How to clean dehumidifier bucket?

Our expert tips on how to clean a dehumidifier.

Dehumidifiers are highly efficient devices that help our homes maintain the ideal humidity level. But their function does not just stop there. They also help our homes to maintain a healthy environment by keeping them free from allergens, dust mites, mold and mildew, and more! Building a healthy environment by trapping microscopic mold spores and allergens is hard work. The air filter within the unit will be laden with all the dirt they accumulate and by filtering the air. Hence, it is important to ensure you clean your dehumidifier unit regularly.

The external or outer shell, the internal unit or the internal components, the air filter, the water tank- all dehumidifier parts are prone to mold growth since the device is dealing with the extraction of excess moisture from the air. Many do wonder ‘How to clean dehumidifier bucket?’.

The cleaning process by itself is simple and mostly requires minimal materials available at home that are completely safe to use on the unit’s exterior and internal components. Thorough cleaning for dehumidifiers that have stubborn dirt in them, along with other repairs might sometimes need a little assistance from chemical cleaners or any specific cleaning solution. Let us learn more about how to clean a dehumidifier water collection tank safely and more about the cleaning process itself.

What happens if you don’t clean your dehumidifier?

If you do not regularly clean your dehumidifier, you are definitely going to face the very problem you are trying to avoid. Apart from drawing out excess moisture from the air, dehumidifiers are excellent devices to prevent mold and mildew. If your home is battling mold growth, you must ensure that you carry out a thorough cleaning of the unit as often as recommended.

The dehumidifier’s water collection tank, unit’s exterior, and other dehumidifier parts are at the risk of becoming breeding grounds to mold spores and mold growth itself. If your main concern is to prevent mold at all times, allocate time for regular cleaning of the unit for it to function properly and ensure the unit does not spread illnesses across your home.

How do you know if your dehumidifier bucket needs to be cleaned?

Your dehumidifier water bucket is housing all the extra moisture from the air that has been extracted by the unit. Any water collection tank that is in constant exposure to water or moisture requires regular cleaning. Especially for devices like dehumidifiers that purify air to give you a comfortable and healthy environment.

It has been advised that once every three weeks you can clean the unit regularly to remove the loose dirt that may accumulate at the bottom of the water tank. When you regularly clean the bucket filter, unit’s exterior, and other components; you are not alone making way for the device to function properly but you also clean mold and mildew buildup entirely from within the unit as well.

What do you use to clean a dehumidifier bucket?

Are you wondering what are the things you should be using to clean a dehumidifier water reservoir and bucket filter? Well, the list can be either simple or complicated depending on the things you choose to use.

When you clean a dehumidifier water reservoir at home you can make use of many simple cleaning solution options available at home, which are completely safe and effective to give you a thorough cleaning process. You also have the choice to use chemical cleaners available in the market. Here are the things you can use at home:

✔ Damp cloth
✔ Clean cloth
✔ Warm water and clean water
✔ Dish soap or liquid soap to make soapy water
✔ Mild detergent or gentle detergent free from strong artificial fragrances and additives
✔ White vinegar
✔ Soft bristle brush or soft brush
✔ Rubber gloves

All these options for a cleaning solution can be found at home. These will help you to clean your dehumidifier’s water tank thoroughly!

Steps to Clean Your Dehumidifier Bucket?

So you are convinced now that your dehumidifier’s water tank and dehumidifier’s air filter need regular cleaning, but you are unsure of how to get started. Here are the steps in cleaning a dehumidifier’s water reservoir using the simple materials available at home. Let us take a look at the steps below.

Step 1:

The first step before you being to clean any electrical appliance is to switch it off and unplug it. The device must not be disconnected from the power source and it must be unplugged and kept at a safe distance from the power source.

It does not matter if you are using clean water or just a damp cloth to wipe the unit’s outer shell or any other internal component within the device, or even if it is the dehumidifier filter in need of some dusting; unplug the device and then proceed further with the cleaning.

Step 2:

It is always better to start from the outer shell of the dehumidifier. This way you can ensure that you do not carry all the dirt from the unit’s exterior to the internal dehumidifier parts while cleaning.
You can use a damp cloth that has been soaked in clean water or warm water to wipe down the outer shell carefully. Loose dirt can be dusted off with a dry cloth and the damp cloth can be used for stubborn dirt on the unit.

Remember, cleaning solvents must not be used directly on the unit’s outer body. You cannot easily dismiss the fact that it also plays a role in the device’s functioning. Any damage to the outer body can lead to damage to the internal components. You must also remember to never spray water on the outer body directly. Whether you decide to use clean water or cleaning solvents; always spray them onto a dry cloth or damp cloth and then wipe them down. Do not spray water or cleaning solvents directly on any of the parts.

Step 3:

One of the best ways to prevent mold from taking over your home is to clean a dehumidifier water tank regularly. Not all dehumidifiers come with a Full Tank alert, but the recent models do. When your device alerts you that the tank is full and turns off, it is time to act.

When you empty the water collection tank regularly you prevent mold from growing inside the tank. Mold and mildew, like most other fungal groups, are capable of breeding quickly. These will spread illnesses across your home in no time. All traces of mold spores, mold, and mildew might be impossible to eradicate completely since mold spores will remain dormant until favourable conditions arise. However, you can prevent mold from taking root.

Here is how you can clean a dehumidifier water tank. Pour in a mild soap or dish soap or liquid soap, mix with clean water into the tank. Scrub the tank thoroughly using rubber gloves and a soft-bristle brush or wire brush or any simple soft brush. Gently scrub until the water tank’s bottom is free from any dust mask or brown stuff that has accumulated, stubborn dirt, etc. Once you are done with scrubbing, you can rinse off the soapy water, and repeat rinsing again with warm water. Wipe the bucket dry before you pour it back into the dehumidifier unit. Ensure the bucket is completely dry, you can also air dry it a little longer to be sure of this.

Some people prefer to keep the cleaning process entirely natural and opt to use white vinegar during this cleaning and scrubbing. White vinegar is an excellent natural disinfectant that will help to break down any remaining dirt, metal residues, and clean mold build-up entirely. Do not forget to check the manual on the products that are completely safe to use on the dehumidifier unit. Be it white vinegar (although it is an excellent natural disinfectant), cleaning solvent, or just soapy water made from a mild detergent.

Step 4:

Cleaning the dehumidifier’s air filter from time to time is absolutely essential. The air filter of any electronic appliance for that matter must be cleaned regularly. When you clean a dehumidifier along with its air filter, you do not just enhance the functioning of the unit, but you also protect your home. Unclean air filters spread illnesses and aggravate any pre-existing health disorders like asthma, pneumonia, breathing difficulties, etc.

It is simple to clean a dehumidifier’s air filter and here is how you do it. Once you remove the air filter from the dehumidifier, inspect it to check if there are any blockages or any portion of the air filter has suffered damage. If yes, call a professional to look into it. If your device has a disposable air filter, replace it with a new one.

You can clean the air filter in a solution of warm water and mild detergent. Soak the air filter in this solution for a couple of minutes. You can dry the filter under the sun or let it air dry completely, after which you can place the filter back into the unit.

Step 5:

The best way to clean loose dirt on the unit or within is by using a vacuum cleaner. Set your vacuum on the lowest and safest vacuum attachment and setting and quickly vacuum the air filters; to collect all the dirt thoroughly (you can do this before you wash the filters). A vacuum can also be used after the filters have been washed to ensure any remaining dirt has been removed. If your manual has any advice on which vacuum attachment and setting must be used for your dehumidifier filter, kindly follow the same.

Step 6:

The final step is cleaning the water bucket filter. You have to note that not all dehumidifiers have a water bucket filter in them. If your dehumidifier has one, it is important to clean the bucket filter most importantly. It will collect the stray impurities in the dehumidifier. It does an effective task of getting hold of the stray impurities, although it is only the size of a thimble.

The water bucket filter is a lot smaller than the main air filter size. This small filter is found typically tucked away in the water basket or reservoir of a unit. If you need help in locating it, you can refer to your unit’s manual.

If your unit has a bucket filter, remember to clean the bucket filter by simply rinsing it in warm water. Allow it to air dry completely before you place it back into where it is typically tucked in your unit.

How do you clean a moldy dehumidifier bucket?

The method to clean mold from a dehumidifier’s basket is fairly simple. But, it does not dismiss the fact that mold is hazardous. Nevertheless and you must exercise caution when you clean mold (regardless of how small or big its impact is). Here is how you can clean mold buildup from a water basket or reservoir in a dehumidifier at home.

✦ If you have rubber gloves, use them or purchase latex gloves to protect your hands from mold. It is recommended that you wear a mask if you have a history of mold allergy or as a precautionary step.
✦ Carefully detach the water basket. If it is full of water, be cautious not to spill it on the unit.
✦ You can empty the collected water in the basket into a drain or sink.
✦ Now, you have to fill back the water basket with clean water; until it is half full. Add in a teaspoon of dish soap for each gallon of water used in the water basket.
✦ You can gently swirl the water basket. This action will slowly release all the mold and debris. To remove any more mold attached to the water basket you can simply use a soft bristle brush. This will make removing the mold easier.
✦ Make sure you have rinsed out the soapy water from the water basket thoroughly. You can rinse it a couple of times using clean water.
✦ Now mix half a cup of chlorine bleach solution for every gallon of water. Use this chlorine bleach solution to fill the unit’s water basket, covering the parts that are affected by mold.
✦ Allowing the chlorine bleach solution to stay inside the unit’s water basket undisturbed for 15 minutes will destroy all traces of mold, including the spores.
✦ You can now rinse the water basket with water and dispel the water out.
✦ Fit back the water basket in the unit. You can wipe using a dry cloth or air dry it until it is completely dry.

Wrapping Up

With this, we have reached the end of the article. We hope we have answered ‘How to clean dehumidifier bucket?’ with ease from the comfort of your home. Share with us how often you clean your dehumidifier bucket, emphasizing the benefits of regular water tank cleaning.