Whether you have a split, portable, floor, or even window air conditioner, cleaning all of the seasonal or quarterly is very important to make things keep running.
Because cleaning them regularly helps you to remove the dirt and dust from inside. This will increase the performance and overall lifespan.
Especially the window air conditioner because it has only a single unit that can cover a small area.
According to Residential Energy Consumption Survey, more than 90 percent of people in the US only use the air conditioner in their house and 26 percent of them are using only window air conditioners.
So if your window air conditioner is also not working well due to less regular cleaning. Then you should read this complete article.
Because I have shared deep information on how you can clean your window air conditioner without removing it.
Because removing the complete unit required so much effort and knowledge.
Also, I have covered why this is important to you and what things are required. So don’t skip any point or paragraph otherwise you will lose your chance to make things better.
Table of Contents
Why You Need To Clean Your AC Before Every Summer
Using the air conditioner during the summer is the best season. Because summer is the hottest amongst all the other seasons.
That requires better cooling. But if your air conditioner is not ready to handle this temperature. Then maybe this becomes your worst season ever.
Because the cleaning process required some time of about one or even two days.
But if any part is not working well in your air conditioner then you have time to fix it. So that you don’t need to bear this kind of hot temperature.
Some types of air conditioners like a window and portable are easy to clean but not all of them.
Because they only have a single unit so you don’t need to put lots of effort into it. But this cleaning surely requires some tools and stuff. What are those?? Great question!!.
What Things Are Required For This Work
How much experience do you have to clean an air conditioner? As you know air conditioners are a part of home improvement appliances.
That requires careful work because if you do anything wrong then this will cost you more.
That’s why understanding all the tools and stuff that you are going to use for cleaning your window air conditioner is impotent.
- Cup of warm water
- Ordinary detergent
- Clean cloth
- Drip tray
- Bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide
- Clean brush
- Can of compressed air
- Vacuum cleaner
- Screwdriver
That’s all now you are ready to clean your window air conditioner without removing the complete unit.
But make sure to keep these things altogether to your working place.
How To Clean A Window Air Conditioner: Step By Step Process
If you are an office person then you have only a single day to complete this work. Because no one wants to ruin their holiday working on an air conditioner.
That’s why you need to carefully follow all these steps to do this work in the meantime.
1. Shut Down Your Air Conditioner
As you know an air conditioner is an electronic appliance. So if you do anything without shutting off the power.
Then you might be struck by the heavy current. That’s why while working on any electronic appliance like your window air conditioner make sure to shut it down.
Don’t worry this is not necessary to shut off the main switch of your house.
2. Remove The Front Panel Of Your AC
Cleaning your window air conditioner from inside is not possible without removing the front panel. Because this is the main part that always is in front of your eyes.
But for reaching out the internal parts like a filter, tray, drain, and other things are required to be removed.
But you need to do this very carefully because of this break. Then fixing this front panel is very difficult.
So for doing this work first you need to lose all the screws by using the screwdriver. But make sure to keep all of them safe because after cleaning your air conditioner you will need them.
So after this process, you will find a group of wire connections with the inner parts. You need to disconnect it completely.
3. Carefully Remove The Filter
Cleaning the house regularly doesn’t mean you don’t have any dust and dirt inside your house. Because they are very small and you can see all of them.
But these small particles will usually settle on different stuff in your houses like fan blades, TV, window filter, books (If you don’t read them), and more.
That’s why you also need to clean them but removing the front panel of your window air conditioner daily is very difficult.
That’s why when you are going to clean it. You need to remove the filter also and you will find it inside the front panel.
This filter works as a barrier that blocks all the dirt and dust outside from your window air conditioner.
4. Clean The Filter Under The Warm Water
Are you a housewife? If you are a housewife then you know the importance of cleaning anything from warm water. Because the warm water heats up anything.
So the dirt and dust will easily be removed and you don’t need to put in so much effort. That’s why you also need warm water and an ordinary detergent mixture.
Because the filter is not a hard thing so that you can use your power on it. But if you do that then it may be broken easily.
That’s why when you use the mixture of both solid things. Then you can easily remove all the dirt and dust from the filter.
Also, you can use a clean cloth because using your hand may damage the filter.
5. Let The Filter Dry Properly
Are you getting proper sunlight inside your room? What is the temperature of your room? So after cleaning the filter properly now you need to let it dry.
But it requires moderate temperature so that it will not be damaged. Because as you know the filter is placed inside your front panel and in front of the main housing.
So if it doesn’t have proper space for passing the air through inside. Then you will not get the proper cooling. That refers to the filter being thin and fragile.
So you need to manage the temperature of your room. It shouldn’t be more than 35°C or room temperature. This will properly dry this filter without any damage.
6. Replace The Filter If It Doesn’t Work
Have you cleaned any air conditioners in the past? If you have just married and you don’t have any experience of cleaning the air conditioner.
But open it and try your best to do this thing. Then there is a chance that you may damage your filter.
Because as I have said earlier, this is very thin and fragile. So if you use your power on it to clean properly. Then it may burst and break.
That requires replacing the filter with the new one. But which filter is great to use in your air conditioner? Don’t worry I will let you know.
So the first thing you need to check in your AC filter is the manufacturer’s guidelines and the type of the filter.
Then look at the MERV ratings that will let you know how efficient this filter is to block dirt and dust. Then at the last, you need to check if it is washable or not.
7. Use The Comb & Clean The Aluminum Fins
After removing the filter you will find the main housing that is covered by the aluminum fins. These aluminum fins are responsible for cooling their air.
Also, these fins are very dense and very hard to clean. That’s why you need to use a comb or soft brush to comb up all the dirt and debris from aluminum fins.
Or you can go with an inexpensive way by using the specially made comb for doing this work.
Because this type of comb works much better than the ordinary home using a brush or comb. Because the aluminum fins are very important and if they break.
Then you need to wait for some time to fix it. Also, while doing this you should wear protective gloves.
8. Spray It WIth Condensed Air
Under the aluminum fins, you will also find fans and coils. That can’t reach out with your hand.
That’s why this requires condensed air so that you can blow up the dirt and dust from inside.
You can easily find a can of condensed air from only or any home improvement store. So when you find it just use it at the front and back of the unit.
Or you can use a small brush but you need to be very careful about using it.
9. Vacuum Up The Base Unit
As you know there are so many internal parts in your window air conditioner and one of them is the base unit (aka tray).
When you clean the aluminum fins and other parts and if you use water for it. Then most of the dirty water will go on the tray.
As a result, the base unit also becomes dirty and should be cleaned also.
That’s why you need to use a vacuum cleaner or shop vac. That will easily vacuum up all the dirt and dust from the tray. So that you can complete the next step.
Also, you can use clothing for this work so it all depends on you how well you want to clean your window air conditioner.
10. Check The Drain
When you complete your work above now you need to check the drain pipe connected to your window air conditioner.
Because this is the place where the wastewater goes out from your air conditioner.
So if there is any blockage inside it the water can’t go out and this may damage the whole system.
That’s why you need to check the drain pipe and make clear pathways. Then clean the opening and the place where you place this pipe.
So that the water level can be managed.
11. Clean The Front Panel Also
Now you have to clean everything: the filter, aluminum fins, tray, and other internal parts. But if you forgot to clean the front panel of your air conditioner.
Then you will not get cool air in the summer season. That’s why you are about to complete your work. Then you should clean the front panel.
You can use a mixture of warm water and detergent for this work. So that you can complete your work without any problem.
Because the front panel is also made from plastic and this can also break like others. Make sure to leave the place where the digital indicator is installed.
Otherwise, it may get ruined from the water.
12. Put Everything Back Together
Have you properly cleaned your window air conditioner? Is there any work left in it? Because after putting them all together, disassembling them again is very difficult.
That’s why you need to check your air conditioner is properly clean and well working. But don’t shut it on. So when you know all things are good.
Then this is the time to put the parts all together and assemble your air conditioner. All you need is to just place the filter inside the front panel and screw them up.
Then let it dry and wait for at least 3 to 4 hours before shutting it on.
13. Use 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
Is your window air conditioner smelling very bad? After cleaning, maybe your air conditioner starts smelling very bad due to using detergent and other things.
Then you should use 3% hydrogen peroxide. This will fix this problem. Because it is a chemical compound of many fresh things.
That’s why this will also make your air conditioner better.
Now all the steps of cleaning your air conditioner without removing it have ended. You only need to follow them all if you want to clean your air conditioner also.
Wrap Up On How To Clean A Window Air Conditioner
Having any type of air conditioner requires better cleaning for efficient work in the summer season.
Otherwise, facing the summer season will become very difficult for you. Because if any part is not working well in your air conditioner.
Then while cleaning it you can fix it if you can but if you can’t. Then you can easily call any professional because you have time.
But when the summer season comes then passing a second without your air conditioner is very difficult. If you are living in a hot place like Las Vegas.
That’s why I have provided all the steps that are necessary for this. So if you haven’t done this work in the past, you can easily clean your air conditioner by following these steps.
But make sure to keep all the tools near to your working place. Because while working, finding them, again and again, is quite a difficult job.
But when you have them all together in one place you can easily use them without facing any problem. You will find all tools in your house or a home improvement store.
FAQ: Step By Step Process To Clean The Window AC
Cleaning the window air conditioner without removing it is a difficult job. That’s why many people like you are facing lots of problems. That can be solved easily.
That’s why I have added some of them in this article and try my best to give appropriate answers.
How much time does it take to clean a window air conditioner?
Cleaning a window air conditioner doesn’t take so much time because it has only a single unit.
However, this will also depend on the experience and knowledge that you have for cleaning an AC.
But overall this should take the time up to 1 to 2 days that’s all.
Is it OK to completely wet an air conditioner from water?
An air conditioner is an electronic appliance so making it wet completely is the wrong idea.
You need to use water on a specific area in your air conditioner like a filter, aluminum fins, tray, and so on.
How much does it cost to clean the window air conditioner without removing it?
If you have time to clean your air conditioner or if you don’t have any experience of doing this or you don’t want to do this.
Then you need a professional that will cost you around $200 to $300 and maybe more.
