Pre-Summer AC Cleaning: Running It Dirty Blows Dust Straight at Your Face

Last week temperatures suddenly hit 30°C, and I instinctively grabbed the AC remote. The moment it powered on, a musty smell hit my face, and visibly dusty air blew out.

I immediately shut it off. Clean first, cool later.

What I discovered was shocking. They say an AC unit left uncleaned for a year harbors 60 times more bacteria than a toilet. I’m not sure about that exact figure, but given that musty smell, it seems plausible.

Professional cleaning costs about $20 per unit. With two ACs at home, that’s $40. I researched and found most routine cleaning is totally DIY-able, so I gave it a shot.

Step one: Unplug. Safety always first.

Step two: Remove filters. This is simple—open the front panel and the filters slide right out. My goodness, the dust had formed a felt-like layer, slightly sticky to touch.

Step three: Wash filters. Rinse with shower head, added a bit of dish soap. The dirt washed off quickly. I rinsed three times until water ran clear. Then air-dried on the balcony.

Step four: Clean the fins. Don’t spray water directly here—it’ll damage circuits. I bought specialized AC cleaner, sprayed it on, waited 15 minutes for foam to break down dust, then wiped surfaces with a damp cloth.

The whole process took under an hour for both units. Powering them on for testing, the air felt fresh and cooling seemed more effective than before.

Professional cleaning apparently includes internal evaporators and condensers, which do require specialized tools. But for routine surface cleaning like this, DIY is perfectly adequate. I recommend cleaning filters monthly.

Ladies, don’t rush to turn on that AC. Check if it’s clean first. Health matters more than cool air.