Your air conditioner is full of mold and bugs—here's how to clean it

Wherever you find water, you find life. Unfortunately for you, this life can take the form of mildew, mold, bacteria, and insects in your home. You probably know that you need to clean your shower curtain, your washing machine, and your sponges when they get wet. However, did you know that your air conditioner is a breeding ground for all sorts of nastiness?

Your A/C creates condensation, meaning it can be harboring disease, insects, and mold. Here’s how to keep your window A/C unit and portable A/C units clean and running more efficiently.

How often should you clean your air conditioner?

At a minimum, you should clean your A/C unit at the beginning and end of each season. Optimally you should make time before it starts to cool your home. This is to get rid of any mold or mildew that has grown while the unit is inactive or in storage, and then to mitigate that buildup for the next time.

You should also clean your air filter whenever your unit starts producing a bad smell. If the odor persists, then you should move to clean the interior. This will keep it running better in the long run.

What you'll need

• An air conditioner
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Two washcloths
• Screwdriver

How to clean your air conditioner

Step 1. Unplug it

If you just turn off the power it might be enough. Unplug the unit to avoid getting shocked while cleaning.

Step 2. Remove and clean the filter

In most window A/C units or outdoor units, your filter is located at the front of the unit. Most of the time they just slide or snap off.

Gently vacuum the screen to remove dust and debris with your vacuum's dusting brush. If you detect any odor, run a mixture of baking soda and water over the screen. You can use a spray bottle for this.

Do not put the filter in the dishwasher: It can damage the fine mesh. If your A/C uses a carbon filter it'll be completely destroyed.

Step 3. Remove the casing.

Most of the mold and mildew grows inside the air conditioning unit, where it's much less likely to get cleaned away. You'll need to remove the outer casing to access this hiding spot. The casing is typically held together by four or five screws. If you’re hunting down that last screw, try removing the front panel.

Step 4. Mop up any excess water.

After removing the casing, you'll be greeted by a maze of tubes. The place we want to focus on is towards the front of the unit, called the evaporator. This is where any dripping noises come from, because water drains into a pan at the base of the unit.

Mop up any standing moisture to help prevent mold from developing, then wipe down the tubes and pan. Use a mixture of water and vinegar to help kill microbes.

Step 5. Dust off the fans.

Your air conditioner has a fan in the front as well as the back. If either fan collects too much dust, it will have issues circulating the air properly. This can reduce air flow and possibly reduce the lifespan of your device. A quick dust with a fin comb or microfiber cloth will do the trick here.

Step 6. Wipe down the condenser coils.

You can use the same vinegar mix to clean that series of tubes behind the aluminum fins in the back of the unit. They also make dedicated coil cleaner for air conditioning coils.

These air conditioner coils are called condenser coils, and they help remove heat from the air inside your home. Build-up of dust, dirt and debris here just means the A/C will be operating at a lower efficiency. This can waste a lot of energy. If you ever feel your A/C just isn't cooling like it used to, it's possible that cleaning the dirty coils is the fix.

Step 7. Put everything back together again.

Turn on the unit for a while to dry everything off. The air coming out should smell fresh and clean.

Now that you’ve got your unit clean, all that's left to do is enjoy your clean, cool air, with all the peace of mind that a confirmed bug-free A/C can offer.