How to clean an air conditioner?

This AC unit fits in the wall under the windows and it smells kind of musty. I got the front grill all clean but how do we do the back


  6 answers
  • Cindy Cindy on Jun 10, 2020

    Hi Christine. Spray the back with your garden hose. Use lowest pressure possible. Spray all around until you see the water run clear. Afterwards wait to use it for a couple hours until everything has had a chance to dry, approx a couple hours. Good luck Christine. Hoping all is well with you.

  • Christine Anne Pieper Christine Anne Pieper on Jun 10, 2020

    Thank you so much Cindy. Your answer is very helpful. There is a cover over the part that sticks outside and I was going to remove that to see how it looked today, but we got hit with a downpour, so that's for another day I guess. I do appreiae you taking the time to answer.

  • Christine Anne Pieper Christine Anne Pieper on Jun 11, 2020

    NaomieMoore I am so sorry I missed your videos yesterday. I don't know how I could have missed it, but I did. Thank you so much for sending those links, they were very helpful. Have a beautiful day.

  • Mogie Mogie on Jun 20, 2020

    One thing with a window unit it is easy to clean. Put it on a set of saw horses so your not bending over. Put this perhaps on the driveway because cleaners and lots of water is involved. Remove the plastic cover on the front to expose the fins and perhaps the filter. Using care not to damage the fins or the tiny tube that may be attached to the front of the fins itself. The plastic cover that was removed can be scrubbed clean with any quality cleaner that will not harm plastic. Good old warm and soapy water always does the trick. A soft brush will aid in getting between the grooves in the panel. ON the AC system itself. Tape a plastic baggie over the control section. Then simply using a soft scrub brush and water wash the unit down. Hose it off as needed. Just try not to direct the water onto the control area and directly onto the fan motor that drives the blower and outside fan part. Try to spray the foam or metal tray that the coil sits on, and be sure to spray and brush well the inside blower wheel that should be partly exposed from where the air comes out. The better you clean, the better the fan will blow cold air. There is really nothing you can hurt as long as you attempt to keep water out of where the wires and switches are connected. Once done, tilt and move unit around to dump as much water you can out of the unit and let sit for a few hours to let it dry off in the hot sun. Just try not to turn the unit upside down. Once that is done and if the system is a 110 volt unit, plug it in and run the fan on high. This will help blow out any water that may be hidden in cavities that you cannot see plus is will dry it off better before you install it and run it.