How to Clean a Musty Window Air Conditioner

Foul, musty smells emanating from an old air conditioner could be the result of dirt and grime buildup on the condenser fan blades and cooling element. These components can be cleaned with a special coil cleaner and rinsed off, making the process quite messy. To avoid a serious cleanup, you can remove the unit from its outer metal cabinet and take it outside for cleaning and rinsing.

Coil cleaner
Water hose
Faucet
Flashlight
Screwdriver
Block

Instructions

- 1
  Open the front grille and remove the filter.
- 2
  Pull the front panel off of the air conditioner unit. Some front panels are held in place with plastic snaps or grooves, while others are screwed on. Turn on a flashlight and look inside the front grille for screws. Unscrew the screws, remove the front panel and set it aside.
- 3
  Dismount the air conditioner from the window. If the air conditioner features a surrounding metal cabinet, locate the screws that fasten the unit to the cabinet. Unscrew the cabinet screws with a screwdriver and set them aside. Pull the lower lip of the air conditioner toward you and pull the unit out of the cabinet.
- 4
  Carry the air conditioner unit outside and sit it in an area with good drainage. Slip a block underneath the front part of the air conditioner to elevate the electrical components higher than the other parts of the unit. This prevents water from running down the interior of the unit onto the air conditioner electronics.
- 5
  Spray coil cleaner on the interior cooling element coils and the condenser fan blades to remove the dirt and musty smell. Allow the cleaner to sit for approximately 10 minutes. Refer to the coil cleaner instructions for more exact cleaning times.
- 6
  Screw the end of the water hose onto the faucet on the side of the home or building. Twist the water valve to turn the water on and carry the hose over to the unit.
- 7
  Spray the coils and the fan blades down, until the cleaner is removed. Repeat the cleaning process, until the blades and coils are clean and free of dirty.
- 8
  Allow the unit to air dry.
- 9
  Pick up the air conditioner unit and carry it back inside. Reinsert the unit into the holding cabinet and replace the cabinet screws. Reattach the front panel.
- 10
  Run warm water over the front and back of the air filter, until it’s clean. Allow the filter to air dry and reinsert it behind the front grille.
- 11
  Plug the unit in and test it.

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