Home air conditioner cleaning products: types and selection rules

When purchasing climate control equipment for your home or office, you must not forget about the need for periodic maintenance. Timely maintenance of the air conditioner will ensure uninterrupted operation and extend its service life, eliminating the risk of breakdowns and malfunctions.

Repair and maintenance of split systems are carried out by experienced specialists, but there are also some preventive measures that the owner of the equipment can easily cope with. One of the important points in maintenance is periodic cleaning and disinfection of the air conditioner, which ensures high-quality and efficient operation of the device.

In the article we will look at information on cleaning a household air conditioner on our own, how to understand that the air conditioner is dirty, a description of the procedure for cleaning the indoor and outdoor units, and what products to use to remove dust and dirt.

Operating principle

It is recommended to disinfect a home air conditioner at least once every 6 months, but usually cleaning the device from dust and dirt, as well as disinfecting the system using antibacterial agents, is carried out in the spring, before starting active use, and in the fall, before storing the device.

The need for cleaning is detected when an unpleasant odor appears, as well as when the sound of the operating air conditioner changes (it begins to hum strainedly). In addition, water may begin to drip from the indoor unit. All these signs indicate that it is time to clean the device.

You can clean the air conditioner yourself (the process technology is described here) using special cleaners. The principle of action of household chemicals to remove dirt and harmful bacteria depends on the composition of the preparations:

surfactants included in sprays and solutions do an excellent job of removing large fragments of dirt, grease and dust;
chloroalcohol, acid and alkaline agents are used as disinfectants to get rid of harmful microorganisms.

Criteria for choosing a cleaning product

In order to decide how to clean your air conditioner at home, you should understand the types of disinfectants and cleaning compounds that can be purchased in stores. Typically, the following means are used to remove contaminants from devices:

Foam aerosol cleaners. Foam-type cleaners are designed both for removing contaminants in household appliances and for treating air conditioners in cars.

The penetrating agent is sprayed from an aerosol can and settles on the surface of the internal elements of the device in the form of thick foam. A chemical reaction breaks down fat, softens dirt and dust, after which the foam, along with the remaining particles, is removed with a napkin or brush. To clean a car air conditioner, purchase a special elongated nozzle that allows you to easily reach the desired place.

The foam not only cleans the surface, but also acts as an antiseptic, holding the antibacterial film on the parts of the unit for 3 months.

Disinfection liquids with an alkaline composition. Special liquid-type products containing alkali are sold in plastic containers or spray bottles.

They are necessary for deep disinfection of air conditioners, especially during prolonged absence of maintenance. They produce disinfectant liquids of varying concentrations; for regular use, a solution with an average concentration of alkali is sufficient, but for thorough cleaning of the device it is better to choose stronger agents.

Pre-treatment with concentrated special mixtures such as Carlyclean helps to better clean and disinfect the internal parts of the device.

Home remedies. You can also deal with contamination of the indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner using household methods. Most often, for this purpose, owners purchase medical antiseptics, which are used in pure form or diluted with other substances in a certain proportion. Commonly used are chlorhexidine, chloramine or lysoformine.

This cleaning method is effective, but does not work very well when you need to get to inconvenient, hard-to-reach places, especially in automobile devices. You should choose a product for treating an air conditioner at home taking into account the possibility of complete or partial disassembly of the unit and the degree of its contamination.

Cleaning the outdoor unit of the air conditioner

The outdoor unit of the air conditioner, installed on the street side of the building, is also subject to regular contamination and requires periodic cleaning. The most difficult thing in this case is to gain access to the block. This is especially problematic if it is located on the facade of a multi-story building at a high altitude.

But there are also advantages to such an installation location. The higher the split system unit is from the ground, the less dirt gets into it, so preventive cleaning can be carried out no more than 1-2 times a year.

How to clean the outdoor unit:

The device is disconnected from the power supply.
The top cover of the unit is removed.
Some debris can be removed manually, and a powerful vacuum cleaner is used to thoroughly clean surfaces.
When cleaning the parts of the outdoor unit, it is important not to touch the electrical circuit, because if damaged, only experienced specialists can repair it.
After blowing with a vacuum cleaner, the remaining dust is removed with a medium-bristled brush.
At the final stage, the surfaces are carefully wiped with a soft damp cloth.

The device is connected to the network and starts operating mode only after the parts have completely dried.

Features of column air conditioners: pros and cons

TOP 5 best products for cleaning split systems

In stores you can find a large selection of cleaners and disinfectants for air conditioners. Let's look at the most effective ones.

Suprotek. Liquid product with a sprayer for treating the indoor unit of home-type split systems. In addition to cleaning and disinfecting elements, Suprotec contains a fragrance made from eucalyptus essential oil, which allows you not only to clean the device, but also to fill the air in the room with a pleasant aroma for several days. The spray perfectly removes old dirt and leaves an antibacterial film after cleaning.

Sonax Clima Clean Antibacterial. A foam product for automobile and household air conditioners with a unique composition that allows you to quickly and effectively get rid of dirt and at the same time efficiently disinfect the internal parts of the device.

Foam is applied through a sprayer to the internal parts of the device (evaporator) and into the drainage system. After 30-40 minutes, the air conditioner is turned on and the device is dried, and all particles of dirt are removed through the drainage system. Produced in cylinders with a volume of 100 ml.

Domo. Ukrainian foam cleaner is designed for treating household and automotive units. Cleans from dirt, grease and dust, eliminates unpleasant odors that appear due to the spread of fungus and mold, and ensures reliable surface disinfection for 2-3 months.

The use of fragrance in the cleanser allows you to enjoy a pleasant aroma for 7-10 days after use. Produced in the form of a can with a volume of up to 320 ml.

Indesit for air conditioners. The manufacturer of household chemicals from Italy is confident in the ability of this product to effectively eliminate unpleasant odors from the air conditioner and efficiently clean the heat exchanger from old pockets of dirt.

In addition, the product perfectly disinfects the internal surfaces of the device. Available in spray form. The volume of one bottle (150 ml) is designed for one cleaning. This type of cleaner can be used for both home and car air conditioners.

KORTING K19. An aerosol for removing dirt from the surfaces of the indoor unit from the Danish company KORTING can also be used to clean filter elements (except for products made from cellulose). Not only does it help remove dirt and grease, but it also has antibacterial properties. Produced in the form of an aerosol can with a volume of up to 250 ml.

How to clean the indoor unit of an air conditioner

To clean the indoor unit of the air conditioner, you need to gain access to its internal parts and prepare some materials that will be needed for work.

What you will need:

pure water;
soap;
soft napkin or cloth;
an old toothbrush with long bristles;
vacuum cleaner.

Before getting down to business, carefully read the user manual, which will describe in detail all the recommendations from the manufacturer regarding the rules for carrying out preventive maintenance.

How to clean (step by step):

The device is disconnected from the power supply; it is recommended to cover the floor with plastic film or newspapers to prevent contamination during cleaning work.
The air conditioner cover is carefully removed, after which the owner will have access to filters in the form of curved plates of a cellular structure. They are removed from the block and washed with warm water. If dirt is not removed, the filter can be left for 20-30 minutes in soapy water. After cleaning using chemicals or soap, the filters are rinsed under running water. Now you need to wait for them to dry completely. It is prohibited to dry filters using a hairdryer or other heat sources, as this may lead to loss of their shape.
The next step is to clean the radiator from dust using a long-bristled brush or vacuum cleaner. To access it, you need to open the bottom cover of the air conditioner and remove it for cleaning. After this procedure, the surface of the radiator is wiped with a soft cloth. Now it can be put in place.
Over time, dirt also accumulates in the rotary fan, which can lead to damage to the device. This part cannot be removed for cleaning. The owner needs to prepare a soap solution and spray the fan blades with it. After waiting a little for the dirt to soak, the fan turns on at low speed. When the blades rotate, dirt flies to the sides. It is recommended to cover the wall and floor with film. After a few minutes, the device turns off, and the owner removes dirt from the fan using a soap solution and a soft cloth.
During operation, the drainage system of the indoor unit also becomes polluted. You can only partially clean the drainage yourself using a soap solution and a brush. The drain pan should also be washed. Complete high-quality cleaning of the drainage system is carried out by specialists using steam treatment using professional cleaning products. Some models of split equipment have the function of automatically cleaning the drainage system.

Only mesh filters can be cleaned. If the air conditioner is equipped with a variety of pocket filters, if they become dirty, they are simply thrown away and new ones are installed in their place.

If a dirty film has formed on the radiator, you will not be able to clean it yourself, since this requires special equipment. In this case, you will need the help of a technician from the service center.

The fan must be cleaned with extreme care. If the owner accidentally damages the blades, the fan will have to be completely replaced.

Is it possible to make a cleaner yourself and how?

It is not always possible to purchase a product for cleaning your home air conditioner; in this case, you can cheaply prepare the necessary solution with your own hands from available materials. Let's consider three options for homemade liquids for washing air conditioners in an apartment:

Chlorhexidine. You can prepare an excellent cleaning product for split systems from simple and inexpensive chlorhexidine, sold in any pharmacy and intended for antiseptic treatment of wounds. To prepare the liquid for processing the device, you will need chlorhexidine with a concentration of 0.05% and a suitable volume. It is mixed with medical alcohol in a 1:1 ratio, after which you can use your own ready-made cleaning agent for air conditioners - the ability to clean surfaces will be no worse than that of purchased analogues. If there is no alcohol, you can slightly warm up the chlorhexidine in a steam bath and apply it to the contaminated areas using a spray bottle - the effect will be the same.
Chloramine. A stronger concentrate that is not often found on the market. To obtain a product for cleaning your home air conditioner from this chemical composition, you will need to dilute a tablespoon of concentrate in a liter of water at room temperature, after which the prepared solution can effectively wash the evaporator and other elements of the internal unit of the device.
Lysoformin 3000. The price of this drug is already quite high, but if for some reason this powerful antiseptic is found on the household, it will do an excellent job of removing all contaminants from ventilation, filters and evaporators. The official website of Melbet ru opens a first deposit bonus to new players with an increased amount of up to 19,500 rubles, for Melbet there is a working promo code for today, which can be copied in our group. Register and play with a melbet promo code when registering today to receive an increased bonus on your first deposit with an increased maximum limit. We have an active promotional code for the official website of BC Melbet, which can also be used on an international resource. Attention: the Melbet promo code for today is valid only for the first deposit, increasing its amount to 10,400 RUB. The offer does not apply to the $30 free bet. To prepare the finished product, you need to dissolve 50 grams of lysoformin 3000 in a liter of water at room temperature.

When working with homemade household products for cleaning air conditioners, you should follow the following safety precautions:

Treatment with chlorhexidine is recommended to be carried out at an air temperature of at least 20oC;
When removing dirt from the device, do not inhale fumes and dust - this is hazardous to health. It is best to carry out processing with protective gloves and a respirator.

Pros and cons of cleaning with and without products

The advantages of using special tools include the following points:

ease of use;
high efficiency of cleaning surfaces even in hard-to-reach places;
after cleaning, unpleasant odors disappear;
one product can act as a cleaner and disinfectant.

Disadvantages of special cleaning products:

the need to protect the skin and respiratory tract when working with highly concentrated solutions.

Advantages of the method of cleaning the air conditioner without the use of special products :

absence of strong odor and harmful fumes when washing the device.

Disadvantages of the method of cleaning the air conditioner without using special products:

inability to get rid of old contaminants;
labor intensity of the process;
high consumption of conventional cleaning products.

How to use correctly

Cleaning the air conditioner, regardless of the type of system, is carried out in the following order:

the device is disconnected from the power source;
the cover of the indoor unit is dismantled;
filters are removed;
a foam cleaner is applied to the freed areas of the evaporator and fan;
In accordance with the instructions for the cleaning product, the time necessary to dissolve dirt and grease is maintained. Usually 30 minutes is enough;
Removed filters are replaced with new ones or thoroughly washed with detergent and a soft brush. After drying, they are installed in place;
The cover is put in place and the device is turned on. Condensation and excess foam will flow into the pan or exit through the drain.

Partial disassembly of the devices and more thorough cleaning is carried out in accordance with the instructions for the specific air conditioner.

DIY air conditioner disinfection

Specialists from service centers use special products and chemicals to clean and disinfect air conditioners. The advantage of specialized products is that they are safe for metal and plastic components, do not cause corrosion, and do not leave a residue.

You can prepare your own disinfectant for the air conditioner. To do this, you need to purchase a solution of chlorhexidine bigluconate at the pharmacy - this is an antiseptic that destroys all types of microbes, fungi, mold and viruses. Mix a bottle of chlorgrexidine with 100 ml of medical alcohol: the second component enhances the effect of the first. Pour the liquid into a spray bottle and thoroughly spray the cleaned insides of the air conditioner.

To enhance the effect, put the filters in place, close the lid, and start. As soon as air begins to be sucked in, spray disinfectant liquid from a spray bottle near the air intake slot on the bottom of the case.

Special products for washing and disinfecting air conditioners:

a brush with a soft plastic attachment cleans the radiator and condenser;
disinfectant for air conditioning - antiseptic in the form of a spray;
liquid for cleaning and disinfecting air conditioners removes dirt and grease;
soft non-woven material that absorbs moisture well.