How to Wash Duracool Swamp Cooler Pads

Cleaning Dusty Pads

• 1

  Turn off your cooler and pull the plug. Let others know you are working on the cooler and instruct them not turn it on until you are finished.

• 2

  Take out the frames that hold the pads. Inspect the outside of the pads before taking them out of the frames. The frames in a swamp cooler are located on the outside of the cooler and lift out to make changing or cleaning the pads easier. Pads that do not have salt deposits do not need to come out of the frames to clean them.

• 3

  Put a nozzle on the hose, turn on the water and spray the pads with a strong stream of water, starting at the top and working your way down. Wash the inside of the pads in the same way. Let the pads finish draining before you put them back into the cooler.

Cleaning Mineral Deposits

• 4

  Pour a gallon of vinegar into a plastic pail or bucket. Vinegar comes in different strengths. If your pads are heavily crusted, try to find the strongest vinegar you can, which will dissolve the sediments faster. Some garden supply stores sell vinegar up to 20 percent acidic to kill weeds.

• 5

  Remove the frames from the cooler and take out the pads.

• 6

  Fold the pad so that it sits inside the container. The pads, even when heavily encrusted, are easy to fold or roll. If you are using highly concentrated vinegar, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and consider wearing glasses or goggles to protect your eyes.

• 7

  Add enough water to cover the pads entirely. Let the pad soak until the deposits have dissolved sufficiently.

• 8

  Remove the pads and hose them thoroughly to remove the vinegar before putting the pads back into the frames.