177 posts, read 1,313,607 times 50 posts, read 108,199 times Originally Posted by newlocustpt Thanks, I imagine you then took the top off then to wash from the inside? Lots of screws, but sort of hard to direct the water inside with the top on right? 25,644 posts, read 21,697,976 times 662 posts, read 1,223,982 times Originally Posted by timfountain Well I kind of figured that was obvious. HOWEVER, you are correct and I am sure many people would forget or neglect this little item.Window air conditioner units need basic service done to them or they will not work as well as they should. One of the more important things to be done is to clean the filter from dust and other debris that can block the air flow. When air flow is block a A/C unit can not work properly and can fail to cool a room as well as when it was new. How To Clean a Window Air Conditioner Filter Remove the fount cover. Each unit will have its own clips or unique way the cover is attached.

Slide the filter out. The filter can be cleaned in a sink with water. Only use water as any chemicals that are used will circulate in the room the unit is in. After cleaning the filter simply install it back into the unit. Be sure it is aligned correctly so no debris gets past it while it is operating. How often the filter is cleaned will depend on the climate lived in. For example a desert environment has much more debris in the air than a high mountain region. Keeping the filter clean is very important since a A/C unit works with air flow to transfer hot and cold air to the right places. A dirty filter interrupts this process and can lead to an under-performing unit. Never run a window air conditioner without the filter as the fins that air flows though can become clogged. This can lead to more problems since the small fins are not easily cleaned and if no air is able to pass though the unit it will not work. If your window air conditioning unit is having problems and not blowing cold air read here for more tips.

What is the proper way to clean an air conditioning screen? I kind of just pull it out and rub it lightly so some of the dust pills off, but then now I ran it under some water? It didn’t work all that great, either, but it was mostly clean, and I patted it dry with a paper towel and then put it back in, dampish. This is a great question and oh so very timely for those of us sweating and cursing our way through yet another summer of heatwaves.york ac unit sizesYou’re not that far off … the way to clean an AC screen is to take it out of the unit, put it in your kitchen sink (or bathtub if the sink isn’t big enough, though it should be because the screens aren’t that big) and cover it with warm water and a bit of dish soap. air conditioner outdoor unit componentsThen while it’s submerged, use a sponge to clean the dirt and whatnot off. ac unit for truck

Things get even easier if you have a hose attachment on your kitchen sink — oooh and one day we really need to talk about replacing the faucet on your kitchen sink so that you can have a hose attachment because hose attachments are the best, and I love mine so much that I sometimes worry my boyfriend is getting jealous — which you can aim at the back of the screen, i.e. the not-dirty side, and force the grime off with just the water pressure.When you’re done cleaning the screen of dirt, dry it before you put it back in the unit so the water doesn’t get into the machinery. It’s best to use a dishcloth or rag for this task rather than a paper towel, which will get all torn up and stuck to the screen.While you’re at it, it’s not a bad idea to give the rest of the unit a dusting. If you’ve got a feather duster, great! That will go a long way in getting any dust out from the vents. If not, you can either use a dry cloth or something that you’ve sprayed lightly with an all-purpose cleaner and go over each vent;

just wiping down the front of the unit won’t do much, honestly; you really do need to take the time to wipe out each slat. It won’t take that long, though!If you notice that the innards of the unit have any build-up on them, you can use a dryer sheet rubbed gently over the grimy areas to remove the dirt. You can actually use a dryer sheet to clean the vent slats too. Handy dandy new use!Also, and this is an important safety note: please turn off the unit AND UNPLUG IT before you go messing about. Just out of an abundance of caution. It’s pretty easy to knock the on button and have the darn thing turn on while you’re futzing, which is why I do want you to take the extra step of unplugging the unit.How do I clean a dual window fan full of dust and dirt inside the little plastic grid/frame thing? Dirt gets sucked in and it stays there (and probably blows into my apartment), but short of detailing it with a toothbrush and a vacuum, it still doesn’t seem like the most effective way to make this thing spotless, or at least less caked with dirt in 500 separate, tiny hard-to-reach crevices.

There are two ways to clean a fan (and this goes for box fans, dual window fans, and oscillating fans): the proper way and the quick and dirty way. We’ll go through both methods, starting with the proper way.Unplug your fan and move it to a workspace. You may want to put down a trash bag so you don’t get dirt and grime all over the place, but that’s entirely up to you. Using the appropriate screwdriver, remove the screws holding the front and back covers in place. Set the screws aside in a small dish or cup so you don’t run the risk of losing one. You’ll need those again!Step 1 is to wash the covers, which you can do by either putting them in the sink and giving ’em a good going over with a soapy sponge and some hot water, or by wiping them down with a rag and an all-purpose cleaning solution. If you’re dealing with a fan cover with a small grid pattern, go ahead and cover the pieces in water and wash them while submerged, or use a hose attachment if you’ve got one. Dry them thoroughly and set aside.

Step 2 is to wipe down the blades, which you can do with either a rag, sponge or paper towels. Depending on how dirty they are, you may want to wipe the dust off with a dry rag and then go over them with a wet rag, or you might just skip directly to the wet rag. Here you can use soap and water or an all-purpose cleaning solution of your choice, but it’s best to wet the rag or sponge you’re using than to spray the blades directly.Step 3 is to wipe down the outer parts of the unit, including the cord, with a dry cloth. Then you’re ready to reassemble the unit! Not too hard, right? But let’s say you’re terrified of screwdrivers. Or maybe you just don’t own one? (Related: you should own a screwdriver.) If that’s the case then how about my quick and dirty method of leaving the unit intact and spraying the entire thing down with canned air? Man, I really love canned air.Also before I leave you, I would be remiss to not point out that the wonderful and talented folks at geeky brother site The Wirecutter have reviewed both fans and air conditioners, so that they can recommend the very best for you!