White residue from the humidifier

Household humidifiers maintain the necessary air humidity and effectively trap dust and germs. They are installed in apartments and private houses in order to preserve health, especially when there are children in the family. The only drawback of the device is white marks on furniture, but you can get rid of them using simple methods.

Why does a humidifier cause a white coating on furniture?

Whitish stains on surfaces (furniture, household appliances, window glass) form calcium salts. They are an essential component of tap or mineral water. If tap water is poured into the humidifier’s container, not previously boiled or filtered, then these salts will certainly evaporate and settle on interior items.

Possible harm from a white coating on furniture caused by a humidifier

More than 70% of consumers who buy a device to increase indoor humidity are parents of small children. When moms and dads notice a white coating on furniture and flooring, they have a question: is this harmless to the baby’s health?

For human health

Research on the harm of calcium salts deposited on furniture and household appliances after using a humidifier has not been conducted. In European countries and the USA, where about 80% of the population artificially humidify the air in residential premises, experts did not find anything dangerous in the white coating. The only thing that can harm the respiratory and immune systems is stagnation of liquid in the device, which quickly accumulates pathogenic bacteria and viruses and spreads them throughout the room if the water tank is not cleaned.

For furniture and household appliances

The harm of white residue from a humidifier for furniture and household appliances is much greater than for health. Calcium salts clog the cooling fans of televisions, computers, and kitchen appliances. This applies to furniture to a lesser extent; the whitish coating can be easily removed with a rag, provided that this is done daily or every other day.

A device for increasing indoor air humidity causes serious harm only when it is used incorrectly. For example, if the water in the container is not replaced in a timely manner or when maintaining regular humidity (above 75%). At the same time, the wires of electrical appliances oxidize, and wooden furniture (MDF, chipboard) loses its shape.

Ways to eliminate the problem of plaque on furniture from an air humidifier

If you notice a white coating on furniture, windows and household appliances, it is not necessary to buy a new device; it is worth finding the reason for this. The first thing you can do is change the type of water, poured into the container of the humidifier. If this does not help, you need to use other methods - install a special filter or introduce a reverse osmosis system into the water supply.

Changing water

Regular tap water is not always of high quality.When a whitish coating forms in the room due to the operation of the humidifier, you should first boil water and pour it into a container. If the problem persists even after boiling, you can replace the tap water with distilled water, which is sold in car dealerships.

Installing a built-in filter

Special filters help retain calcium salts and other harmful components in the humidifier and stop their release into the air. They come in several types: carbon, with ion exchange resin, HEPA systems based on fiberglass. The difference between them is the cost - carbon filters are cheaper, and HEPA systems can be afforded by hospitals or rich people (their price is 1-4 thousand rubles).

Purchasing an ultrasonic air humidifier in which the cartridges are regularly changed

Ultrasonic humidifiers - these are devices in which the evaporating water is pre-filtered. Their feature is the presence of a special filter that filters out harmful particles from water, including those of biological origin (bacteria, viruses). The ultrasonic humidifier can be filled with tap water. The filter must be changed every 2–2.5 monthsto avoid the entry of harmful microorganisms into the indoor air.

Installation of a reverse osmosis system

An expensive but effective method will not only get rid of the white deposits that arise as a result of the operation of the humidifier, but will also purify all the water entering the apartment (house) through the water supply.

A special system with a replaceable filter is installed in the water supply. At the same time, the water is purified from harmful impurities (salts of heavy metals, iron, pesticides) and, already purified, is poured into the humidifier container.In order for the reverse osmosis system to work smoothly, you need to change the filter every 2-3 months.

conclusions

Any household appliance will function 100% if you follow all the recommendations from the manufacturer. For a humidifier, the most important thing is to regularly change the water container or special filter. In this case, the device will only bring benefits and will not harm furniture and household appliances.