In the past two years, the quality of life has improved, and more and more people are paying attention to the cleaning of home appliances.
In the past, people thought that it was enough for the air conditioner to blow out cold air and the washing machine to rotate. As for whether it was dirty or not, it didn't seem to be that important.
But now the situation is different, especially after the epidemic, people's attention to air health has increased by several levels, and the importance of home hygiene has also increased by several levels.
Air conditioners, washing machines, and other large items have been used for several years but have not been cleaned. The dust and bacteria hidden in them are scary and scary when you think about them carefully.
Therefore, household appliance cleaning is not a question of whether it is useful, but very necessary.
So the question arises, why is home appliance cleaning so useful and has it really become popular in the past two years?
I think the reason is quite real.
For one thing, large appliances that everyone is familiar with, such as air conditioners and washing machines, have been widely promoted for decades. Nowadays, almost every household has them, and many of them have entered the "middle age" period that requires in-depth maintenance.
On the other hand, people's pockets have become richer than before, and their demand for quality of life has naturally increased. From "as long as it can be used" to "not only to use it cleanly, but also to use it healthily".
This change in concept directly led to the explosion of the home appliance cleaning market.
Today, we will focus on the “main force” here, which is air conditioner cleaning, especially how to clean it yourself, and what principle is the air conditioner cleaner used based on?
How dirty is the inside of the invisible air conditioner?
Many people think that air conditioners don’t need to be washed because “they don’t look dirty.”
This is actually "out of sight, out of mind".
The dirt of the air conditioner is mainly hidden behind the back panel of the indoor unit, which we usually cannot see at all.
You can think of it as an electric fan blade that has been used for a long time. Is there an extremely thick layer of oily dust attached to it?
The same goes for air conditioners, and probably more so.
When the air conditioner is running, it continuously sucks the indoor air in, cools or heats it through the evaporator (i.e., the radiator), and then blows it out.
During this process, impurities such as dust, lint, and bacteria in the air will adhere to the humid evaporator day after day as time goes by, and will also adhere to the wind wheel.
Unlike some electric fans that have an open structure, the inside of the air conditioner is semi-enclosed and the environment is relatively humid. In this case, it is especially easy for mold and bacteria to breed, such as Legionella and Staphylococcus aureus.
These dirty things blown into the room by the air-conditioned wind have become killers that affect respiratory health, and they are also invisible.
Therefore, the air conditioner must be cleaned regularly, especially the internal evaporator. This is definitely not treating small things as big things.
How do air conditioner cleaners work?
When it comes to cleaning the air conditioner yourself, the key tool is air conditioner cleaner.
This thing looks like a can of spray, but it's not just "water."
The working principle of this object can be understood as a "chemical decomposition" and "physical erosion" of dirt.
The formulas of the mainstream air-conditioning cleaners on the market generally include several key ingredients, namely surfactants, solvents, bactericides, anti-corrosion agents, and fragrances.
Among them, the main force of decontamination is surfactant, which can reduce the surface tension of water, penetrate deep into the dirt, and then "strip" the oil and dust on the metal sheet (that is, the evaporator).
Ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, generally used as solvents, can help dissolve some more stubborn grease.
First of all, there is a class of substances called fungicides, which commonly include quaternary ammonium salts. Their function is to kill the bacteria attached to them. In addition, they also need to kill the mold attached to them. This step is very critical for protecting health.
Anti-corrosion agents can protect the detergent from corroding the delicate aluminum evaporator fins inside the air conditioner.
When you sprinkle the detergent evenly on the evaporator, it will immediately generate full of foam. These foams will wrap up the dirt and slowly penetrate and break it down.
Spend about fifteen to twenty minutes waiting, then you will see black sewage flowing down the drain pipe, and what this shows is the decomposed and fallen off dirt.
The whole process does not require vigorous brushing, which avoids damaging the fragile fins.
Teach you step by step to save 100 yuan in cleaning fees
If the old air conditioner you have at home does not have the self-cleaning function, and you do not plan to spend more than 100 yuan to hire a master for door-to-door service, then it is actually relatively simple and easy to clean it yourself.
First prepare a bottle of air conditioning cleaner, then prepare a soft-bristled brush, then prepare a rag, and then prepare a pair of gloves, so that you can get started.
The first step is safety first.
Be sure to unplug the air conditioner first!
Then open the front cover of the indoor unit and take out Filter .
The simplest thing is to clean the filter. Just rinse it with clean water. If there is a lot of dust and oil, add some detergent, scrub it gently with a soft brush, and then let it dry.
The second step is to focus on cleaning the evaporator.
Aim the nozzle of the air conditioner cleaner toward the evaporator fins, and spray evenly at a certain distance to ensure that all parts are covered with foam.
After spraying, let it sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the detergent to fully react.
You will see sewage coming out of the drain in the back.
The third step is to deal with the shell and wind wheel.
If it can be easily reached, you can also use detergent to spray the air conditioner shell and the wind wheel at the air outlet, and then wipe them clean with a wet rag.
For wind wheels, try using a long cotton swab for detailed cleaning.
The fourth step is finishing work.
Wait until all parts are completely dry, especially the filter, then replace the filter and close the cover.
Plug in the power and turn on the air conditioner cooling mode to run for 15-30 minutes.
The purpose of this is to completely drain away the remaining detergent and sewage, while at the same time leaving the interior in a dry state.
Can self-cleaning air conditioners completely replace manual cleaning?
Nowadays, many new air conditioners claim to have self-cleaning function, which is really an improvement.
There are two mainstream self-cleaning technologies today. One is to use the process of condensation and defrost in the evaporator to peel off dust through the expansion of ice, and then take the dust away after it melts. The other is to have a small brush built into the indoor unit, which can automatically roll and clean the filter.
These two technologies are mainly aimed at the daily dust removal work of evaporators and filters. However, they are not suitable for stubborn dirt, oil stains, and dead corners such as wind wheels. Its cleaning capabilities are limited.
Therefore, even if you are using an air conditioner with a self-cleaning function, it is still recommended to carry out in-depth manual cleaning every one or two years, especially for those households with poor environmental conditions, such as those close to the kitchen or close to the road.
Compared with deep cleaning, the self-cleaning function seems to be more like a "daily cleaning", while deep cleaning is like a "year-end cleaning". Only by combining the two can the best results be guaranteed.
After all, the core of air conditioner cleaning is for health.
Do it yourself and choose a suitable cleaning agent. Not only can you save a lot of money, but you can also see the dirty things being cleaned out with your own eyes, which will make you feel extra at ease when using it.
Looking at the air outlet that has been cleaned and looks like brand new, facing the refreshing and clean wind, it feels like replacing a brand new air conditioner.
