PSA: Clean Your Portable Air Conditioners!

John Kimble on 31/01/2019 - 18:54
Last edited 31/01/2019 - 19:05

Hi,

tl;dr Clean your portable air conditioners everyone! I just did and I was surprised how dirty it has gotten over the years!

I know PACs are inefficient etc, but we've had one for 4 years and it has helped a lot on extremely hot days in that time. I noticed that the air from it smelled a bit musty, and whilst I clean the rear removable filter on the back regularly, there is an intake on the side that doesn't have a filter on it to clean. So I took it apart and man, SO. MUCH. DUST. I didn't realise that it could trap so much. They really should make them more dust proof/easier to clean than having to take off all the housing…

This video of a guy cleaning one for the first time in 11 years gives a good idea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vqz93uNYZY

But if you want to see pics of mine they are here:
Side intake
Rear Intake
Inside exhaust mould 1
Inside exhaust mould 2

Cheers,
DJK

Home & Garden Air Conditioner

Comments

  • Yummy on 31/01/2019 - 19:01
    +1

    Tt… thanks?

  • iforgotmysocks on 31/01/2019 - 19:06
    +4

    John what if we don't have portable air conditioners?

    • John Kimble on 31/01/2019 - 19:07
      +9

      Go buy one, use for a few years, then clean it!

      • iforgotmysocks on 31/01/2019 - 19:07
        +5

        Thanks John almost missed out on all the fun

        • John Kimble on 31/01/2019 - 19:12
          +3

          If you buy second hand, you can probably clean straight away if you are too impatient to wait! haha

          • iforgotmysocks on 31/01/2019 - 19:14
            +2

            @John Kimble: You should have let me know before you released this PSA… it's probably too late they've all been cleaned

      • mbck on 31/01/2019 - 20:12

        Nah he can come over and clean mine!

  • vinni9284 on 31/01/2019 - 19:40
    +2

    Thanks for the heads up!
    Cheers

  • [Deactivated] on 31/01/2019 - 20:11
    +6

    Rear intake. Hehe. Heh. Hehe.

    • bobbified on 01/02/2019 - 01:02

      My rear is purely an "outlet". Just sayin…

  • conservative on 31/01/2019 - 21:24
    +1

    Clean anything that sucks in air regularly

    • psyren89 on 01/02/2019 - 00:12

      Start scrubbing your nostrils.

      • bobbified on 01/02/2019 - 01:03

        No need. Certain powders have cleaning properties already.

      • Euphemistic on 01/02/2019 - 07:09

        Does this mean that you get the kids to clean the PAC and wipe it down the back of the couch?

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 31/01/2019 - 23:55

    And the front of fans as well. Them dust allergens. Though a fan can actually cause trouble from asthmatics just by recirculating the dust.

  • Nugs on 01/02/2019 - 06:21

    this is not a portable thing. should clean filters for all AC before every summer at a minimum (if only using as a cooler).
    .

    • John Kimble on 01/02/2019 - 07:45

      Agree, but I didn't just clean the filter. I had to basically disassemble the unit (Or at least take the case off). This isn't really designed to be done! Crazy!

  • poboy on 01/02/2019 - 14:46

    Guy in video is disgusted with the amount of dust on the portable aircon unit. Proceeds to clean away dust inside the house.

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