AUSTIN, Texas — With dry winter air PLUS cold and flu season in full swing, a humidifier can be essential to better skin, sleep, and overall health. However, humidifiers can get gross, potentially spreading bacteria and other germs. Consumer Reports reveals some simple and super-effective maintenance tips to keep you and your humidifier in tip-top shape all winter.
Humidifiers cannot prevent colds and flu, but they can go a long way in helping your body fight off those nasty infections by keeping the air moist!
In this climate-controlled chamber, Consumer Reports runs humidifiers overnight and tracks how many gallons of water each emits. Ideally, you want a relative humidity between thirty and fifty percent inside your home.
After many hours of testing, CR recommends this Vicks for smaller rooms.
“It’s really important to keep your humidifier clean because you don’t want a buildup of gunk inside that, that can spread microbes through the air and possibly get you sick.”
To keep your humidifier fresh, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which typically include daily and weekly maintenance.
And if you have kids in the house – Consumer Reports has some advice.
“In a nursery or child’s room, you want to ensure things are safe, so Consumer Reports recommends you get a cool mist humidifier. A warm mist humidifier which heats water has the potential to scald if there’s an accident.”
CR recommends this Honeywell, which is easy to clean and use. Bonus – no wick, cartridge, or filter needs to be replaced.
Consumer Reports also says to position your humidifier on a flat surface, raised at least 2 feet above the floor. This allows for more moisture to dissipate into the air.