How to Clean a Room Air Conditioner

A simple cleaning is all information technology takes to keep your room air conditioner humming.

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Introduction

Air conditioners work more efficiently when the evaporator and condenser coils or cooling fins are clean and the fins are direct. Save money and continue your firm cooler past cleaning a room air conditioner yourself.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • A/C coil cleaner
  • Electric motor oil
  • Household cleaner

How to Make clean Your A/C Unit

Most people assume warm air from their air-conditioning unit means information technology's depression on refrigerant. That's not ever the crusade. Many times, window and through-the-wall A/C units can't accident cold air considering the evaporator and condenser coils or cooling fins are clogged. Here are some air workout mistakes you lot can avoid.

Professional cleaning costs more than than $100. But yous can exercise the unabridged task yourself in well-nigh an hour with a few dollars in supplies. If cleaning doesn't exercise the trick, y'all can always call in a pro (or buy a newer, more efficient unit). Simply before yous do that, bank check out our step-by-footstep air conditioner cleaning instructions below.

Plus, here'due south where you shouldn't install your A/C.

Project stride-by-step (6)

Step 1

The Cleaning Procedure:

Starting time, remove the plastic filter holder/trim console. It normally snaps off. And then remove the unit from the window or slide information technology out of the wall. (Get help. Information technology's heavy.)

If you lot're working on a window A/C unit of measurement, remove the mounting frame and the case. The case screws are ordinarily located along the bottom border. Note the location of any odd-length screws since they have to get back in the same spots upon reassembly. Plus, your air conditioner won't work fully if you don't do this.

Step 2

Rummage Out the Mats

  • Straighten the aptitude cooling fins with a fin rummage.
  • Match the correct end of the air conditioner fin rummage to the fin spacing on your coils.
  • And then insert the air conditioner fin comb and pull upwardly to straighten the fins.
  • Article of clothing leather gloves to prevent nasty cuts.

comb out air conditioner mats

Step 3

Air Conditioner Fin Rummage Details

  • Fin combs are bachelor for near common air conditioners.
  • Go fin combs on Amazon.

air conditioner fin comb

Step 4

Make clean Out the Grime

  • Buy two cans of A/C unit coil cleaner (we used Air conditioning-Rubber No. AC-920 from The Home Depot.).
  • Before applying the cleaner, vacuum all visible buildup from both coils.

clean out air conditioner crud

Step 5

Apply Foam Cleaner

  • Shoot the spray over the entire surface of both coils and let the cream do the work for you.
  • If the buildup is heavy, brush in the direction of the fins with a nylon-bristle brush.

AC Unit Coil Cleaner

Footstep 6

Service the Fan Motor

  • While the foam works, clean the fan blades with a household cleaner and a rag.
  • If the fan motor has plastic- or condom-capped oiling ports, pop them and squeeze in a few drops of electrical motor oil (pros use the Zoomspout oiler) and epitomize.
  • Finally, wash (or replace) the air filter and reinstall the unit of measurement.
  • Information technology just might blow a lot libation. If not, y'all have other bug!

And if you don't accept an air conditioner, check out these creative means to stay cool all summer long.

service air conditioner fan

Originally Published: July 28, 2020