Cleaning Solution for Air Conditioner

Cleaning air conditioners is one of the simplest and most cost effective ways of improving its performance and saving energy. Cleaning an air conditioner removes any accumulated dirt, grease, debris and oil. This will improve the efficiency of the condenser coils and the evaporator.

You need to use an appropriate  cleaning solution for air conditioner  or heat pump equipment in order to avoid damaging it. Using corrosive cleaners will damage the drain pans, unpainted metal and plastic parts. While a bleach solution and a wire brush seems like a cheap solution, the bleach can oxidize plastic parts while contributing to the corrosion of metal components. 

How to Clean Air Conditioner Units the Right Way 

1. Buy a cleaning solution for air conditioner units. 

2. Put on gloves and protective goggles. 

3. Turn off the air conditioner before you start to clean it. 

4. Remove the air conditioner panel so that you have a clear view of the air conditioning coil. 

5. You can vacuum or dust the coil to remove caked on dirt. A toilet scrub brush or wash cloth can be used to remove stubborn dirt. Be careful not to bend the fins. 

6. Depending on the cleaning solution, you may need to put it in a spray bottle and add water before it is ready for use. Once the solution is ready, spray the air conditioner cleaning  solution onto the air conditioner coils.

7. You can at this point pour bleach water solution into the drain pan to kill mildew and germs living in the drain-line. However, the bleach water should not be used on the air conditioner’s metal housing or the AC coils. 

8. Put the air conditioner cover back on. Unlike bleach solutions and some caustic cleaners, you will not need to rinse the AC cleaner off of the unit. 

9. Turn on the air conditioner and let it run for half an hour. It can, however, run longer if desired. The condensation from the air conditioner will flush the cleaner from the AC coil