Cool Mist Humidifier - Need for cleaning if only "Distilled" Water is used?

[mark_wpduet]

Just wondering because I really can't find the answer by Googling. It was my understanding that distilled water doesn't go bad (I could be wrong). If you only use distilled water in a humidifier, do you still need to scrub and clean it with bleach and vinegar? I can't use tap water because of the hard water....

 

[whirlcool]

I think the reason you use distilled water in those ultra sonic humidifiers is to prevent mineral dust from getting into the air. Run one of the humidifiers on regular water and then look at the tops of your tables. You'll see a white powder. Distilled water doesn't do that.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Yes

I made that mistake once and never again.....It doesn't matter if it's cool mist or ultrasonic, it will creates white dust, so I only use distilled water which made me wonder if they need to be cleaned since only pure clean water is going into them..

 

[iheartmaytag]

Though you would not have to clean the minerals out of the humidifier cleaning on occasion would still be a good ideal due the the bacteria that can grow in the water and be emitted through the mist.   

 

[toploader55]

I just bought a Warm Mist CVS badged Humidifier.

I find that for the most part I get about 3 years out of one. I clean under the reservoir with vinegar and the heating element every month. The water here is kind of hard, and I used to run distilled water in mine. But being they usually just stop working after 3 years, I just use the tap water.

It is my understanding from what I have read that the Warm Mist has a lower bacteria count as it steams the water hot to make the mist. I don't know, as always there are pros and cons to everything. I was just googling and couldn't find any facts that one is better than the other.
Most posts read that Cool Mist is better around children as there is no Hot water to burn them.

Never noticed the white dust from Tap Water. Hmmm....

 

[mark_wpduet]

Actually, I just discovered this humidifier

has this in it. And they are replaceable.

I wonder how they work?

http://www.amazon.com/Protec-PC-2-Antimicrobial-Cleaning-Cartridge/dp/B008O57G5U

 

[beekeyknee]

It might be a silver ion cartridge.

 

[mark_wpduet]

That's interesting -

After doing more reading, I read a comment someone made how they put a silver teaspoon in their humidifier tank and never got the slim or scum growing in it. So perhaps that's what it is. I wonder if you could drop silver coins or dimes in there to kill bacteria. I know they put silver on burn victims to speed healing.