You might want to use humidifier tablets to prevent mold in your appliance.
Humidifiers increase the moisture content in your indoor air, raising the humidity level. However, because of their regular contact with water, mold can grow inside the tank and then the mister will disperse it with the mist. That’s why you ought to know the mold in humidifier symptoms
The problem with humidifiers is that whatever is inside the tank is going to come out in the mist. It is vital to keep the tank very clean.
If the tank has bacteria, mold, viruses and other contaminants, they will be pumped out in the mist, and they will make your family sick with chest tightness complications.
But a humidifier does not always have to be so bad. There is some respite in the best humidifier tablets that prevent mold.
Not only do these tablets soften hard water so that the minerals are not pumped out in the mist, but they also help with preventing mold and scale formation.
What to put in humidifier to prevent mold: Humidifier Tablets
Various times in this blog, we have looked at topics related to things that you can add to your humidifier. In one article, we said you can add a dash of essential oils for babies, to help your young one sleep better.
In yet another article, we asked whether you can put fabric softener in your humidifier. YOU CANNOT!
If you have a problem with hard water in your home, use humidifier tablets. They do work. Just add one as advised to the humidifier tank and it will release ions that bond with the mineral ions. That way, the minerals are not pumped out with the mist.
Do not add perfume into your humidifier, do not make a habit of adding essential oils. While once or twice will not hurt the unit, making it a habit will have its side effects! It will certainly damage the unit.
Truth be told, the best thing for hard water is humidifier tablets. If you do not have those, you can use a demineralization cartridge.
Humidifier tablets are also going to prevent the formation of humidifier white dust. This is the pale dust that ultrasonic humidifiers leave on your surfaces when the mist dries.
The humidifier’s diaphragm breaks the minerals in hard water down and pumps them out in the mist. When the air becomes dry again, the minerals form white dust.
Only the ultrasonic humidifiers form this pale dust. If you have hard water in your home, using a cool mist or warm mist humidifier can help you to avoid the white dust.
How to prevent mold in humidifier: Other methods
There are other ways to prevent the formation of mold in a humidifier. Here, we shall look at a few of them:
Cleaning the humidifier often with vinegar
Even if there is no sign of mold in your humidifier, make a habit of cleaning it as often as possible.
If you use your humidifier daily, clean it a few times a week, two to three times! This is going to prevent the build-up of scale, mold, viruses and bacteria in the tank.
If it has been some time since you last cleaned your unit, use white vinegar to clean it.
Steps to follow when cleaning the humidifier
Step 1: Gather the things that you will need. These are soap, warm water, white vinegar and user manual for your Pure Enrichment humidifier, or any other
Step 2: Unplug the unit from power, place it on the kitchen counter top. Pour out all the water in the tank
Step 3: Remove the tank. You can follow the instructions in the manual.
Step 4: In the tank, add two to three cups of vinegar with 6 percent acidity. Shake the tank as long as you can to make the vinegar get to every part
Step 5: Pour a glass of white vinegar and equal amount of water in the base and let it stay there for about 60 minutes
Step 6: Pour out the water-vinegar from the tank through the spout. You can invert the humidifier
Step 7: Take care not to let water seep through to the circuitry, pour out the vinegar-water solution in the base. If water gets to the circuitry, the humidifier will shut off after cleaning.
Step 8: Take a clean rag, towel or sponge and wipe the base down off the excess moisture. Place it on a rack to air-dry.
Step 9: Wipe the exterior of the humidifier with the cloth, soaked in warm soapy water if you like.
Step 10: Pour fresh water (soft water) into the tank, fix it back and run your humidifier
Disinfect the humidifier with bleach
If you do not have white vinegar, it is okay to use bleach. Pour one or two teaspoonfuls of bleach into your water. Use the water to clean the tank and the base of the humidifier.
Bleach will kill the mold, bacteria and viruses. However, you should never let bleach and white vinegar mix because they form a poisonous gas.
While bleach is good for humidifier mold prevention, you need to rinse it out very thoroughly. Keep rinsing the base and the tank until there is no smell of bleach left.
If the humidifier fails to start releasing mist immediately, give it some time to reset the built-in humidistat.
Clean with hydrogen peroxide – humidifier mold prevention
Hydrogen peroxide and water solution is also perfect for cleaning the humidifier base and tank.
Mix the two in the ratio of 1:4 (hydrogen peroxide and water), add it to the tank and the base and let it stay for 30 minutes, or longer.
Empty the two and then clean the tank thoroughly with utensils detergent and water, rinse it perfectly and let it air-dry.
Humidifier additive to prevent mold
Apart from using humidifier tablets to prevent mold in the unit, are there any more ways to take care of this problem?
Hydrogen peroxide
One of the best ways is to add a drop or two of hydrogen peroxide in the tank, in the water. It causes no harm at all when it is pumped out in the mist.
Now, hydrogen peroxide is safe when you use it sparingly. In this case, it is okay to add it to the tank since you will not be inhaling it directly.
Hydrogen peroxide kills all bacteria and mold that would likely form in the stagnant water. If you let water stay too long in the tank, you will notice that it forms slime.
This slime is a combination of grease, mold, bacteria, and viruses. Mold and bacteria are living things. Only a warm mist humidifier can kill them. If you have a cool mist ultrasonic unit, the nasties will be pumped out in the mist.
Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is not only good for aromatherapy, but it also has antibacterial qualities. This is why it can help to prevent bacteria from thriving in the humidifier tank.
It also has anti-fungal qualities, so it will kill fungi such as mold and in the mildew in the tank.
Tea tree oil is also one of the most popular essential oils for aromatherapy. It purifies the air. However, use it very moderately because it is poisonous when ingested. Do not inhale it directly too!
Also, avoid using it in your humidifier for baby because their nostrils can sting if they inhale air laden with it.
Can you add vinegar to humidifier water?
We said that you can use vinegar to clean a humidifier since it is going to help dislodge scale and slime.
Well, the truth is that you should avoid using vinegar in the humidifier, mixed with water when it is running. It contains acetic acid, which is not good for your health.
To be on the safe side, stick to water only, or water and humidifier tablets in your unit. Remember, if misused, you can sustain humidifier sickness symptoms.
Final thoughts: Humidifier tablets to prevent mold
Thoughts are a bit wishy-washy when it comes to adding things to humidifier water. However, there is no problem at all in adding humidifier tablets to prevent mold.
We would suggest that you do not add anything more than a small drop of tea tree essential oil in the humidifier water.
Regarding the other things such as hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and bleach, just use them for cleaning the unit to be on the safe side.
If misused, these products can be dangerous. Some essential oils can also cause chest tightness in babies. Before using any, ask your doctor.
