This cleaning video provides instructions on how to clean a humidifier, fix a clogged one, and prevent mold growth. Instead of using detergents, abrasive brushes, or scrubbers, use a 50/50 blend of vinegar and water. Consumer Reports shares steps to clean your humidifier and prevent mold growth in the reservoir.
To clean and disinfect your humidifier, follow these steps:
- Disassemble the humidifier by disassembling the tank, filter, and other detachable parts.
- Add warm water to the tank, pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, and shake the tank for at least 30 seconds.
- Fill the water tank with one teaspoon bleach and one gallon of water, shake vigorously for 20 minutes, and empty the base of the humidifier.
- Mix 1 teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach with 1 gallon of cold water, fill the tank about halfway, and coat the inside with the solution.
- Use the Rite Aid Ultrasonic half gallon Ultrasonic Humidifer, which offers adjustable output control, wide tank opening, and auto shutoff. Rinse all three parts with hot water and clean them with bleach or vinegar using a small painters brush.
- If your humidifier needs a deep clean, use bleach or hydrogen peroxide instead of vinegar with a ratio of one teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water.
In summary, cleaning a humidifier requires proper care and proper cleaning products. By following these steps, you can keep your home free from bacteria and mold and maintain a clean and safe environment.
📹 SUPER CLEANING “ultrasonic humidifiers” (vinegar) pure enrichment mistaire studio cool mist
These ultrasonic humidifiers get filthy i’ll show you how to deep clean it here’s one that is completely clean and here’s one that’s …
Can I use tap water in a humidifier?
Tap water is typically suitable for use in humidifiers, as it does not require the addition of any specialised components. It is, however, important to be aware that tap water contains minerals that have the potential to affect the performance of a humidifier.
How do I know if my humidifier has mold?
Mold can be detected by observing unusual colors, buildup, visible mold growth, and musty smells around the humidifier. Mold spores can latch onto surfaces like rugs or walls, and a musty odor from the humidifier can indicate growth. Odd smells in the room where the humidifier is running, like a basement smell, could also indicate mold growth. If the humidifier hasn’t been thoroughly cleaned, it’s likely to have mold inside. Even if you can’t see or smell anything unusual, it’s best to take precautions. To prevent mold from growing in your humidifier and home, follow these steps:
- Clean the humidifier thoroughly.
- Replace the humidifier’s filter.
- Replace the humidifier’s fan.
- Clean the humidifier’s hose.
- Clean the humidifier’s fan.\n7
What happens if you don’t clean the humidifier?
Regular cleaning and maintenance are crucial for maintaining a humidifier, as they can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. To clean and maintain a humidifier, use clean water and a bowl near access. Use distilled white vinegar or citric acid powder to remove buildup of minerals and limescale. Use a scrubbing brush or sponge for stubborn gunk or grime. Bleach or hydrogen peroxide is optional but recommended for disinfection. A consistent usage routine can prevent more serious cleaning issues.
To slow the development of biofilms, fill the tank with distilled or demineralized water. Avoid leaving tap water in the tank between uses. Using distilled water can help prevent the buildup of bacteria and mold in the humidifier.
What can I use instead of vinegar to clean humidifier?
To clean a humidifier without vinegar, use hydrogen peroxide and a 4-1 solution of water and 3 hydrogen peroxide. Soak the tank, nozzle, and removable parts for 20-30 minutes, then rinse with fresh water. If the humidifier is safe to bleach, use a dilute solution of 1 teaspoon bleach to 1 gallon water, leave it for 30-45 minutes, and flush with clean water. Avoid leaving the bleach in the tank for more than an hour to prevent damage. Run the humidifier outside or in a well-ventilated area to prevent mold growth. Both hydrogen peroxide and bleach can kill mold, so follow the methods outlined above.
Is it okay to run vinegar through a humidifier?
To clean a humidifier, add two cups of undiluted white vinegar to the water tank and drain it into the reservoir. Follow the manufacturer’s cleaning guidelines, but some humidifiers can be descaled by filling the tank with vinegar, letting it sit for 20 minutes, and then rinsing with fresh water. Use distilled water to avoid mineral buildup. Scrub surfaces and crevices, and disassemble parts if necessary, depending on your humidifier model.
Should you wash your humidifier?
A daily rinse and refill of your humidifier is crucial to prevent scale and mold/bacteria growth. This involves rinsing out the humidifier and refilling it with clean water during use. Despite the benefits of a humidifier, many people forget to clean it. Failure to do so can lead to mineral buildup, which can clog the heating element or nebulizer, preventing mist and humidification. Invisible moisture humidifiers, scale can also clog the filter, preventing moisture from entering the room, resulting in no humidification. Therefore, it is essential to regularly clean your humidifier to ensure optimal performance and prevent any potential issues.
How to clean a Rite Aid humidifier?
Hydrogen peroxide is a naturally occurring disinfectant that has been demonstrated to prevent the growth of mold. To utilize this method, a solution of four parts water and one part hydrogen peroxide should be prepared in a humidifier tank. The solution should then be allowed to stand for 30 minutes, after which it should be rinsed and air-dried.
How do you clean the inside of a humidifier?
To clean a dehumidifier, fill the base with water and white vinegar and leave it for an hour to loosen residue and disinfect the unit. While the base is being treated, clean the inside of the water reservoir, which may develop a greasy film due to stagnant water. Fill the reservoir with 2 cups of pure white vinegar, seal it, and shake to agitate any grime. Shake the reservoir for several minutes to loosen any grime. Unsettle any grime by shaking it while the vinegar is filled.
How much vinegar do I put in my humidifier to prevent mold?
Moldy humidifiers can cause illness, especially for those with allergies, asthma, or lung infections. To prevent mold, use hydrogen peroxide and vinegar to kill bacteria and mold, keeping your humidifier running clean for months. To maintain a mold-free humidifier, use distilled water instead of tap water, change the water daily, clean the humidifier every three days, and keep the space around it dry.
Avoid using curtains, carpeting, or tablecloths too close to the humidifier, as they can grow mold if they are too close. To avoid mold, try using an evaporator or steam vaporizer instead. To maintain a mold-free humidifier, consider using evaporators or steam vaporizers instead of tap water.
What happens if you don’t use distilled water in a humidifier?
Indoor air quality can be significantly impacted by the type of water used in a humidifier. Tap water increases mold growth and lung infections, while distilled water makes your home feel warmer and more comfortable. To improve indoor air quality, it is essential to refill your humidifier with distilled water. Aire Serv® experts can provide advice on whole-home humidifiers and other solutions to improve indoor air quality. Contact them for assistance or schedule an appointment.
Is it OK to use a dirty humidifier?
Dirty humidifiers can cause health problems, especially for those with asthma and allergies. They can release mist or steam tainted with bacteria or fungi into the air, potentially triggering flu-like symptoms or lung illnesses. Evaporators and steam vaporizers may be less likely to release airborne allergens than cool-mist humidifiers. To keep your humidifier clean, follow the device maker’s instructions and use distilled or demineralized water.
Tap water contains minerals that can lead to bacteria growth inside the humidifier, which can appear as white dust on furniture. Distilled or demineralized water has fewer minerals than tap water and can be used with demineralization cartridges or filters if the humidifier manufacturer recommends it.
📹 The Hazard of Humidifiers- This Thing ALMOSTKILLED ME
Today on The Transplant Helper The Hazard of Humidifiers. In 2013 a common humidifier almost killed me. Back then I had no …
You got to clean this thing man. You need to use a little bit of bleach wash thoroughly and then at other times maybe some peroxide and then at some other time you might need to use a little alcohol. Do not set your unit on the floor. Any time that you use water in humidifier air washer it is going to cause some bacterial growth. I have been HVAC mechanic for about 32 years. You would be surprised how much mode and bacterial growth grows in between in your coils. Your filter stops dust and stuff but it does not stop algae growth. You have a condensate drain. You ought to see what comes out of your condensate drain. so this humidifier does not have a whole lot to do with killing you. Your air condition system is a whole lot more dangerous… People would be surprised if they could see what I have seen in my lifetime from their home air condition system. You will drive yourself crazy Trying to prevent all the bacteria and mode. And these days with COVID, you could be pulling air through cracks and crevices from a apartment next to you. There’s no way to make it 100% bulletproof. You see those people at Walmart that has the little glass shield in front of them. That is not doing a whole lot because they are using the same air condition system that the rest of the stories using. It’s more of a psychological thing. You have a supply air and you have a return air on a air conditioning system it may be split up between several different units in different locations, but it’s pretty much all pulling and using the same thing.
I’m a stage 4 CKD patient and was researching humidifiers for winter and stumbled across this article. I didn’t even realize this was a website about a transplant patient when I clicked it, but boy am I glad I came across this. I’ll be a transplant recipient soon enough, and this really just has put into perspective how careful I need to be. Thank you so much for all you do, and I hope you’re doing well since the pandemic started. I’ll be perusal more of your content in preparation! 💞
I have this same exact humidifier. I was using regular tap water but noticed my water would quickly turn the tank a rusty pink color and form a weird foggy pink cloudy stuff in the water. After I saw that, I clean it out really well and now only put filtered water in my tank. It has not gotten dirty sense. I think a lot of this filth has to do with the tap water we put in them.
Thank you so much for sharing this information. I’ve had my dehumidifier 5 years and have only cleaned it once. Before even finishing your article, I went straight to my system and put a bleach solution in there. I never realize this type of thing could happen. Thank you so much for spreading the word.
I stopped using a humidifier after transplant. I did/do use a CPAP machine. About 6 months after transplant I got a sinus infection from my CPAP. Even though I cleaned it, or cleaned at it everyday. I had a nose bleed that caused 2 trips to the ER before the one at RMC sent me to UAB (the 3rd trip) where I spent 5 days being treated and observed. I’ve since gotten a So-Clean and have not had any more problems.
Thanks for the article. However, I don’t recommend the boiling pot solution. 1. Same water as you would use in your humidifier (unless you want to spring for distilled water) and 2. you might destroy your pot, as I did some years ago. I forgot the pot was on the stove and it got so hot when the water boiled out, that it ended up melting the non-metal handle, filling the air in the house with toxic gas.
When I heard you saying that you got the bacteria from the humidifier, I knew immediately that you had never cleaned the device even though the manual says that you must clean it every 3 months to prevent it from getting colonized by bacteria and what not. Sad that you had to go through this but from what I can see you’re doing alright so I am glad that you lived to tell the tale.
Hey happy to see you’re okay and teaching us. My Levoit 300s notifies me every week to clean it. Didn’t realize people left it longer than that because this sucker bothers me weekly. I just take it apart, then scrub the parts with hot water, dish soap, a bottle brush, and sponge. Takes twenty minutes.
I learned this the hard way, Used a humidifier during the summer and ended up with a very chronic strong cough and ended up checking up with a doctor who told me it wasn’t pneumonia. It took 3 months for me to get better. Now I change the water frequently and keep the humidifier clean. Edit: When not in use I was leaving the water in the tank for more than a week without changing it and I use it on top of me at night to cool me down in the dry summer. So I was breathing the steam all night.
I suffered from allergies which is nothing like what you went through (I am also immunosuppressive). I was cleaning my humidifier every day, the mold growth was crazy and I believe it sprayed mold spores all over my house. I saved money and invested in an air purifier. They’re expensive but so worth it! I can breathe again!
I got a humidifier in 2019 and laid in bed in my room with it on. I’m a singer and I thought it would be good for my voice to have humid air. Somehow I got an ear infection because of the change in the air moisture and my ear wax hardened and I could feel each beat of the drum in my ear beating along with my heart. It was extremely painful. I was living on 6 pills of paracetamol everyday for 2 weeks to numb the pain and each dose only gave me some relief for about 3 hours. I could hardly move, could hardly shower, could hardly feed myself. I was bed bound. The doctor gave me olive oil drops to put in my ears to soften the wax. I had to lay a certain way for that to work too. I prayed to God to take away the pain, I thought it would never go. When I was fully healed I literally took my walk with Jesus so seriously after that. So glad you are well! Thank you for this, it reminded me the importance of cleaning humidifiers, I will be getting one more directly to my voice and I’ll be sure to clean it.
I have a humidifier right next to my bed just like the Vick’s one you showed. I use distilled water in it and clean it often. I’d love to have the germ free humidifier. But not in the budget this year. I’m so glad you got treated and got better. I’m 1.6 years out from heart transplant. I use a ASV chap now where it’s heated humidity. But I do have the sinus crud and thrush. Yuck! I’ll be over it soon.
Not to depart from the topic, but the best way to humidify your whole house is to get a big 20 quart pot, fill it almost to the top with water, set your stove to very very low, after it is hot you should see some steam rolling off the top. This big pot should last about 16 hours, even if you forgot about it, there is no danger, the pot will dissipate the low setting of the stove. I been doing that for years, just don’t expect to use the same pot for cooking because calcium lime and sidiment will build up in the pot from the water. The pots don’t cost much, nothing fancy just thin aluminum type will do. As for humidifiers that are installed on your furnace, I say no, unless you have some kind of filter to remove all the crap that is in tap water. About 2 decades ago I had one installed, a good name brand. It had a rotating wheel and foam pad, and at first it seemed all was well. But the cleaning will drive you insane, the foam sleeve will need cleaning about every 3 days! Plus, the water line that leads to the humidifier will clog up in about 1 season.
I use oxyclean on weekends which is basically dry/powdered hydrogen peroxide sodium percarbonate plus washing soda to clean my two ultrasonic humidifiers. On occasion I will also do a mineral descal using powdered citric acid or vinegar. Have also used a commercial tablet descaler which is designed for coffee makers. Glad to hear you made it through your ordeal and thanks for sharing.
Always use only distilled water in your humidifier and clean it with hydrogen peroxide and then alcohol 70% IPA also you can add a small amount on peroxide to the water to keep it from growing bacteria you said it was a fungus but it ended with caucus which sounds like a bacteria not a fungus also if it were a fungus and not a bacteria wouldn’t they have used antifungals not antibiotics to treat it?
This is a great article. Thanks for posting! People need to understand that most of these humidifier types recommend you take it completely apart, piece by piece, clean each piece with vinegar, rinse them with water, and THEN disinfect with a bleach water water solution. I also have a Honeywell (though it doesn’t have a UV light), and I admit that I didn’t read the full instructions, past set up and operation. Cleaning is key. For me, I have a lung disease, that I take immunosuppressive drugs for. I already get frequent sinus infections, ear infections, and allergy and asthma attacks. It’s hell, to be honest. The thing is…we’re the ones most likely to buy these products, and the most affected by the aerosolized mold and bacteria that comes out of them. Like you, I thought emptying out the reservoir and making sure the machine was completely dry between each use, was enough. 6 months after using regularly, and it stopped working. I found a article tutorial here that showed how to clean it (the paper leaflet wasn’t that clear). When I took the components apart, there was an overwhelming smell of mold, and about a quarter inch of calcium deposit blocking the exhaust chimney. People who have respiratory diseases and conditions, and the immunocompromised, need to know how toxic these things can be when not properly maintained. Thank you.
Same here. I was running a couple of those things last winter and at the end of October I started feeling really crappy. And I kept mine clean too. But… On the morning of November 2, 2022 I gave in and called the emergency department at my local hospital. My son drove me over and I was diagnosed with viral pneumonia. I admitted myself and remained for 13 days. My oxygen level got down to 72% sat its lowest. Internal organs start shutting down at 70%. I was intubated and put into a medically induced coma while my lungs drained the most horrible looking sludge I had ever seen in my life. They must have sucked out a gallon of the stuff out of my lungs. When I came out of the coma I started feeling better immediately. I was released on November 13th and l feel better than I have in 30 years. Stay away from these evil things. Especially the ultrasonic type that leaves mineral residue all over everything. Including your lungs!
Good article I’m glad you’re informing people about it! BUT I HAVE ONE QUESTION??? WOULD YOU DRINK A GLASS OF WATER THAT WAS SITTING OUT FOR 3 WEEKS STRAIGHT ON YOUR COUNTER TOP??? ( PROBABLY NOT!))) SO WHY WOULD YOU BREATHE AIR THAT WAS GOING PUSHING OUT WATER HUMIDIFYING THE AIR THAT WAS SITTING IN THERE FOR 3 WEEKS IN YOUR HUMIDIFIER????🤔😎
I think that’s what happened to my lungs while I spent many many hours over a period of many months doing a renovation in my crawl space, removing the old vapor barrier, installing a new one and removing mold..the whole 9 yards..it was my own personal Afghanistan. Well after that was done, I been having white flem build up in my throat, and have “hock” it up and spit about a few times per day. And that’s besides getting arthritis in both knees from all of the crawling. Black mold? Don’t know what kind it was, but I’d say probably. I did have and used a carbon filter mask but there wasn’t anything good enough outside of professional masks which could have stopped any of that from getting into my lungs.
So many people don’t even know those mist humidifiers can kill you. They will tell you to clean it, lol😂 they don’t even know how mist humidifiers works. People, please! Do some research before you buy those mist humidifiers. If you need humidifier, buy those MIST FREE humidifiers . Yes, they are more expensive, yes, they are louder, but they won’t kill you! And even with mist free humidifiers, try to use distilled water, or at least, make sure you clean it every week, and change the filter every few months. Don’t tell me anything about “you got maintenance those mist humidifiers ” or ” you didn’t use it right”. I’m just gonna tell you, keep using it, don’t regret it when you in the ER bed.(or you may not even know why are you there😂)
I mean if you’re on immunosuppressants you can get an infection from basically anything, it just so happened to be the humidifier which of course will have some bacteria in it. Most of us would never have a problem even with a dirty ultrasonic humidifier, I would recommend anyone interested in obtaining a humidifier to go with the evaporative type and always clean and disinfect it regardless of which type you own.
Thank you thank you! Something we could very easily overlook as we cannot see. I remember i was gifted a humidifier with eucalyptus oil so i would put oil in water and nice mist would come.. but there would be mould floating on water. Not sure if that was the oil molding.. i used it couple of times after cleaning and disinfectin but it would come back. So i was probably breathing mold. Threw it out. Very hesitant to get a humidifier again
I’m still coughing up mucus after being sick..but like you said I woke up one morning and I thought I was confusing I was having chills so bad it was hurting my back from my muscles contarcting…but I’m not sure what I had they gave me azithromycin and I took that and was still sick after a week…but I’m getting a little better now..but I do vape I think I was vaping some bad stuff
I wonder how can I determine whether there’s actual bacteria in my humidifier, is it sufficient to be checked VISUALLY? I’ve been using Wetair MH-280 for around 3-4 years and rarely clean it (say, once per month; I use it in cold half of year at night, mostly with window semi-opened), it looks clean enough (I only use distilled water. BTW weird fact: I recently found out that it just can’t produce mist with my tap water, which doesn’t speak well about that water quality, I’ll google that later). I’m considering using UV purging, but not sure if it’s necessary – maybe clean-looking humidifier is fine? I’m not happy with UV by itself, as desired wavelength for cleansing bacteria is harmful for humans and I need to be sure that UV doesn’t pass / gets fully absorbed by transparent parts of humidifier (which isn’t easy to check). Can’t be sure about humidifiers with embedded UV either (whether they actually produce right wavelength so it’s not just marketing). And of course thanks to author for this article.
I clean my weekly with vinegar. I don’t like the smell of vinegar so I plug it outside and let it run for hours. Today, I will try it with bleach. I plug them in outside to prevent smells or damage to my house. Like cleaning a dish tank or damp laundry. It will mold or mildew if you let it. Seems like common sense but I’m not a transplant recipient.
Oh wow. I had no idea any of this could happen. I have never used a humidifier. I live in Iowa and during the winter time with the furnace running. We thought it is time and much needed in our home. Well the only reason I saw this article was, because I was going to look at the reviews for the Dyson antibacterial humidifier. I was wondering why it so expensive. Btw I know Dyson items are good. I also thought to myself why does it need to be antibacterial. Your thumbnail caught my attention. Wow I’m so glad I ran into your article. As I do have little ones at home. This is an amazing article. Thanks so much for the info. I’m sorry this happened to you. You have a heart of gold.
My goodness 🥶 I’m glad you’re ok now, who would have taught?!? My house is very dry and my father in law just gave me his old humidifier to try, as soon as we’ve slept with it on, I thought like I couldn’t breathe, for some reason it just bothered me all night, so much so that I went to sleep in another room. Then after reading a bit about it I’ve discovered that it was the humidifier, now I am scared to use it, I’d rather leave the window slightly opened to let fresh air and humidity come in instead
Couple years ago, I had a small humidifier that I kept next to the bed.. nothen special just a small humidifier bought at target. I ran it fine for a few months and then got sick. Not to the point of hospitals or anything… but I would have sinus and respiratory issues that never went away. Even went to the doc and they gave me meds and it never helped. I battled this issue for a month or 2 all while using this humidifier.. long story short.. my wife randomly looked closer at the humidifier and it had black, green/yellow.. mold all in the inside of the base.. soon as i stopped using it.. my issues went away.. and im an overall healthy male. Point here is, I failed to clean it and got sick. Kinda wish there was a warning about these things.. but as you said.. you have to have knowledge and be aware that these can make u sick.. Great vid.. hope your well!
Hello Transplant helper. I have had a transplanted heart for nearly 6 years. Had a bad stroke while waiting for my transplant — so have many lasting difficulties. One of the biggest problems is my booming coughing (a sneeze usually end it). I have coughed like this since the transplant, and no doctor can figure out what it is (we settling on nerve damage from the stroke). Was looking up humidifiers and bacteria, and found you. I am also a YouTuber who also happened to run a site on everything SLOT/Casino related — during those ‘dark days’ I took solice in playing slots for fun — and met many nice people who shared there own stories. I appreciated meeting other transplant people on your site!
Thank you. I just bought a vicks one and had a problem with comprehending the instructions so thought I would see if there were a article. This was near the top. I had no idea. Thank you so very much. Not only do I know I must be absolutely scrupulous about cleaning but the least little ill effect and I stop using and throw it. If it did turn out to be dangerous I would not sell it on. However, the online reviews about this particular make are very good and no mention of lung infections so I will give it a try for short periods. Again, thank you.
Wow, this si the first time I have heard of this butThats really Really ODD, taking that its a known fact everything has to be cleaned on a regular Basis, especially that our Water no matter where you live is toxic, most people Here in USA DONT even drink their water . I am severely Asthmatic and live in Arizona, dry dry dry and could not have survived without Humidifiers and whole house Air purifiers, I do use Distilled water that costs a lot but it helps.This is something to think about
sounds like an operator error. You were suppose to clean this out. This similar to blaming the dryer manufacturer your house caught on fire because you never cleaned out the lint trap, or blaming the law mower company the blade chopped off your hand when you stuck your arm under the mower while holding onto the safety run latch. I have several of these and clean them out regularly. These work great.
I have that same Vicks unit. I know it’s a pain, but these units MUST be rinsed and cleaned often. Also there are products made by BestAir that you add to different types of humidifiers, depending on your units. They say It’s safe ( so it says ) for this unit. I would think any type of units, even with a 99% rating must be cleaned often. If you think about everything in your house ( heating & cooling, vents, bathrooms, dishwasher, clothes washer, etc. ) could be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. I recently installed a UV-C light in my heating and cooling system to kill virus and bacteria. FYI not all uv lights kill virus and bacteria, I’m sure the one that comes with that unit does. Take care, stay safe 🙂
Just made my own terrarium WITH DRAIN, but for some reason the water would not dry out, so instead there began to grow mold. It got so bad, that when I saw this article, I decided to take all my infected plants out and spray the terrarium with vinegar. Unfortunally I am scared I am killing my springtails and bench biters, but rather that, than getting sick, since those small animals aren’t rare to find.
I am definitely going to share this on my fb page. For a minute, I got scared that you were going to say to get a Dyson! Phhhheeww! What I tend to do is wash my clothes and then hang them on my metal staircase railing to dry, specially sweats and towels. Cheap, ecco-friendly, nice smelling humidity 🤗
MY HEART ACHES FOR YOU, SIR: Please consider your eternal soul also. Salvation: ” Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” — Isaiah 1:18 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; {24} Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”” — Romans 3:23″ 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. — Romans 3:10-11 ” For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” — Romans 6:23 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. — Acts 4:10-12 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. — John 14:6-7 Gospel: 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
This is so informative. Here I am pregnant with all kinds of anxiety thinking this article was about a fire hazard or something, but I actually learned something I didn’t know. I had no idea about the dangers of this kind of stuff. I just got my first humidifier as I’ve been having a sore throat and dry nose for about a week and I needed to sleep. I honestly thought the same, you just rinse it with some water or whatever. But I will definitely be cleaning this thing regularly. Thank you for the informative article and helping so many people. They really don’t tell you about this as a buyer.
So odd question, but how do you conclude with such confidence that it was the humidifier? Did you send the humidifier to a lab where they could verify that Cryptococcosis was on it? How do you know that it wasn’t something completely else? Either way, I do agree that regular cleaning and disinfecting of the humidifier is an absolute must for those enjoying the benefits of it.
It also depends on the TYPE of humidifier. The ones that blow a fan over a wicking filter generally won’t dispense bacteria or mold at all, even if its growing in the machine. Hot steam versions can carry some things, but the REAL danger is the ultrasonic ones – those basically just vaporize water droplets and blow them into the room – carrying whatever mold or bacteria comes with it.
Very helpful article on the importance of cleaning these humidifiers.Sorry you got so sick but be very cautious about using antibiotics for so long.I was on a high dose for a few months and got major gut problems with a thing called cdiff from all the antibiotics.Nearly 3 years on my gut is still not right.Be warned people it is not a pleasant experience.
Just a question regarding the specific type of humidifier that you have showed at the start of the article, I have just bought this yesterday since i got tested positive for a common cold and i have used it for one night and maybe it made a difference but I could not tell but my question is that is this exact type of humidifier safe to use if you don’t suffer from any health problems and how long should i keep it on through out the day??
I was just given one of these I’m trying to use for my plants and figured it would help with dryness in the kids nasal passages bc oldest gets nose bleeds. I usually suggest she drink more water and use a small dab of Vaseline in her nose. Now after seeing this bc I was curious about germs in there, I’m going to get the germ pack a lady in here mentioned. Pending this damn thing turns on.
I grew up on a warm mist humidifier, they are easier to keep clean but take a while to heat up. I used two different cold mist humidifier with my daughter and they were such a pain to keep clean. Even though I cleaned it on regular basis, both still got nasty slim mold and had to throw them away. It’s nice to have instant cool air but the maintenance was ridiculous. Im going back to warm mist.
I bought a humidifier that didn’t require a filter. Huge mistake. I began seeing a thick cover of white stuff on my furniture. I didn’t pay much attention to it, but when I began feeling chest pain that I’ve never felt before, I stopped using it because I put 2 and 2 together. It freaked me out so I threw that thing away. I never again had any issues with my chest. I think these humidifiers should be regulated a bit more because they’re dangerous. I have a new humidifier that has a filter, and I only use it when it’s too hot in my house due to my heater. I haven’t had any issue now, but I do change my filter once a month.
This is exactly what I am looking for. Unfortunately, it is not available on Amazon any longer. I had a lung transplant 6 years ago and I’m not doing so hot as I have immuno rejection. Not do to a humidifier because I don’t have one. I’m looking for a steam humidifier that I can put in my bedroom and I’ll use distilled water. I like the idea of boiling water, but it’s not going to reach my bedroom and if it did I’d have to keep my door open and it’d be too cold for that. The humidity is about 16% and causes dry skin. etc.
OmG 😳 I thought your article was going to be about a faulty plug 🔌 or something to do with it being a fire hazard. I’m so happy you had a 👩⚕️medical🧑🏿⚕️ team that was able to pin point the infection🦠 AND it’s source♨️ Ima use those cleaning🧼 tips for sure! ❤️❤️Thank you again for sharing such a 🛡️personal🛡️ story. 💕💕
This got me scared my parents have a humidifier that was sitting under a plastic bag for years idk how many about 5 years I think not sure but I used it for the entire day as I found it in the morning no water was in it for the duration it was sitting but I might not use it when I fall asleep tonight and clean it tomorrow morning thanks for potentially Saving me from what you went through not a transplant patient or have any heart or lung issues just use it for allergies and clear my sinuses
Hi Jim! I hadn’t watched this article before because I knew that it was going to end up having been junk in the humidifier that caused your illness. And I don’t use them. It seems to my small brain that in a room with a temp in the mid 70s that adding humidity is just going to help the germs reproduce more easily. Having said that: my elder son has Influenza B and yesterday developed a sinus infection. We are taking him to the doctor today to confirm this. Joe is on the TamiFlu, but threw up most of it. Josh is also on it as a preventative. So, I’ll probably have to stop at Wally World today for a humidifier for Joe and really appreciate your advice on this article! Blessings!
All you sinus sufferers should look up the bullet sinus rinse you can make and do at home. Uses few ingredients and is easier to do than I looks. Great relief. Make sure to buy xylitol from tree not corn. Watch prices on Amazon if you can’t find it at your local health store. It should be around 20.00. Don’t get sucked into the ones charging 60. 80. 100. Dollar bags. You need a teaspoon approx each time you mix it up
I Never use vinegar for these types. I’ve always use demineralised water for steaming and evaporating devices.. also use it for clothes steamer, skin steamers, cleaning steamers and indeed.. most manuals will tell you this.. you can damage your device.. instead of heating water in your kitchen try a watercooker.. I bought the Taylor Swoden Abel 30IAS – Glass transparent watercooker so you can see the hardened mineral buildup. I keep it in my living room and switch it on whenever I see my humidity meter go down.. thanks for the article!
You are absolutely right,! After first use if you let it stay wet and then use it 2 weeks later during those two weeks bacteria mold can grow in there and then when you turn it on again and the fan blows humid air out if you didn’t wash it or clean it properly they can blow out spores and bacteria into the air during the two weeks that the bacteria grew in there cuz you kept it wet on the sides of the glass and the inner workings of it! What I’m about to say don’t quote me on it do more research but what I do is,,,, ( add vinegar 20% vinegar to the water vinegar kills a lot of virus and bacteria and it will clean the inner workings of the machine also! Vinegar vinegar vinegar add vinegar to the water! Don’t quote me on that but I’m pretty sure I am correct on it do your own due diligence and research on vinegar adding to the water but I do that I add vinegar to my swamp cooler which is also a air purifier cuz I added filters to it I had vinegar in the water and I always make sure the water is changed to new water don’t let that old sit water set you need to change the water every time you use it hello use common sense changing the water when you reuse it again!
This humidifier helps me a lot specially in dry environment. It stops my nose bleed ive been using this and breathing is perfectly fine. Specially in dry environment. This vicks help me a lot. I dunno why this humidifier killed him. This humidifier helps me a lot breathing we live in high desert that humidity is so low 15% now my room is 50% plus and helps my sinus to breath again.
Had something similar happen to me. Got admitted with septic blood, had a spinal tap, 7 blood cultures going. Was put into a clean room for a week. Worst experience of my life. They never did find what was wrong because after a week of on and off fevers and being separated from society. I filled out a self discharge paper packet and argued with the head of the hospital till I got released.
I haven’t had any transplants and not immunosupressed, but these things get mouldy very easily if you don’t keep them clean. I had to whipe down my walls because I didn’t clean the diffuser enough. I now use a nebulizer as I only wanted to diffuse aroma. They need maintenance as they can clog easily, but at least they don’t seem to collect mould.
Steam humidifiers are much safer, because the humidity gets boiled before being released, which kills any bacteria. I would never own a cool-mist (ultrasonic) humidifier, plus, those produce white powder if there are “any” minerals in your water. You still need to clean/descale the steam humidifiers at least once a week, but it’s a simple process. Glad you’re okay!
Avoid ultrasonic humidifiers at all cost unless you feed them with distilled, demineralised or reversed osmosis filtered water. Tap water in ultrasonic humidifiers is rich source of PM 2.5 pollution. Maybe there are ultrasonic humidifiers with advanced filtration systems for tap water, I don’t know. What I know is that many of these come with no filters at all. I was amazed recently when I measured PM 2.5 using my air purifier’s built-in sensor before starting the humidifier and later. The value rose from about 20 to 180ug/m^3 just in 10 minutes in my 3x4m room! I purified air and repeated test using distilled water. The measured value was 20 before and 21ug/m^3 after 10 minutes. If you want to use tap water buy an evaporative humidifier. It releases water into the air more traditional and safe way. It will not pollute air in your house, and remember to keep the humidifier clean, no matter what type of it you have.
I literally just bought a humidifier 30 mins ago (it’s beautiful and looks like a fireplace from temu / aliexpress). Watched a trailer of it on YouTube xD, and your article appeared on my feed. This was surprisingly informative. It’s quite a small humidifier though, and just has a small box like reservoir that seems easy to clean. I’m less concerned about this humidifier, and more concerned with my dad’s sleep apnea ventilator which he doesn’t clean very often. That’s literally a humidifier strapped to his mouth. Going to send him this.
Routinely clean anything that holds water or builds up moisture….Vinegar works great. Use a humidistat in your home to gauge the humidity level. Even better, buy a humidifier with a built-in digital humidistat that automatically controls the humidity level like the Levoit LV600. Also, if you own any memory foam or gel foam products like; mattresses, seating cushions, bike seat pads, sports gear, foot insoles…keep an eye on them and maintain airflow. They can get moldy fast, below the visible surface. Hope that helps you.
It’s not just transplant patients or generally immunocompromised/immunosuppressed – I’m in great health and I still had issues were I ran my humidifier for a few hours and at the end of the day would feel shortness of breath, some weird dry cough, felt like my whole body was dealing with inflammation. I didn’t put 1 + 1 together, ran it a second day and it just got worse and worse. My partner had absolutely no issues while I was coughing my arse off. When I realised what was causing it I tried cleaning it and that did absolutely nothing to relieve the issues. Turns out some of these microorganisms will release toxins when you kill, others are practically impossible to remove, so even if you disinfect and clean these things as good as you can there’s still a good chance they’ll make you sick. At this point I’m extremely glad I live in Europe because of the kind of heaters we have, because you can just stick a small ceramic pot onto them filled with water that will gradually release water depending on how high you put the heating at no cost in terms of power bill and no need to replace UV-C lights(ime from garden pumps these don’t hold very long, usually 2 years is what you can safely use, after that you’ll have to find a replacement, which is usually more expensive than you’d think).
Turn to Jesus people he died for your sins, Repent of what the New Testament describes as sin. Believe the gospel obey the teachings of Jesus documented in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus is the only way to be saved, be baptized if you have faith in Jesus then you will live life with him as your example. If you need prayer i’ll pray for you. If you want to keep contact with a brother in Christ i’ll keep contact with you. The love of God is beyond our understanding. God bless…/
What a… ANY humidifier (ultrasonic) has just a simple speaker and it produces sound at frequency 1,7 MHz. There is NO low or Hight quality. Nothing different in construction. Even if it was pure gold, it wouldn’t help you not to clean it. Just use clean water (not from a nearest puddle). I have been using it for 10 years and still alive, I was using reverse osmose water and forgot about cleaning it.
They gave you antibiotics for a fungal infection? That could kill you. Antibiotics don’t work for fungal infections. YOu might feel fine while on it but it will make the infection grow. Your greatest defense against a fungal infection is the bacteria in your gut and antibiotics can kill those bacteria lowering your immunity and allowing the fungal infection to grow. I had a chronic sinus infection but it was because I was getting exposed to mold. I had to give up dairy and did regular sinus rinses with an antifungal solution. People have this misconception that dry air causes sinus problems but its usually is not. If that were the case people in places with low humidity would be having lots of sinus issues but that is not the case. Its usually the air quality. Also, bringing your body glutathione level up seems to help with sinus and systematic enzymes also help. You need to fix your gut to prevent diseases.
Hey bro it’s me Shawn again.i want yo ask you another question.i been taking antibiotics so many times they seen not to be working.i think i need stronger antibiotics to get rid of mold in my body . because i just found out im exposed to black mold in my shower.this has still being going on of trouble breathing and non stop coughing heavyness on the chest and throat.do you remember what strong antibiotics you have taken to get back being yourself 100% again.i need something that’s going to clear up my lungs again. This has been going on in 10 weeks .
Yes you need to clean any diffuser or humidifier it doesn’t matter of the price is cheap or high end it needs to be clean same with a house if you don’t clean the dust from the couch room tables you will get sick same with a person who doesn’t take a shower what happens when you don’t take a shower for week your body starts to stink 🦨 like cheese tuna all types of nasty smells horrible we all need to start being clean to be healthy my brother is one of those dirty ones he never cleans he’s room well once in a blue moon he doesn’t clean he’s dog inside he’s room is full of dirty clothes boxes everything is all over the place nasty im the one who helps my mom keep the house clean i hate a dirty house I hate when I start to stink I always clean my diffuser and humidifier when i stop using it imagine if i didn’t clean them it will grow mold all that make us sick but we all learn the hard way. 😏
Ultrasonic humidifiers (cool/warm mist) have the danger that they atomize the water into the air instead of evaporating it which means if the water contains spores, viruses, bateria it is a perfect way to aerosolize them. A dry steam humidifier (one that boils the water) to generate the humidity are the best for cleanliness as the act of boiling the water kills most things and because it is a dry steam none of the impurities get evaporated and will remain in the boiler even if they are present. Wick based humidifier even with UV can get very gross but because they also don’t atomize the water it takes longer before the spores grow enough to start releasing into the air. I think AprilAire makes a whole house unit and for smaller rooms vicks makes a warm steam humidifer that can humidify a room with heat instead of cold evaporation/ultrasonic mist. (It is best for any humidifer to use distilled or deionized water if possible to reduce mineral buildup, if you use an ultrasonic humidifier with hard water even without mold/bateria/viruses you’ll get white mineral dust into the air)
The ideal healthy indoor air is dry. The extra static shocks are actually healthy aside from the added stress. I use a mister for my seed-sprouters … uses just enough water to keep them clean 24-7 and insects and birds away and adding a disinfectant like MMS to the water keeps mildew/mold/bacteria down and again chases off bugs and birds.
Its tricky dealing with things like this that are supposed to be for good health and end up causing a problem. I got one from QVC on payments and was working fine for couple years but when Covid hit, I left town for half year and returned but it wouldn’t work anymore due to not using it and scale build up inside. I had cleaned it out with vinegar but mistake probably was cleaning base. I blame Covid for a lot more too, left central air off in house and found mold. But humidifier is almost needed when heat is on. Sadly, the curse of Covid not only gets humans but messes with other things too. Instructions say not to clean base with chemicals but it does need to be cleaned.
The problem, Transplant Helper – is traced to you having to take immunosuppressant drugs after your transplant for the rest of your natural life. I know immunosuppressants are important to avoid transplant rejection. But immunosuppressants do lower your immune system’s ability to fight serious infections, such as sepsis, TB, E. coli, and even Hepatitis C. So the best bet is to boost your Vitamin D levels after the transplant, if you absolutely must use a humidifier post-transplant. Vitamin C is also important too. Very important! Being in a sterile environment while using a humidifier also is very important – treat it as if you are doing dialysis for your kidneys at home – keep a sterile environment.
Give you alittle better understanding of mold…….Ever leave a cup of say coffee or even water laying around say in the garage Or basement on the work bench? It turns moldy? This happens with in a few days depending on whats in the cup helping it turn I run a Cpap machine for my sleep apnea It has a humidifier built into the machine To help prevent dry nose/mouth from the pressures. My mask And hose And water container get soaked in vinegar And bleach with water Then a rinse And soap And water with scrub And rinse Every 2 days And water is changed daily with distilled water This is also the reason why Humidfiers get mineral build up in them from using tap water
Are Ultrasonic Humidifier Safe? For the most part, ultrasonic humidifiers are safe. The ultrasonic frequencies that an ultrasonic humidifier generates are not dangerous to humans and pose no health risk to the user. However, because ultrasonic humidifiers do not use heat to nebulize the water, water contaminants can be projected into the air, which the user breathes in. Water contaminants may include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and minerals and are often referred to as “impurities.” Impurities in an ultrasonic humidifier can be prevented by only using purified water, using some type of filter, and cleaning the device regularly.
That Honeywell model has been causing my chest pain for the past few days. I normally can smell when the filter has to be changed, but not this time. The filter was filthy, but still working to a degree. Check and change your filter regularly, or find a safe, and practical, alternative for your humidification needs.
You supposed to add a little bacteriostatic treatment every time you use it to kill bacteria, algae build up.. etc. Been using it forever and never had a problem but you gotta do the treatment everytime. Look up Essickair or RPS PRODUCTS Humidifier Bacteria Water Treatment from walmart and lowels, home depot.. etc.
I have never had a problem but I clean my humidifier frequently (somewhat) and use vinegar in the water, not much but a third to half cup maybe but my humidifier is a bigger one, never had a problem but cleaning it good (bottom part where the water drips down into) is a must…….cleanliness is next to Godliness, right? thank you!
My friend I understand the concept of the article but a humidifier adds humidity which makes your nose more clogged n changes environment that makes you sick n makes ac unit work harder. A dehumidifier is to basically delogged your nose n clean the air is more dryer n dissipates the air faster Wich means it makes the environment cleaner now u have to pay attention of it too can harm you, people do your research depending on you body you need to play with it to archive the right humidity together with the ac temperature to make you life easier…
It’s defiantly not 1/2 cup of Clorox bleach to 32 once’s of water. It’s 1/4 teaspoon of bleach to 32 once’s of water for disinfecting. The vinegar is for descaling and you use about 1 to 2 cups of straight vinegar. You should disinfect and descale your humidifier once a week and they are two different procedure…not mixing the two together.
I bought myself a smart humidifier that just came in today and IMMEDIATELY went out to Walmart to pick up some white vinegar and pure/distilled water because upon doing my research prior to buying it (I am a very cautious/skeptical person) I read that normal tap water is not recommended as the mineral and ions found in normal drinking water/tape water can cause scale buildup/bacterial growth. You should also clean and descale the humidifier once every week using White Vinegar to soak all the parts individually for 15-20 minutes. I do intend to use essential oils with it at some point to so I definitely have to stay on it. Stay safe!
I always assume that anything that has water inside it is going to grow bacteria if left for too long. I have a diffuser and I clean it and dry it after every use, which is approx after two days of use. It just, doesn’t seem right to let water sit in anything. It’s dangerous. I don’t think there’s enough info on the boxes of these products though. Also, I’m glad you’re alright!
I am skeptical that it was the humidifier and not your kid breathing his bacteria on you. The Vicks models I have seen are all steam vapor – not evaporative or ultrasonic – which means it simply boils the water to emit true steam. No bacteria would survive that. This model uses a lot of power to raise the humidity. The newer styles are more energy efficient but they spew bacteria and sediments into the air along with the water (they don’t emit true steam). Still – you gotta clean it before storing it. At least dry everything out.
Dump the water first thing in the morning and dry off. Once or twice a week add a cup of vinegar and water and let sit dor for 30 minutes. I rinse that out use clorox wipes on the base and the passage way the vaper leaves the machine. Let that sit for a couple of minutes then thoroughly rinse. That’s how I disinfect the humidifier
Buy a $5 humidifier meter from HP and place it anywhere in the house to daily check your home humidifier level. Plumber can install a central humidifier for $300. I made the mistake like you in my first home to have that steamer run every night in the Winter and my son developed asthma from breathing mold. When that stuff was gone, he was cured fr 😮the asthma.
is this because the Humidifier was never clean and maintained? the mold and viruses from these machines don’t develop if the machine is cleaned and maintained often enough if someone doesn’t maintain it properly and they get sick whose fault is this? let’s be realistic. this was the first thing I learned when researching to purchase one of these units.im glad you are ok and are making people aware of the dangers of these machines.
So any humidifier I use now is that new atomizer type. Different build type. Less parts and nothing to clean really. Used for smaller rooms though but u can find bigger units u just have to look specifically for them and Kno what your looking for. Always do your homework I found out. Hell after hearing this in more than glad I do my homework. Never back in the day actually going to school. But I sure do now. 😂 Cheers y’all
I was gonna read you the right act on routine cleaning practices, then saw you are a transplant recipient. I very quickly checked my Gatorade supply and realize my Gatorade was laced with Karen-e-cide. phew! that was close. I almost went full on Karen and that would have sucked worse than any ignorant comment shot from the hip about cleaning stuff. Jim, glad you are alright. forgive me for I know absolutely nothing worth a spit about anything. I wish you nothing but great health and a long long happy life.
I have 2 year old toddler and she have central sleep apnea and because her condition she dont qualified for medication or surgery because is her brain not the adenoids i have at humidifier around the house in my room because she sleep with me because she depends of the monitors for her breathing i have another humidifier in the living room and in her playroom i have to used the humidifier because thats help get out all the mucous she have in her lung and help her when the apnea star and every day i cleaned with oxygen water and alcohol every day and thats God she never catch anything related with the humidifier and she have covid already 2 times and thanks to the humidifier she is here with me who dont know the u have to clean that everyday? Because a normal person know that everything with water and small space grows bacterias
May I suggest that you be cautious enough to get into the habit of reading the instructions because you will glean a lot of very interesting insights along the way and product makers expect that they will be used such that all of an item’s shortcomings are not going to engineered out of it where they expect the user to perform needed care of a unit.
i appricate your article. I just got a wick type one that runs about 145 bucks. it has 3 wicks. its good to know i have a good type for sure cause I have cancer! This is good to know and idea on how to be careful and how to clean it. I will check maintence guide too. I have another one I have never cleaned and going to use that one in bedroom from storage unit. SO glad you mention this cuase i would have just rinsed it out cleaning where water is, and now i realize it would need just alittle more TLC before and as I use it. so THANK YOU!