What chemicals can you use to clean a window air conditioner?

Author: Merlin Rippin  |  Last update: Wednesday, September 17, 2025

You will need the following materials:
  • Warm water.
  • Mild detergent.
  • One of our best cleaning cloth picks.
  • Spray bottle with 3% hydrogen peroxide.
  • Fin comb or soft-bristle brush.
  • Screwdriver.
  • Protective gloves (optional)
  • Compressed air (optional)

What is the best thing to clean a window AC unit?

remove the AC from the case. Mix 1/4 cup of bleach with a gallon of water and use a spray bottle to hose everything down. Wait 30 min and rinse with a garden hose (avoid spraying the front panel). repeat this until its clean then let it dry for a day. put it back together and reinstall.

What can I spray in my air conditioner to clean it?

How To Clean An Air Conditioner
  • Vacuum the outside fins to remove debris that can block the air flow.
  • Remove the fan and clean the inside fins with a disinfectant cleaner like Lysol® Power and Fresh Multi-Surface Cleaner.

What's the best thing to use to clean an air conditioner?

An air-conditioner antifungal spray helps in curbing the mould growth in the interior parts of the unit. Use the spray to sanitize the coils and fins where toxins are most likely to form. You can also sanitize the AC air filters with the help of the antifungal spray.

Can I spray Lysol in my window AC?

Spraying Lysol or any disinfectant directly into a window air conditioner is not recommended. Here are a few reasons why: Damage to Components: The chemicals in Lysol can damage the internal components of the air conditioner, including the fan and coils.

DEEP Clean Window AC The Correct Way!

Can I spray vinegar into my window air conditioner?

Using strong solutions such as vinegar or bleach may lead to corrosion of the internal components of the AC. In case there are tougher stains on the internal components, use a soft brush to remove the dirt. Once the components have been cleaned, let the panel dry.

How to clean mold inside window air conditioner?

Vacuum the unit's interior to remove debris. Wipe away visible mold growth. Mix ½ cup bleach, 1 tablespoon mild dish soap, and 3 gallons of hot water in a bucket. Use a cloth, brush, or sponge to apply the solution and scrub moldy areas.

What is the correct way to clean inside your air conditioner?

Turn off the power to your air conditioner. Locate the evaporator coils, which are typically found inside the indoor unit or air handler. Carefully remove the access panel or cover to expose the coils. Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment to remove dust and debris from the coils gently.

Can I use hydrogen peroxide to clean AC?

Step 7: Spray Your AC With Hydrogen Peroxide

You can use a spray bottle for this step. Fill the bottle with 3% hydrogen peroxide, and then spray the exterior housing and all of your window AC unit's interior surfaces and components. Then use a cloth to wipe down all the surfaces you can reach.

What is chemical cleaning for air conditioner?

What is aircon chemical cleaning? In simple terms, it uses a specially formulated detergent to clean your air conditioner and kill 99.9% of bacteria completely. You can choose Non-Dismantle chemical cleaning or Full-Dismantle chemical cleaning.

What is the best cleaner for AC?

Let's look at the five best AC coil cleaners (listed in no particular order) that can help you work smarter, not harder.
  1. NU-CALGON Evaporator Coil Cleaner. ...
  2. SIMPLE GREEN Foaming Coil Cleaner. ...
  3. CRC Foaming Coil Cleaner. ...
  4. ZEP Foaming Coil Cleaner. ...
  5. SPRAYWAY Penetrating Coil Cleaner.

What is the black stuff in my window air conditioner?

What causes black mold in air conditioners? Even if you invest in the best window air conditioner, the unit can develop mold if it's unused for an extended period of time. Over the winter months, for example, dust can collect inside the vents.

Can you clean a window air conditioner with bleach?

Basic cleaning

You'll need a spray bottle and hydrogen peroxide. NEVER use alcohol or bleach on your machines. Remember that your unit is flammable and the fumes from the bleach could damage the interior.

How to remove musty smell from window air conditioner?

Clean the air filters

Cleaning or replacing dirty filters should help to reduce the dirty-sock smell coming from your air conditioner by limiting microbial growth.

Is it better to put bleach or vinegar in the air conditioner?

We recommend using vinegar instead of a bleach solution because bleach can cause corrosion if you have copper tubing in your AC's drain line.

Can you spray the inside of a window air conditioner?

Spray the interior with hydrogen peroxide - To kill any mold or mildew spores present inside the unit, spray the fins, coils and other interior parts with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.

How long to let window air conditioner dry after cleaning?

Let your air conditioner dry for about 24 hours.

Before reassembling and reinstalling your air conditioner, let it dry thoroughly.

What is the proper way to clean a window air conditioner?

Spray down the interior cabinet and exterior housing with hydrogen peroxide, and use a cloth or rag to wipe down everything you can reach. Use the same spray cleaning solution on the evaporator and condenser coils or an AC coil spray cleaner. Allow the cleaner to air dry or rinse it off with water.

Can I use vinegar to clean my air conditioner?

There is no exact amount and frequency for using vinegar to clean your AC coils. Still, about ¼ of a cup of vinegar will do the trick in most cases. As for the frequency, you can get good results by cleaning the coils every month or every couple of months.

Is it okay to spray water on your air conditioner?

The good news is that you absolutely can spray water on your air conditioner if it needs a cleaning, and nothing bad will happen. Spraying water on your AC's condenser also helps it run more efficiently. In fact, your condenser needs a regular spritzing in order to keep doing a good job.

Can black mold grow in window air conditioners?

It is typical for moisture or condensation to be on your window air conditioning unit, which is why mold may grow. In warmer and more humid weather, mold is more likely to grow on your window air conditioning unit. If the mold spores have something to feed off of, such as dust, this combination results in mold growth.

How to clean inside an air conditioner?

How to Clean Your AC Unit Inside
  1. Turn Off the Power to the Air Conditioner. ...
  2. Open Up the AC Unit. ...
  3. Clean the Air Conditioner Evaporator Coils. ...
  4. Clean the AC Drain Pan. ...
  5. Clear the Air Conditioner Drain If It Is Plugged. ...
  6. Close the AC Access Panel. ...
  7. Disconnect and Remove AC Grille. ...
  8. Remove Debris in Air Conditioner.

How long do window AC units last?

Window AC units usually have the shortest lifespan, averaging 8 to 10 years. They are often less expensive but may require more frequent replacement.

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