How To Clean A Window Air Conditioner Styrofoam

Every air conditioner is supposed to have EPS (expanded polystyrene) in information technology, acting as insulation also every bit a filter – and then you can't go without it. With that in mind, in cases of loftier humidity in the air, mold growth can become quite a serious issue.

Most of the fourth dimension, styrofoam is mold-resistant – merely occasionally, mold may grow on it as well.

To get rid of mold, you will either have to clean it or supplant the styrofoam altogether.

This commodity volition teach you how to eliminate mold on Styrofoam in air conditioner and prevent future growth.

Is Mold in Air Conditioner Dangerous?

If modest amounts of mold spores course on your air conditioner styrofoam, the chances are that you will non exist bothered past mildew.

Mold and mildew in small-scale quantities are often not very dangerous for the average person in the short run – merely in the long run, it may trigger some health bug.

Blackness mold in window Ac is the kind of mold growth that y'all need to be aware of.

When this kind of mold begins growing on your air conditioning organisation, information technology tin can become a trouble for those with allergies, asthma, or sure animate issues.

Plus, mold growth in your air conditioner tin can lead to pharynx irritation, stuffy olfactory organ, cough, as well as peel and center irritation.

Since your air workout arrangement circulates air throughout the house, information technology will also spread the mold. This is why yous need to make sure you maintain the fundamental air styrofoam clean and well-ventilated.

With that in mind, people are not the simply ones that are affected by mold spores.

Pets may too be affected by black mold, which is why yous may want to accost this trouble as soon equally it appears. Mold can form quickly, but information technology takes a lot of fourth dimension to go rid of it.

What Causes the Germination of Mold on Styrofoam in Air Conditioner?

Spraying black mold on styrofoam in a window air conditioner

If you take mold growing inside your ac system, it can be either considering of high humidity, low ventilation or dirt aggregating. One time the moisture aerosol accumulate on the styrofoam, information technology can rapidly exist transformed into mold.

Let'due south discuss the master culprits in details;

Dirt on The Styrofoam

If there is dirt inside the window Air conditioning, black mold can easily form. This is why you demand to go along the AC make clean – always.

Presence of standing h2o inside your air conditioner

If you have continuing water inside the unit, information technology may also let the mold go loose. Mold-causing bacteria honey moisture , so if your AC is non dry, it may simply increment the risk of mold formation.

Malfunctioning of the AC Unit

A malfunctioning AC unit of measurement cannot ventilate the room properly, leaving way for moisture to go crazy and for mold to abound

Poor positioning and location of the AC

When you lot are using your air conditioner in a humid location, mold spores will brainstorm to course on the unit. Avoid placing your AC in water spots and highly moisturized places.

Preparation Before Cleaning

Technician inspecting a wall mounted window air conditioner — Source: freepik.com/

To clean mold from window air conditioner styrofoam, you need to consider 2 things: the supply list and then the procedure itself.

Supply list

The supply listing starts fifty-fifty earlier you brainstorm cleaning the air conditioning unit. Hither is what y'all volition demand to assemble:

Safety first

When you clean mold, you expose yourself to unhealthy contaminants. Therefore, you need a face mask and waterproof gloves to protect yourself from wet and the precipitous parts of the unit.

Window AC Cleaners

Certain types of dish lather have shown to have antibacterial properties, equally well equally the ability to prevent mold from forming.

Bleach tin can exist used, but since information technology's rather harsh, not everyone recommends it to make clean mold on styrofoam in ACs.

By putting the dish soap in a spray bottle, you should exist able to turn it into a spray cleaner to make your ac organisation nice and clean.

Cleaning Tools & supplies

Cleaning tools are likewise important to consider when cleaning your ac ducts.

Y'all will require a scrub brush (preferably fabricated from nylon), a sponge, spray solution, cloth rags, and a vacuum cleaner that has a fissure tool along with an upholstery brush.

Paw tools

In terms of hand tools, y'all will need a screwdriver prepare to take your window AC apart.

How to Clean a Window Air Conditioner Styrofoam

Now that you lot take all your tools necessary to clean a window air conditioner, y'all may turn your focus onto the actual unit itself.

Here is a stride-by-step guide on how to clean mold from air conditioners.

Step1: Pick the Spot

When y'all make clean a window Air conditioning, the chances are that you will be sitting there for a while.

Find a well-ventilated place where you can reach every place of the Ac easily so that you can remove mold without any issues.

Step 2: Get Inside the AC

Mold spores can easily become inside the air conditioner, which is why you need to employ your screwdriver prepare to remove the grill and access other AC components.

Footstep iii: Vacuum Everything

There's bound to exist a lot of dirt and dust forth with the mold; thus you lot may desire to start vacuuming your AC. These units' crevice tool might assist you pick up any dirt or dust that likes to hibernate away from you.

Step 4: Brush the Fins

Accept the upholstery brush and starting time brushing the fins from the coils of the air conditioning unit of measurement. Brush everything from height to bottom before you begin to remove mold from the rest of the unit.

Footstep five: Clean the Fins

Now that you are done brushing the air conditioner fins of dust and dirt, you demand to clean them as well.

Take your cleaner and go information technology evenly on the fins. Allow it sit for nigh xv minutes, and before it gets to dry, wipe it using a cloth or rinse with some hot water.

Stride vi: Clean the Forepart Housing

Just like you need to clean the interior, the front part needs to exist cleaned as well. After all, if any mold spores have formed there, it will be plenty to let information technology to replicate and send it straight to the room.

Use the cleaner on the cover of the AC just similar you used it on the inside. After y'all allow information technology to sit, rinse with some hot water or wipe with a moisture cloth to remove mold that has remained.

You may besides stop off with a dry rag to ensure the infinite is no longer humid.

Step 7: Look Deeper Within

When you clean an air conditioner, in order to make information technology super make clean, you lot need to scrub into the ducts.

Expect every bit far dorsum as yous can, and use the mold solution on each spot, one past one – allowing it to sit for nigh 15 minutes before y'all wipe it away.

At this point, you might besides desire to look at the dorsum and the forepart of the air conditioner, giving it a full general interior 1-over. Accost the filter and everything else you can observe inside the unit.

Footstep viii: Clean the Grill and Get together

Using solution on the grill is crucial every bit mold can rapidly grow at that place. In one case you allow information technology to sit and make clean information technology, you may encompass the within of the window air conditioner.

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How to Prevent Styrofoam Mold in Window Air Conditioners

Air conditioning on a white wall — *Source: freepik.com*

Utilize Fan Mode to Dry the Interior of the Air conditioning

Almost every air conditioner should accept a fan mode that you must regularly to avoid wet building up inside the AC units.

Clean Your Window Ac Once or Twice During the Cooling Season

If you lot keep your home clean at all times, you won't need to remove mold so often since you won't let it course in the commencement place.

Cleaning it once or twice during the cooling season should be enough.

Remove Dust

Mold tends to feed on the dust inside the unit and uses water and humidity spots to grow fifty-fifty more.

Therefore, yous should occasionally take some time to clean the unit of any potential contaminants. Become all the way back from the filter to the cover.

HEPA filters

Every air conditioner has some filter – but usually, a standard filter won't go on the mold from spreading in your home.

You tin opt for HEPA filters on your unit , every bit they can concord back smaller particles as well.

UV filters

For your home to be safe from mold, you might too want to invest in a UV filter. These filters tin kill 99% of bacteria and viruses, which ways that mold doesn't have a chance.

Controlling your indoor air quality

Well-nigh of the mold from your Ac is caused by the situation in your abode's indoor and outdoor environment.

Solution?

Utilise a dehumidifier, as it picks up water from the air. Maybe you can also clean the mold spots in your dwelling house with bleach (or other mold-oriented solutions).

Run Your Air conditioning regularly

If you go out your unit of measurement off for a long time, it gives mold a chance to form. Make sure to plough it dorsum on now and once more to create the right habitat for mold.

Conclusion

Cleaning a window air conditioner from mold and preventing it from growing back is easy – equally long as yous know the steps to follow.

Yous don't always need to apply bleach, just instead, make sure the place is well-ventilated and dry. Without the environmental factors, mold will not even stand a adventure.