an evaporative wick, but most larger floor models work with wicking pads that absorb water to promote water evaporation. The core can be a flat or cylindrical pad that can be mounted around a rotating drum.
No matter which type of wick you use, take it out of the humidifier every time you clean it and rinse it thoroughly with clean water. Do not use any cleaning agents on the wick. If the wick has formed a white mineral deposit, please replace it with a new wick pad.
Clean the water tank
The water tank of the humidifier is also a safe haven for bacteria and mold and must be cleaned regularly.
Mix a solution of four parts water with one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) in a water tank.
Let the solution remain in the water tank for at least 30 minutes. Then, empty the water tank.
Rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry the air in the water tank.
To prevent the growth of bacteria and mold, please change the water in the water tank every day and repeat the cleaning process at least once a week.
Does a clean humidifier still make you uncomfortable?
If the humidifier is still aggravating the sinuses and throat even after thorough and regular cleaning, it may be time to stop using tap water and switch to distilled water.
Tap water contains minerals and pollutants, which can promote the growth of bacteria. These minerals are especially common if you have hard water. They are the cause of the white dust left on the water tank and the wick after the water evaporates. On the other hand, distilled water is produced through an evaporation process, which only captures water molecules and leaves any mineral deposits behind.
Over time, mineral deposits may form so that the portable humidifier can no longer work effectively. When this happens, it may be time to buy a new humidifier. In addition, if there is significant mineral accumulation, there will almost certainly be bacterial accumulation. Consider switching to an antibacterial humidifier. These units can purify stored water, so they will produce cleaner and healthier mists.
