If you are reading about the best humidifier tablets for the first time, you are in the right place. Here, we shall look at what these tablets do and whether they help at all.
Close to 90 percent of American household have hard water at home. Thus, there is a serious need to soften this water before using it.
If you live in a dry place and you need to use a humidifier, hard water can damage the appliance. It also forms scales on the walls of the tank.
Why do you need humidifier tablets for your unit?
These tablets are used in the humidifier for three main purposes. These are:
- Demineralization/Water softening
- Aromatherapy
- Water purification
Most people ask: What can you add to your humidifier water? Some of the things that rank at the top include different types of essential oils.
However, it is not always advisable to add essential oils to the humidifier. Even if you must use them for de-congesting the baby or your chest, you should add a very small amount of these oils.
If you are into essential oil therapy, just buy a diffuser on Amazon.com. It is designed to break down the oil molecules and disperse them in the air.
But we digress… This article is about Honeywell, Everlasting Comfort, Vicks humidifier tablets, and many more.
Keep reading!
How water softener tablets, humidifier tablets, and capsules work?
Inside the water softener, there are resin beads. These beads contain potassium or sodium ions that they release into the water. A water softener looks like the image below:
When these ions get into the water, they take the place of the hard minerals in the form of magnesium or calcium ions.
As the name suggests, the softener tablets are added to the water softener, which is a device that works in almost the same way as a demineralization cartridge. These devices exchange the hard mineral ions for the soft ions.
Humidifier tablets are hard. They do not dissolve easily, so you can use some of them for up to two weeks.
Drop them into the humidifier tank or place them in the base. As they take their sweet time to dissolve, they will soften the water.
Demineralization tablets for humidifiers
One of the reasons for using these tablets is to demineralize the water to prevent the formation of humidifier white dust.
When you use hard water in an ultrasonic humidifier, it causes white dust. This comes from the minerals that come out of the mist. It settles on different surfaces as pale dust.
While white dust cannot cause humidifier sickness symptoms, it is still not a good thing to find a thin film of dust on your furniture, books, and electronics.
When you remove the minerals that cause white dust, you also prolong the life of your unit. A humidifier is not designed to process hard water.
There are different types of demineralization tablets in the market. One popular brand name is the Hunter Humidifier Tablets that you can buy on amazon.com.
To use the Hunter tablets, just pop one inside the humidifier tank—only one per week. This does not mean you cannot add water to the tank when it runs low. You can, because the tablet will not dissolve completely.
When you are buying these tablets, you need information about them. For instance, some people complain that the Hunter Demineralization Tablets dissolve, so you might have to use more than one in a week.
Another complaint is that they really do not prevent humidifier white dust. There have been complaints that using these tablets can cause a white fog or haze in your rooms.
How humidifier demineralization tablets work
The main purpose of using the demineralization tablets is to prevent mineral deposits or scale from forming on the walls of the tank.
Please note that some tablet makers say that theirs can be used with certain humidifiers only. It is best to pay caution to that so it can work.
It is also important to use the tablet the recommended number of times. Every humidifier treatment tablet comes with instructions for use.
For some, you are supposed to use them once a week, while for others, you can do them once every two weeks.
By preventing the minerals from dissolving and being pumped out with the humidifier mist, you can increase the level of humidity in your home.
Humidifier demineralization treatment capsule
There is no difference between the humidifier demineralization treatment capsule and demineralization tablets. Both of them do the same job of removing minerals from the water in your humidifier.
The effectiveness mostly depends on the choice of demineralization capsules that you get. Most of them are universal, meaning you can use the capsules in any humidifier brand.
It is also best to choose a demineralization humidifier capsule that has antimicrobial qualities. That way, it is going to kill any bacteria that might be in the water that you put in your unit.
The main problem with a humidifier is that whatever is in the water is going to be pumped into your room with the mist. If there are bacteria in the water, your family will inhale them since they come out in the mist.
Choose a demineralization capsule that can kill mold in the water. That way, there will be no mold in humidifier symptoms.
Mold can cause an odor in the humidifier, and this odor will spread out in your rooms from the mist.
Using the capsules is the same as using the tablets. In most cases, you will need to add one capsule to the humidifier tank once a week. Since the capsule does not dissolve, you can add water when the humidifier runs low.
You can buy the BestAir HCC31-PDQ-4 demineralization capsule for humidifiers on amazon.com. Follow the instructions for use to get the maximum benefit out of it.
Water softener tablets for humidifiers
Once again, water softener tablets for humidifiers are the same as capsules or tablets. If you have been asking whether you can use water softener in a humidifier, the answer is yes. Only ensure that it is a recommended water softener tablet.
Unlike the other methods of softening water at home to use in your humidifier, the softener tablets work faster.
They have almost immediate effects!
Holmes humidifier aromatherapy tablets
Even if you have soft water or are using distilled water in your humidifier to prevent white dust, you might need some aromatherapy to help you relax.
This is where the Holmes humidifier aromatherapy tablets come in. If you have a Holmes humidifier, you could definitely get some good aromatherapy.
Many people ask: Can you add essential oils to the Holmes humidifier? Yes, you can. Holmes humidifiers come in a top-fill design.
They also come with a tray for aromatherapy. You can use this humidifier to diffuse your favorite essential oils.
But you cannot use the aromatherapy tablets in the essential oil tray. You need to add them to the water so that they can dissolve slowly and give your air that awesome and calming scent.
There are many Vicks humidifier tablets or Holmes humidifier aromatherapy tablets that you can use.
One of them is the Sunbeam-Eucalyptus-Humidifier-Aromatherapy-SEM2300 that you can buy on amazon.com.
Best Humidifier Tablets: FAQ
There is a lot of confusion in the market about the usability and efficiency of humidifier demineralization tablets.
Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers to help you along.
What do humidifier tablets do?
These tablets remove the minerals from the water so that they are not released in the mist into your indoor air. Minerals cause humidifier white dust. These tablets dissolve so slowly that they last a long time. Some of the tablets are for aromatherapy, so they release scents into the water.
Do demineralization tablets work for humidifiers?
They will remove or reduce the minerals from the water, and in effect, they will reduce white dust in ultrasonic humidifiers. Some of these tablets also have antimicrobial qualities, so they can kill mold and bacteria in the water.
Are water purification tablets safe to use in humidifiers?
Yes, but you could also use white vinegar in the water to kill mold and bacteria. The tablets are hard, and they dissolve ever so slowly, so they last a long time. These are also called humidifier cleaning tablets because they prevent the formation of scale on the tank walls.
Do humidifiers need to have the Vicks tablets?
Vicks has a popular product for de-congesting the airways. However, it is not recommended to add Vicks to a humidifier. Humidifier manufacturers caution against this. Rather, buy a Vicks VapoSteam that you can use in a vaporizer to help you.
What can I put in my Vicks humidifier?
You can use recommended products, such as the Vicks VapoPads that you can buy on amazon.com. These have a sweet menthol scent. The pads offer relief from the cold, and they can be used with most Vicks humidifiers, vaporizers, and other plug-in devices.
Can you put a vapor pad in the humidifier?
If the humidifier has a scent pad, you can use the vapor pad inside. Just open the door, tear one edge of the vapor pad, place it in the scent pad, and lock it. It will start emitting the scent with the humidifier mist. If you need more scent, place two VapoPads from Vicks.
What are humidifier water treatment tablets?
These tablets reduce the water hardness, effectively reducing or eliminating the humidifier dust that ultrasonic humidifiers make. Some of the tablets contain antimicrobial qualities, so they also kill mold and bacteria, making your mist safer to inhale.
Final thoughts
The question in the minds of most people is: Should I use humidifier tablets?
Well, if they do not harm the operation of the humidifier, use them. In any case, many people agree that these tablets do help to reduce the white dust.
You add these tablets to the water tank, or you add them to the base of the humidifier. If you are in doubt, check with your unit’s manufacturer to see what they recommend.
Using additives in your humidifier can invalidate the warranty, so be careful about that. If you do not need aromatherapy tablets, just use distilled water if the only problem is white dust.
Also read:
Why is my dehumidifier blowing cold air?
